rear-facing 3rd row seats?

[lajn]

We have a station wagon with the 3rd row rear-facing child seats, meant for children between 40 and 80 pounds. Our 2 older kids are just reaching the minimum weight, and I was wondering if anyone knew how safe these seats are before I let them ride there.

My feeling is because they are rear-facing and specifically designed for chidren, that they would be just as safe as being in a booster in the 2nd row, but I'd really like to know what other people think.

[ThreeBeans]

No, absolutely not. A child of 40 pounds needs to be in a harnessed carseat, not a jump seat in the crumple-zone of a vehicle.

A child of 40 lbs is WAY TOO SMALL to not be in a CRS, and NO ONE should ride in a vehicle crumple zone.

[Papooses]

I would only use them for the my dogs -- because pets need to be restrained properly (ie. IMMI PetBuckle or RuffRiderRoadies) so they don't become projectiles with 1,000+ pounds of force flying at the rest of the family but I would not put children there due to the crush zone risk

[lajn]

Okay, so this is why I'm confused: why would a car company, whose reputation is built on safety, even offer this option then? Specifically, I'm talking about a 6 year old Volvo V70.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by lajn

Okay, so this is why I'm confused: why would a car company, whose reputation is built on safety, even offer this option then? Specifically, I'm talking about a 6 year old Volvo V70.

Because ultimately, they want to make money. And people (uneducated people), want to have more passenger space. And statistically, the Almighty Dollar comes first, even when it puts children at risk, more's the pity.

[Papooses]

There just isn't any crash testing for those seats -- people do want more room for less cost & since there isn't any crash standard for those specific seats, then they're not doing anything illegal ... immoral perhaps, but not illegal ($$$$$)

[leomom]

So...is the vehicle crumple zone considered any third row? I drove a Honda Pilot and am curious about that third row. I went to the manufacturer to find out how to safely put a car seat there, but I don't use it. Just curious...

TIA.

[Papooses]

No -- minivans & cross overs have a designated 3rd row area ... this is just the trunk/cargo of a stationwagon.

[leomom]

Originally Posted by Papooses

No -- minivans & cross overs have a designated 3rd row area ... this is just the trunk/cargo of a stationwagon.

I don't understand...

[Papooses]

Minivans, crossovers & large SUVs have a trunk in addition to the 3rd row: station wagon's "3rd row" actually *is* the trunk.

I haven't actually researched this enough recently to feel confident explaining in detail ... hopefully http://www.suvsafety.info/thirdrow.html is helpful & I also suggest asking the CPST/Instructors at www.car-seat.org (via the "Car Safety" section)

[leomom]

Thanks.

[Throkmorton]

Actually, the "crumple zone" thing with station wagons applies mostly to American cars. Volvo's crumple zone and force distribution is set up differently.
Here is an older statement from Volvo about the 3rd row seating
http://au.geocities.com/ozbrick850/crash-rear.html

That said, I would probably just use the 3rd row seat as a backup, not as an everyday seat, especially for those kids who would otherwise be in boosters.

Here is another link about the 3rd row
http://www.boston.com/business/artic...safety/?page=1

Personally, I would feel safer in the 3rd row of a wagon than in the 3rd row of, say, a short-wheelbase Caravan but that's me. I like being more than 6" away from the back of the vehicle.

[lajn]

Thank you, Throkmorton. That is the information that I was looking for.

Originally Posted by Papooses

-- people do want more room for less cost & since there isn't any crash standard for those specific seats, then they're not doing anything illegal ... immoral perhaps, but not illegal ($$$$$)

Incidently, Papooses and Threebeans, our reason for choosing this car had nothing to do with wanting more room for less cost. We chose it over an SUV or a minivan because it gets better gas mileage.

[ThreeBeans]

I wasn't implying anything about you. I was talking about why the manufacturers do what they do.

[Papooses]

Originally Posted by Throkmorton

http://au.geocities.com/ozbrick850/crash-rear.html

I wouldn't take that as reliable information unless it was directly to me from Vovlo.

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[Throkmorton]

I actually asked a Volvo engineer at a dinner party once. That was just the closest thing that i could find online.

[lajn]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

I wasn't implying anything about you. I was talking about why the manufacturers do what they do.

Sorry, Threebeans.
I have to stop taking things so personally.

I want to add that I can't believe how little I knew about carseats with my first child. : And not only did I not know - even worse, I didn't know I didn't know. I thought I had it all figured out by the time I had my second, but after lurking on this forum for a while when my third was born, I realized there were still things I didn't know. (For example, this one will not be ff as soon as he meets the minimum requirements!)

It really is shocking that anyone can just leave the store with a carseat without having its installation checked. I shudder to think what could have happened to my daughter if we had ever been in an accident.

Anyway, thanks for all the great information.

[midwestmeg]

Originally Posted by lajn

I want to add that I can't believe how little I knew about carseats with my first child. : And not only did I not know - even worse, I didn't know I didn't know. I thought I had it all figured out by the time I had my second, but after lurking on this forum for a while when my third was born, I realized there were still things I didn't know. (For example, this one will not be ff as soon as he meets the minimum requirements!)

It really is shocking that anyone can just leave the store with a carseat without having its installation checked. I shudder to think what could have happened to my daughter if we had ever been in an accident.

Anyway, thanks for all the great information.

I always feel this way, too. Live and learn, I guess, but STILL! :