(Michigan, US) clarity on car seat safety laws for toddler? Toddler's thighs are too big for harness
So, I just need some clarity because I'm really in a bind. When I go to .gov for Michigan car seat safety, I'm still unsure about what to do because I feel like it doesn't apply to my situation.
My son is 3 years, 4 months old. 40lbs, 40inches tall. So he does not meet the height or age requirement for a booster without the harness, but he does meet the weight requirement. The problem I'm having is the way my son's weight is distributed. He was in the 99th percentile for weight as a newborn, and while he is slimming down, it is slower than other kids. Most of the chunk is in his thighs and waist. This was actually a nightmare to deal with in terms of diapers for the first six months of his life, because nothing fit him quite right.
His extra chunky waste and thighs means that the usual harness for toddlers on the other car seats just isn't really working anymore. He's actually in pain when I try to snap him in, no matter how much I loosen the straps. And he's getting tall enough that he needs the shoulder height to be adjusted, but once it's adjusted, then there will not be enough strap left to get around his thighs.
Would it be okay to move up to the booster seat? I'm worried about getting pulled over and getting into big trouble. I have never been pulled over, but there's a first time for everything. The normal car seats just aren't cutting it though, even though he's well under the weight limit.
To clarify: the booster seats with the 3 point harnesses are the ones that aren't working for him. The booster seats that still have a back to them, where they don't need to go around his legs, would absolutely work for him.