Car Seat Safety
/ Car Seat Recommendations
- Browse Group:
- Group Home
- Forums
- This Forum
- Chat
- Photos
- Calendar
- Chatterbox
- Links
- Member List
- Guidelines
Keep up with discussion in the "Car Seat Safety" group through your e-mail, or join in the conversation yourself!
Join CafeMom Today (It's free and easy!) Already a member?
Confused by your next carseat?
posted to Car Seat Recommendations
in Car Seat Safety
on Mar. 3, 2009 at 2:32 PM
- 10 Replies
- 619 Total Views
Carseats are very confusing. Many parents don't know which step to take next and when. Hopefully this post will help clear things up a bit.
Infant Seats
An infant seat is one that only rear-faces, usually has a base, and fits newborns and small infants best. There are lots of different types on store shelves today. Some seats only have a 3pt harness, some have rear adjusters (meaning you have to loosen and tighten the harness behind the seat), some have 5pt harnesses with front adjusters, some have great padding for newborns, some don't. When you go to purchase your seat there are things to consider when shopping for one. It's best to choose a seat that has a 5pt harness (meaning that they are 5 pts that contact the shell of the seat. Over each shoulder, each hip, and buckle between the legs), and a front harness adjuster (usually a strap that comes out of the front of the seat). These seats hold the baby in the seat best.
This is an infant seat: Chicco Keyfit 30 (5pt harness, front adjuster, newborn padding, 4-30lbs)
An
infant seat is outgrown when 1 of 2 things happens... The baby's head
comes within 1in of the top of the seat shell (the hard plastic not the
cover)... OR when baby reaches the weight limit. Read your owners
manual to determine the weight limit on your specific seat. After the
infant seat is outgrown, it is time to move to a Rear-facing Convertible seat.
Note: Babies should remain rear-facing until the limits of their convertible seat. Most children are between 2-3 years old. The reason for this is because their spinal column does not fully mature until they are around 4 years old. Before that the bone is just calcified. If you are in a crash and your child is forward facing they are at a higher risk of spinal cord injury, because their head is heavy and puts a lot of strain on the spinal cord. When the bone is not hard enough to protect it. Think about how an adult feels with whiplash... Well whiplash on a small child could turn into a spinal cord injury, and it could be permanent or worse. By keeping a child rear-facing it prevents the whiplash effect. The carseat absorbs all the impact instead of the child.
Which harness slot should I be using?
When a baby/child is rear-facing you should be using the slot that is at or below the shoulder.
Convertible Seat
A
convertible seat is one that will rear-face and forward face. Most
convertibles will rear-face to between 30-35lbs (don't purchase one
that has a 20 or 22lb rear-facing limit. It's a waste of money). Most
will forward face to only 40lbs with a harness, however there are now
several models and manufactures that have convertible seats that will
harness above 40lbs. You may consider this when your are shopping for
your convertible seat. Beware of seats that are "3 in 1" seats. These
seats do not currently harness above 40lbs, the box can
be deceiving to the buyer. Avoid seats that have a over head shield
(bar that comes down over the child's head). These are not as safe as a
5pt harness. When shopping for a convertible look for seats that have a
5pt harness and front harness adjuster. After that consider seats that
harness to higher weight limits.
This is a convertible
carseat: Britax Marathon (5pt harness, front adjuster, rear-faces to
35lbs, forward faces to 65lbs with a harness)
Children should riding rear-facing in their convertible until they reach the rear-facing weight limit OR when their head is within one inch of the top of the shell. Then you may flip it forward facing. They are outgrown forward facing when 1 of 3 things is reached. When the forward facing weight limit is reached, OR when the top of their shoulders go above the top harness slots (*see note), OR when the tips of the ears go above the shell. Once one of those is reached it's on to the next step. This is where it becomes more confusing for parents.
*Note: The "3-1" seats on the market have a bar on the back of the seat that you adjust to slide the harness up and down according to where your child's shoulders are. Note in the instruction book that the VERY top slot on the back is to be used only when the seat is in belt position booster mode. This is with the seat belt. You cannot use the seat with the harness in that slot. The other slots can be rather low, so consider this when shopping. I recommend taking a tape measure with you and measuring slot heights on seats. The taller the slots, the longer you are likely to be able to use the seat.
The Next Step:
Depending
on which convertible seat your child is moving from, how old your child
is, and how mature your child is, there are 3 different ways you can
go. I'm going to try and map them out best I can for you. If your child
is under the age of 4 DO NOT
put him/her into a belt positioning booster seat using only a seat
belt. Children under this age are not mature enough (physically or
mentally) to ride correctly each and every ride. Even if you think your
child is, remember that their spinal cord does not fully mature until
they are around age 4. They need the upper body restraint of a 5pt
harness. It is best for a child to remain in a harness until at least age 4 at a bare minimum. The longer after that the better.
Combination Seats
A
combo seat is one that uses a 5pt harness, and then converts to a belt
positioning booster seat after a certain weight is reached. If your
child is under age 4, and has outgrown their convertible seat, a combo
seat is a good option for you to go. When shopping for a combo seat
take several things into consideration. If your child outgrew his
convertible by reaching the 40lb weight limit (or is close to 40lbs),
then you need to look for a seat that uses the harness above 40lbs
(make sure it says "uses a 5pt harness to XXlbs). There are now several
on the market. If your child outgrew their convertible by height
(shoulders above the top slots, or ears above the shell), then you need
to make sure you purchase a seat that has higher harness slots (tape
measure!).
This is a combo seat: Graco Nautilus (uses a harness to 65lbs, has highest harness slots for combo seats on the market. Converts to a high back booster, and a no back booster until 100lbs)
A combo seat is outgrown when the child's shoulders go above the top slots, then can be converted to belt position booster mode.
Forward Facing Harness Only Seat
These
are seats that harness above 40lbs, and do not convert to a belt
position booster seat. There are very few of these seats on the market.
Many are special needs seats for children that need to be in a harness
for an extended period of time. These are also a great option for
parents that want to keep their child in a harness for as long as
possible.
This is a forward facing harness only seat: Britax Regent (harnesses to 80lbs, 5pt harness, front adjuster)
This seat is outgrown when the weight limit is reached OR when the shoulder go above the top slots.
Belt Position Booster Seat
The last step in your child's carseat ladder, is a belt position booster seat. Remember that children need to be at least
4 years old and over 40lbs before being placed in a belt position
booster seat. Belt position booster seats are used with the lap and
shoulder seat belt over the child. Do NOT use a lap belt only with a belt position booster seat if
you have only lap belts then ask about options. When shopping for a bpb
look for seats that have nice open belt guides so that the shoulder
belt may slide freely in the guide. Some seats have added side impact
protection. Some have wings to help support a sleeping child. There are
2 types of belt position booster seats; High Back, and No Back.
This is a High Back Belt Position Booster: Graco Turbo Booster (High back booster to 100lbs, may also be used without the back)
Children
should ride in a high back booster until they are at least 7 years old.
They need the added upper body protection, and it helps keep the
shoulder belt in the proper position.
This is a No Back Booser: Combi Dakota (100lb weight limit)
A no back booster may be used for older children that don't want to show their friends they ride in a booster still.
Most
children need to ride in a booster until they are somewhere between
8-12 years old. They need to be around 4ft 9in tall. And need to pass
this 5-step test:
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto sea?.
- Is the lap belt touching the top of the thighs, not the tummy?
- Is the shoulder belt centered
on the shoulder and chest?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Avoid moving your child out of his/her seat to soon. There is no magic age. State laws are often bare minimum's and not what is best for your child. Just because the law says that at age 6 he/she can ride in a seat belt only, does not mean that it is safe for them to do so (generally speaking). Remember that your child's safety comes first, and you never know when a drunk driver will cross the center line and hit you head on. Don't chance it, make your child ride safely in his/her seat each and every single ride. Even in the neighborhood!
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Thank you for taking the time to read my long winded post. :o)
________________________________________________________________
Jen E
Carseat Tech, Photographer, and Mom to 3!
www.barefootbyjen.com
Replies:
-
- by on Mar. 3, 2009 at 11:43 PM
-
GREAT post!! But I have 1 correction. The new Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 harnesses to 50 pounds! Something you may want to correct, You said that there are NO 3-in-1's that harness past 40 pounds! My Eddie bauer only does 40... But we're buying a Graco Nautilus here in the next couple weeks, and Hope we don't regret our decision! Thanks
-
- by on Mar. 4, 2009 at 6:08 PM
-
Well that seat is new (just came out) and I made this MONTHS ago. LOL Still you won't get to 40lbs in that same seat let alone 50lbs.
Quoting HeatherM0529:
GREAT post!! But I have 1 correction. The new Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 harnesses to 50 pounds! Something you may want to correct, You said that there are NO 3-in-1's that harness past 40 pounds! My Eddie bauer only does 40... But we're buying a Graco Nautilus here in the next couple weeks, and Hope we don't regret our decision! Thanks
________________________________________________________________
Jen E
Carseat Tech, Photographer, and Mom to 3!
www.barefootbyjen.com
-
- by on May. 31, 2009 at 5:57 PM
-
i have a question... ds is almost 40 lbs and is only 20 months old... what car seat do you think would be best for us to get for him since he's about to grow out of his convertable car seat? my biggest worry is him growing too fast for the seat (cuz it's gotta last him at least 2 1/2ish years)
-
- by on Jul. 11, 2009 at 10:55 AM
-
This is great information. I'm printing this out to show my mother and my in laws. They seem to think that because my son is 19 months old he has to be forward facing!
-
- by on Jul. 11, 2009 at 2:17 PM
-
Wow, big boy. I would get him a Graco Nautilus or Britax Frontier. They will both be outgrown the same time in height but the Frontier goes to 80lbs and your little one might need the extra weight limit on it. It holds most children to about 7-8 yrs old and will then convert to a high back and backless booster to 100lbs. It is usually the last seat children need. Oh, the Nautlus goes to 65lbs and also converts to a high back and backless booster to 100lbs
Quoting MOMby19:
i have a question... ds is almost 40 lbs and is only 20 months old... what car seat do you think would be best for us to get for him since he's about to grow out of his convertable car seat? my biggest worry is him growing too fast for the seat (cuz it's gotta last him at least 2 1/2ish years)
-
- by on Aug. 3, 2009 at 11:02 AM
-
I have one question that has been in my mind since my girls were near the ages for front facing.
I agree that rear facing is safer for the 1 in **5.8 million chance of getting into a car accident.
The part I'm not sure about is that if my daughter is fussy, screaming, or throughly annoyed at looking at the tan seat for the past year, then I feel like I'm more likely to get into a car accident by constantly having to adjust this or that or give her snacks, or pick up the toy she just dropped.
Would it not be safer for the 50,000 miles I cover before I am in a car accident? Do those of you out there that leave them rear facing for 3 years, do they ever stop crying and complaining about being rear facing?
I was recently in a side impact car accident and my kids were not with me. But I drive a 100 miles and 2 hrs trip once a month and my kids are happy as long as they can see me, outside and reach a toy or two.
Another question I have is does it matter whether they are front or rear facing if its a side or back impact car accident?
Thanks for answering my questions.
***"In 2008, there were a total of over 5.8 million car crashes, 1,630,000 causing injury, 4,146,000 resulting in property-damage only, and 34,017 ending in death."
-
- by on Aug. 9, 2009 at 2:55 PM
-
Well yes it does matter. 99.9% of the time they are fussing not because they are rear-facing. For one if they've never been FF how do they know its any different? For two, if they have been FF they usually don't care if you turn them back around. I turn kids that have been FF for some time back around all the time and don't have any problems doing so for the most part. You can't pick they day you'll be in a crash. You could pull out of your driveway today and be hit. YOU NEVER KNOW. Here's a good stat for you: on a week day morning 1 out of 10 drivers is driving under the influance. That doubles on weekends and holidays. So count 10 cars you drive by and 1 of those is drunk, high, or under the influance of minused prescription drugs. Do you know when one of them might cross the line? Nope!
So if you have a RFing child that you think you'd need to be making happy while driving, make them happy before you leave. I've had 2 boys RFing to almost age 3, and we frequently drive 300+miles/4hrs to our family on the other side of the state. Many of those trips I've done by myself. Sure I had to stop here and there, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. And one of those boys is a monster!
It doesn't matter what form of crash you are in the forces are the same. What's in motion stays in motion until stopped. So if your car is moving forward at 35mph your body is moving at 35mph, when your car is hit the car is stopped but your body is not, it is still moving the same direction the car was moving at 35mph until something stops it (ie your seat belt, the carseat harness, or the back of the carseat). So even if your hit on the side your body is still moving forward (the same direction the vehicle was moving). In a rear impact your are usually stopped or very close to being stopped, and the car that hits you from behind pushing you forward so the forces are the same. So it doesn't matter at all which type of crash you are in, the forces are the same and the result is the same. Does that make sense?
ETA: This is my friends (also another tech) vehicle one week ago today: http://www.fototime.com/inv/D39C192862DCCA5 They were in a head on collision going about 50mph, the other car about the same, so 100mph impact. They were towing the boat which flew into the back of thier truck. The other car had 6 people in it (a new Jeep Wrangler) and 3 of them died. Her vehicle also had 6 in it and this is the extend of their injuries: Driver (her DH); broken femur, front passenger (her brother); broken wrist, 2nd row driver side (her); major bruising and seat belt burns and fluid in her abdomen and a good sized laceration on her hip from the seat belt buckle digging into her that required 15 stitches, 2nd row middle (her 5yo DD in a Marathon); bruising from the harness straps, 2nd row passenger side (her RFing 2yo DD); NOT A SINGLE SCRATCH, BRUISE or ANYTHING, 3rd row driver side (her 7yo DD in a turbo booster); seat belt burns on her shoulder and hips. The rear-facing child is the ONLY one out of 12 that didn't have one single bit of injury! NOT ONE! They didn't plan to be in a head on collision with forces nearing 100mph. They had JUST pulled out of the camp ground, they weren't very far down the road yet.
Quoting faithdeb:
I have one question that has been in my mind since my girls were near the ages for front facing.
I agree that rear facing is safer for the 1 in **5.8 million chance of getting into a car accident.
The part I'm not sure about is that if my daughter is fussy, screaming, or throughly annoyed at looking at the tan seat for the past year, then I feel like I'm more likely to get into a car accident by constantly having to adjust this or that or give her snacks, or pick up the toy she just dropped.
Would it not be safer for the 50,000 miles I cover before I am in a car accident? Do those of you out there that leave them rear facing for 3 years, do they ever stop crying and complaining about being rear facing?
I was recently in a side impact car accident and my kids were not with me. But I drive a 100 miles and 2 hrs trip once a month and my kids are happy as long as they can see me, outside and reach a toy or two.
Another question I have is does it matter whether they are front or rear facing if its a side or back impact car accident?
Thanks for answering my questions.
***"In 2008, there were a total of over 5.8 million car crashes, 1,630,000 causing injury, 4,146,000 resulting in property-damage only, and 34,017 ending in death."________________________________________________________________
Jen E
Carseat Tech, Photographer, and Mom to 3!
www.barefootbyjen.com
-
- by on Sep. 6, 2009 at 2:19 PM
-
My son is about to outgrow his infant carrier and I am wanting to get him one that will last a long time and rear face for a while...any recomendations?
-
- by on Sep. 23, 2009 at 12:49 AM
-
My dd is 20 and 27 inches. and truns 1 in dec.I have been wanting to buy the natulis (sp? ) Is it rear face until 2 or 40? I want to ERF her. If not then What carseat should I buy? I can only go up to 15o ish. I don't really like the cheap kind they have at walmart. Thank you for reading this
-
- by on Sep. 23, 2009 at 3:09 AM
-
Quoting omgamomie:
My dd is 20 and 27 inches. and truns 1 in dec.I have been wanting to buy the natulis (sp? ) Is it rear face until 2 or 40? I want to ERF her. If not then What carseat should I buy? I can only go up to 15o ish. I don't really like the cheap kind they have at walmart. Thank you for reading this
the nautilus is a FF facing only seat, so definitely don't get that one!
With your budget and your DD's stats, I'd go with the Graco MyRide65. It RF to 40lbs. and FF to 65lbs.
I have that seat for my middle child and so far, I have no qualms about it!
Only CafeMom members can reply to this post.
Around CafeMom
Check out some of the most popular topics today in Answers:
