seat belts- lap belt only?

[SabraMamma]

We have an older car and the center seat in the back does not have a shoulder strap on the seat belt- it is lap belt only. The only time we run into a problem is if one of my DC brings a friend home from school with us. I was putting DS's car seat in the car and making him sit in it but now he is really too big and he hates when I do this to him. So- my two questions I guess are: does anyone put their child in the car with a lap belt only (I'm talking about 7 and 8 year olds- my older child) and does anyone know what the laws are about this. I know a shoulder strap is safer, but is there a law saying that children must be buckled in with a shoulder strap?

[nataliebassoon]

As far as I know, as long as they are in the backseat, there's no law against having your child in a lap belt only.

[alegna]

There is no law against it to my knowledge but it absolutely would NOT be something I would be comfortable with doing.

I would have a high weight harnessing seat if there's still one my child would fit in that they would ride in.

-Angela

[paquerette]

7 year olds should still be in a booster, and I think most boosters require a shoulder belt.

Do you have shoulder belts on the left and right? Are you transporting DC plus 1 friend, plus your younger child? A child still in a harnessed seat can be in the middle with just the lap belt, because the shoulder belt makes no difference there. Or if you're talking about your older DC plus 2 friends, then I believe you're stuck with what you've got, kwim?

[alegna]

Originally Posted by paquerette

7 year olds should still be in a booster, and I think most boosters require a shoulder belt.

Do you have shoulder belts on the left and right? Are you transporting DC plus 1 friend, plus your younger child? A child still in a harnessed seat can be in the middle with just the lap belt, because the shoulder belt makes no difference there. Or if you're talking about your older DC plus 2 friends, then I believe you're stuck with what you've got, kwim?

:

-Angela

[One_Girl]

In some states the law says that they must be in at least a booster seat until they are 8 or weigh 80 pounds. But if they are really close to that I don't think that occasionally doing what you have to do is a problem.

[paquerette]

The most important factor for whether a child should still be in a booster is not the age or weight or the law, it's the height. The shoulder strap needs to not lie across their neck. Never, not "just once in a while." We're not just talking about saving kids in horrific car accidents that you are very unlikely to get in. If you brake suddenly because a dog runs in front of you, and a child's neck is thrown forcefully into a shoulder belt, we're talking serious injury or death.

[pigpokey]

Originally Posted by paquerette

7 year olds should still be in a booster, and I think most boosters require a shoulder belt.

You've got it backward. The shoulder belt requires a booster, not the booster requires a shoulder belt. Whether the parent requires a shoulder belt is a parenting decision if there is no applicable state law. In Georgia a child under 6 could legally ride in the lap belt if all shoulder-belt positions were occupied.

[cancat]

No, she had it right. Boosters CANNOT be used in a seat with just a lap belt.

I would not be comfortable with ANYONE riding in a lap-belt only position. If you see the crash-test video (anyone have a link?) you will see why immediately. In a crash the lap-belt can literally CUT YOU IN HALF. It is NOT a safe method of restraint, which is why they don't make 'em like this anymore.

Some experts have actually suggested that it is safer not to use a belt at all, if all you have is a lap-belt.

[pixiepunk]

regarding the laws about it, it really varies a lot from state to state. in the state that i live in, a child that age is required by law to still be in at least a backless booster. and those aren't safe, afaik, with a lapbelt only. nor are belt positioning backed boosters (unless they are also five-point harness seats, and your child is within the recommended weight range for the five-point harness).

for me, despite the fact that the child may protest a little, it is a lot safer to be in a five-point harness carseat if he still fits it, especially with only a lapbelt available, and i think i'd have to insist on it.