Car Seat Safety Information?

[Katwoman]

In looking for safety information on car seats, I looked up on the Federal nhtsa website.  According to that website - if I'm reading it correctly - all carseats with a tag are considered safe.  But when people talk about carseats, they often talk about "this one" being safer than "that one".  Is there some place that a person can look this information up?

My children are 43" and 36 lbs.  So I've been looking at the car seats that have a 5 pt harness that can be converted into a booster seat.  (I looked at some of the old threads and the Nautilus and the Frontier seem to recommended.  So I was focused on them.  But then my DH discovered one that is $65 and is now resisting the ones I was looking at.  As a reference, we need 6, so I can see his point.) 

In looking at these carseats - the 5 pt/booster seats - they seem to run anywhere from $65 - $300.  Is it really just "accessories" that make the price difference?  Look/padding/cup holders.  Or is there a place where I can tell if one is more safe than the other?

Thanks, I'm feeling a bit lost and this isn't my first car seat purchase.  I'm just really concerned because I have these little pixie girls that are as big around as a pencil and - Heaven forbid - we're ever in an accident, I want them as safe as possible for their size.

[chickabiddy]

What are the ages of the children you need the seats for?  What $65 seat does your husband suggest?  What are they in now?

A lot of times, you pay for the name.  Sometimes, you pay for useful features.  Sometimes, you pay for plushness and cuteness.  Sometimes, you pay for ease of use (though not all the expensive seats are easy to use!).  And sometimes you pay for a seat that will truly last longer than a cheaper seat.  But no, you don't pay for safety, at least in any quantifiable way -- an argument can be made that a seat that is comfortable for the child and easy to use for the parent is more likely to be used correctly, and a correctly used seat is safer than an incorrectly used one.

[Katwoman]

Thank you so much for the help!

They are 7 and 5 yo.  They are currently in a Graco 5 pt harness carseat.  But they've outgrown the height by several inches.  (I kept thinking the weight was coming any moment to catch them up to the 4/40lb rule.  But I have given up on that hope.  ;) )

My DH must have found a sale yesterday, but I can't find it today.  He was looking at the Evenflo Generations 65 Harness Booster Seat, which is on Amazon for $82 a seat.

Thank you for the thoughts on safety/ease of installation/installed correctly.  That makes a lot of sense to me.  The Fed website rates how easy the carseats are to install.  Perhaps I need to focus on that as well as the top height for each seat. 

[chickabiddy]

They are both 43" and 36#?

I would be fine with a physically and developmentally typical 7yo, even a small one, in a good highbacked belt-positioning booster.  The Graco Turbobooster is easy to use (make sure you put the screws in the armrests), would fit her very well, and is available at just about every big box store for $50ish.

The 5yo would have lots of room in an Evenflo Maestro, which is $80ish.  The top harness is 4.5" taller than the ComfortSport's and the Maestro has a 50#  harness weight limit.  It converts to a booster, but it is a very short booster, so you will need another dedicated booster in the future.  It's also easy to install and use.

But for now, you can get your kids in appropriate, safe seats for $130 each vehicle, or $390 total (which is still a chunk of change, but it beats $1500+ for Frontiers!). :)

[Katwoman]

Yes they are.  Although one is a bit shorter and rounder than the other.  Thank you so much for your help/feedback.  Would you be comfortable with the 7 yo in a lap belt because they're old enough to keep the belt where it belongs?  My main worry is her little frame in an accident, but perhaps a 5 pt would be just as "hard" on her body as a lap belt??  Something to consider..... 

I appreciate your time, it's been very helpful.  (Things make more sense once I say them out loud.)

[chickabiddy]

If the seating position is lap belt only, then she needs to be harnessed, and I change my recommendation to Frontier85s because they harness as long as possible.  Boosters can never ever be used with lap belt only, so if you have lap belt only seating positions, you'll have kids harnessed into junior high.  Sorry!

But if it is a lap/shoulder belt, then yes, a physically and developmentally typical 7yo is almost always able to use a booster properly.  A lap/shoulder belt correctly positioned by a good highbacked booster is a safe and appropriate restraint for a child that age and size.  In fact, there is a theory (no conclusive studies, but a reasonable theory) that a lap/shoulder belt may be better in some crashes:  a 5-point harness holds the shoulders back but the neck and head go forward, where an adult seatbelt allows the head and torso to travel together.  This does NOT justify using a booster/seatbelt for a child who is not ready for one, but it should hopefully make you feel better about your 7yo.

[Katwoman]

That certainly makes sense to me.  I guess marketing has just done a good job on me, re: must be 40lbs before boostering. 

I really appreciate your help!  I feel much better now about what I want and what i should focus on.  It will make the decision much easier.