tether straps

[mammabear]

do you use the tether straps that came with your carseats?

Neither of our vehicles are equiped with the hooks that the tether straps are supposed to attach to. My husband and I had an arguement over this.

He says it's better to hook the straps onto SOMETHING rather than not using them at all.
I disagree. I think that it's better to not use them unless they are properly installed- with the PROPER attachments, which I assume we have to order and install in our vehicles.

What do you think?

[Trishy]

You are correct. You shouldn't tether your seat to anything except a tether anchor unless the manual for the carseat states you can do otherwise. You can contact your dealership and see if they can install tether anchors in your vehicles, sometimes they will even do it for free. When the seat is not tethered make sure that the tether is stowed properly because it can cause injury in an accident or very sudden stop.

[luv my 2 sweeties]

I agree with Trish. Do check with your local dealership. Our Chevy dealer installed the hook for free in our '96 Cavalier when our dd was born in 2000. It wasn't terribly attractive, but it did the job!

ETA: if your dealer won't do it for free, you may be able to do it yourself. I installed one myself in our Mazda. (I forgot about that for a minute!) I can't remember where I got the part and intructions to do it -- from the carseat company? Anyway, it involved lying on my back in the trunk and drilling a hole through the board that creates the back window shelf. I had to drill in a spot that also went through one of the holes in the metal bracket holding up the shelf. You want it attached to the metal of the car. Then I just attached the hook with a nut and bolt. It wasn't too hard except for having to get in the trunk, lol!

[pilesoflaundry]

Yup what Trish said, it has to be properly teethered. I don't have mine in use right now because my baby's seat is still rearfacing. I'm not even sure we have teether anchors in my van. I think I read something about them beinging under one of the seats though.

[mammabear]

Under the seat huh? I have neverlooked under there. One of our vehicles is a dodge caravan and the other is a 94 explorer. I definitley want to have them installed in the van since the children ride in the van more often than in the explorer. I will take a look and see if they are already there. I expected them to be on the floor for some reason.

Thanks for your help.

[TiredX2]

While you don't want to tether to just any old thing, you *can* I am pretty sure tether to any thing that is actually welded to the base/frame of the car (not the seat, the actual metal part of the car). For example, Britax seats tether rear facing and you can just hook a D-ring (they cost around $5) to a welded part and you're good to go. That said, I think the tethering hooks are only around $10 (if your car manufacturer won't give you one for free--- Ford sold us two for $20, but the first was free).

[MarineWife]

Read the manual. It will say not to use the tethers unless your car is equiped for them. The only reason for the tethers is because some people do not use the belts propertly. If you use the belts properly, it can actually be safer than the tethers. I remember reading on a consumer website about the tethers (because my car is not equiped for them). The website said that their tests showed the tethers to sometimes be less safe than using the seatbelt. I wish I could remember the website. Maybe you could try a google search on carseat safety and tethers. If your dh is very adamant about using the tethers, tell him he can have the car fitted for them. I don't know the cost, but I would assume it's pretty expensive.

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Read the manual. It will say not to use the tethers unless your car is equiped for them. The only reason for the tethers is because some people do not use the belts propertly. If you use the belts properly, it can actually be safer than the tethers. I remember reading on a consumer website about the tethers (because my car is not equiped for them). The website said that their tests showed the tethers to sometimes be less safe than using the seatbelt. I wish I could remember the website. Maybe you could try a google search on carseat safety and tethers. If your dh is very adamant about using the tethers, tell him he can have the car fitted for them. I don't know the cost, but I would assume it's pretty expensive.

Tether's are NOT to be used INSTEAD of a seat belt. They are used in ADDITION to a seat belt. It sounds like you are talking about the LATCH system, which is different. A tether attaches near the top of the carseat to lessen head wobble.

-Heather

[pilesoflaundry]

Originally Posted by mammabear

Under the seat huh? I have neverlooked under there. One of our vehicles is a dodge caravan and the other is a 94 explorer. I definitley want to have them installed in the van since the children ride in the van more often than in the explorer. I will take a look and see if they are already there. I expected them to be on the floor for some reason.

Thanks for your help.

Yeah read the manual, I have a chevy venture and it's in the manual somewhere that the anchors are under the seat but since I don't need them right now I didn't read that page again.

Good luck!

[dallaschildren]

Just for clarification....LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. The anchors must be factory done....if your car does not have them when you bought it, you cannot retrofit at this time. The tether is to be used in conjunction with a seatbelt (if you do not have the lower anchors) or with the lower anchors if you have LATCH in your vehicle. You CAN retrofit tethering locations in most vehicles. Call your vehicle manufacturer for details on price etc. The LATCH system was invented to make it easier for parents and caregivers to install car seats correctly. It is an attempt for vehicle manufacturers in conjunction with car seat makers, to employ a universal system in which car seats would always be installed safely and correctly no matter what vehicle or what seat is being used.
The tethers are designed to prevent excessive head excursion in the event of a crash. Please feel free to ask anything else.
I have posted a lot of information regarding links, safety tips, and answered many ?'s regarding car seat safety here. A quick search of the Parenting forum will bring them up.

CPS tech and mom to 2 sons in seats
"Making a difference one car seat at a time"

[flight]

My 91 Dodge Caravan did not come with tether anchors either. The Dodge dealership installed one in the floor, for the carseat position I specified, for free. (They even supplied the hardware, after losing the hardware I gave them that came with the seat.)

If your carseat is not tethered when it is supposed to be, your children will not be protected in a crash. Please get the hardware installed ASAP.

[dallaschildren]

Originally Posted by flight

If your carseat is not tethered when it is supposed to be, your children will not be protected in a crash. Please get the hardware installed ASAP.

I just wanted to clarify that the statement above is not correct. If this were true, the death/injury toll of children would be much, much higher. LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) has not been on the market for long.

[wombat]

Originally Posted by TiredX2

While you don't want to tether to just any old thing, you *can* I am pretty sure tether to any thing that is actually welded to the base/frame of the car (not the seat, the actual metal part of the car). For example, Britax seats tether rear facing and you can just hook a D-ring (they cost around $5) to a welded part and you're good to go. That said, I think the tethering hooks are only around $10 (if your car manufacturer won't give you one for free--- Ford sold us two for $20, but the first was free).

I agree.

A CPS tech installed our Britax seat into the center position of my old car (no LATCH). It's rear facing and he tethered the strap to the base of the front passenger seat - the metal part that the seat goes back and forth on. He said it's ok there cause it's welded.

[mammabear]

I will read the manual. My caravan is a 99 so it is possible that it's on there.
In the midst of the disagreement with DH I did suggest that we go to the Public Safety Building to ask the officer who installs car seats to help us.
I will do that once I read the manual and know what I am dealing with.
I wish I had done this before. I feel like I have been taking chances by not using them.

[wombat]

Originally Posted by mammabear

I wish I had done this before. I feel like I have been taking chances by not using them.

I don't think there is any clear info on tether straps in the USA. They're relatively new here.

I'm from Australia where they've been mandatory for child seats for years and was rather surprised when I came here that not all seats had them. In fact I had to look around at the time to find a rear facing (non LATCH) carseat that had a tether. But the Aust. population is about 20 million compared to the USA's 250 million and I think economics takes precedence here when making safety rules. It's rather sad because I think if the safety information was more available, parents would try to follow it. But as it is, most parents are just in the dark about it.

[Piglet68]

I think there is some confusion in this thread about what a "tether strap" is.

For several years now, tether anchors have been available on cars. They are usually situated on the rear dash - the spot behind the passenger seats. Most car seats come with tether straps that attach to the seat and then attach to the tether anchor. The purpose of this is as an ADDITION to the seat belts, as a means of preventing the top of the seat from wobbling. AFAIK, they are not mandatory, they are merely a "backup" precaution, and may improve the fit of your car seat. Tether anchors can be installed by a dealer, or you can buy kits to do-it-yourself. As someone said, it must be anchored to part of the car frame, and at a certain distance/angle from the carseat.

The LATCH systems is a new system that was introduced in...I think it was 2003 car models. You also need a car seat that is equipped with the LATCH system - again they started manufacturing these just a year or two ago. Unless your car came with the LATCH system built-in, you cannot get one retrofitted. This system was designed to reduce the high incidence of improper car seat installment, with an attempt to "universalize" carseats and anchors. The system consists of straps that are behind the car seat that snap into anchors located in the "cushion groove" (the seam between the seat bottom and the seat back - where your seat belt fixtures are also located). I'm pretty sure you still need to use the seat belt with the LATCH System, but perhaps dallaschildren or someone could confirm that.

So...tethers are a nice backup, they've been around for a while, most cars have them, but if yours is old you can get anchors installed.

Latch system is very new, you must have a new car and car seat, you can't get one if you don't.

[flight]

Oh...are we talking about the tether strap at the top of the carseat, that clips onto the vehicle somewhere behind the carseat, or are we talking about the new LATCH system? I thought the OP meant the top tether strap. Cause you do have to use that, it's in addition to buckling the carseat in with seatbelts. My carseats and vehicle are older and I have never seen the LATCH system. I understand it is to replace the use of vehicle seatbelts to secure the carseat. I don't know if the top tether strap is also required when using the LATCH system.

Some carseats (Century), BTW, can be adapted to use either LATCH or vehicle seatbelts. My second carseat included a coupon to send away for the adapter kit.

[moondiapers]

The tether strap at the top of the carseat is NOT required. It's suggested for additional protection. Though there are a couple of carseats that allow the children to use the harness at a higher weight, and the manufacturer does require you use the tether strap once the child reaches a certain weight. Most cars on the road are not equiped to use a tether strap. Only new cars come with the anchors behind the seats, and some car dealers charge a pretty penny to install them too.

-Heather

[Trishy]

Please understand that the users of this board are not only in the United States. In Canada, there flight is at, Transport Canada requires forward facing carseats to be tethered by law where practicible.

Most cars made after 1989 at least have the predrilled holes for a tether anchor. If you dealer charges too much to install the anchor, you can order and install it yourself. Heather, the host of the Car Safety Tips BB on Babycenter, can tell you exactly what part number you need to order. I believe it also requires a torque wrench.

[moondiapers]

LOL, yeah but you'd also need a way to get under the car safely. much more expensive than a torque wrench.

I lucked out, I guilted Dodge into putting them in for me because my owner's manual said it had them, and it didn't.

-Heather