Interesting Car-Safety Idea for Children Ove - Page 3

[chickabiddy]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

I'm wondering, how many carseats do you recommend buying for one child?

If necessary, it could be done with two seats, <$200 total -- Cosco Scenera from birth to 35 pounds RF and to 40 pounds FF, then Graco Nautilus to 65 (realistically, more like 55-60) pounds harnessed FF and boostered to 100.

ETA that there are many MANY other options as well, but I needed to point out that keeping a child safely restrained doesn't have to break the bank.

[mammal_mama]

This thread has jarred my memory about something I obviously should have thought of sooner.

A few months ago, dh was in a car-accident that totalled our car, and both girls' seats (but not the girls) were in the car with him. Neither of us ever thought of needing to replace them. I don't think we kept receipts, and it's probably too late to get insurance to replace them. And at this exact moment, we don't even have an extra $50-$100 to replace them with anything.

So, now I'm wondering what kinds of risks there are to using a carseat (as a booster) that's been in an accident? I understand that if you're using the harness, the risk is that it won't work and your child won't be properly restrained if there's another accident.

But, for instance, our 8yo is just sitting on the backless booster, and fitting well into the shoulder-and-lapbelt. What are the risks of using this (basically a raising-up cushion) after it's been through an accident?

Now, our 3yo is using her carseat as a booster-seat -- it still has the back on it. The shoulder-belt threads through the carseat slot that is there for that purpose. So, if we were in an accident, would the risk be that her restraint would be no different from just being strapped into the adult lap-and-shoulder belt -- or could she actually get injured by pieces of carseat coming apart and jabbing into her back?

Does anyone know about the kinds of injuries that can happen with children using booster-seats that have been through accidents?

I'm asking in case we need to do any car-travel before we can afford to buy the Graco Nautilus for our 3yo and a new booster for our 8yo. We do have some dental work coming up in early August for our 3yo, which I really can't keep putting off. But technically we could get there on the bus, it just takes a lot longer.

[chickabiddy]

The risk is that they won't do what they need to do. There is probably less risk to using a belt-positioning booster than a harnessed seat, but there is still risk. The seat could break and then your child would not be properly positioned -- the seatbelt could cut into the neck or abdomen.

I am not trying to be a big meanie, but your posts are one reason we (CPSTs and advocates) don't "believe in parents". I do believe that you, and many other parents like you, love your children and want what's best for them. I don't believe that you *know* what's best in terms of child passenger safety: you had a 2-year-old out of a harness and you've been using seats that were in a totalled vehicle. Both of those are extremely unsafe.

[nevaehsmommy]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

My 3yo still uses her infant carseat, which came with a booster-seat option, so we're basically depending on the adult seatbelt (not the carseat) to protect her. By the time she was about 2, we'd loosened the carseat straps as loose as they could go, and they'd become too tight, [I]so we moved the carseat straps to the sides of her body so she didn't have to lean back[/I] on them, and started threading the adult shoulder-belt through the carseat-hole above her left shoulder, and just buckled her in like we do our 8yo (well, 8yo does it herself now).

With the Infant to toddler to booster you also need to take the harness out of the seat when using it as a booseter. If you look at the back of the seat there is a "y" shaped clip to undo the harness. Unthread that if you choose to use it as a booster instead of the harness.

Seat belts are also one use time crash items. Sooo if your car was in any sort of crash you need to have the seat belts replaced.

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by nevaehsmommy

With the Infant to toddler to booster you also need to take the harness out of the seat when using it as a booseter. If you look at the back of the seat there is a "y" shaped clip to undo the harness. Unthread that if you choose to use it as a booster instead of the harness.

Thanks! I'll do that.

Seat belts are also one use time crash items. Sooo if your car was in any sort of crash you need to have the seat belts replaced.

Well, it was totalled so we had to get another car.

[nevaehsmommy]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

My 3yo still uses her infant carseat, which came with a booster-seat option, so we're basically depending on the adult seatbelt (not the carseat) to protect her. By the time she was about 2, we'd loosened the carseat straps as loose as they could go, and they'd become too tight, [I]so we moved the carseat straps to the sides of her body so she didn't have to lean back[/I] on them, and started threading the adult shoulder-belt through the carseat-hole above her left shoulder, and just buckled her in like we do our 8yo (well, 8yo does it herself now).

With the Infant to toddler to booster you also need to take the harness out of the seat when using it as a booseter. If you look at the back of the seat there is a "y" shaped clip to undo the harness. Unthread that if you choose to use it as a booster instead of the harness.

As for car seats I have had

Graco bucket seat( loaned to me)
Cosco Scenra ($40 at walmart)
Safety 1st All in one Deluxe ( bought brand new off of Craigslist, still in box with original tape $70.00 So I could keep her rear facing, she had outgrown the height on the cosco seat.)
Soon to buy a Graco Natilus, I want to keep daughter in harness until she is at least 4 years old.

So all together I will have spent around $240 on carseats. Money WELL spent in any estimation. I would rather have my daughter cry EVERY SINGLE time she gets in the car ( she loved rear facing btw) instead of having a dead or severely injured child any day.

I can understand wanting to save money. Money is VERY TIGHT for me. I live off of $600 a month. However, carseat safety is not really a place to be stingy and buy seat that are not made for your child.

For what its worth the Scenra says not to turn forward facing until the child is 34 inches tall. My daughter is barely that now. However her torso height is such that I had to get a taller shell. I dont think there are many 20 pound , 34 inch 1 year olds out there.

Do a little research from several different sources. If you are alright with what you are doing, then do it. However it sounds like you have concerns. So follow your gut and figure out what you can do to make you feel better. If you think you need to keep your daughter in a booster, no amount of pleading on here will change your mind....but do look into the issue further. Not only on here but on car-seat.org and the manufacturers website. Dont give up until you find good reliable info that sets your heart and mind at ease.

I would look into the graco natilus. It is relatively cheap. It harness up to 65 pounds (I think) and it is safer for your daughter.

[nevaehsmommy]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

Thanks! I'll do that.



Well, it was totalled so we had to get another car.

Sorry about the double post had a few more thoughts ( no not me)

One more thought. I dont know if you covered this but did you get new car seats? Insurance will cover the cost many times.....they are one time crash items as well

[Sparks*]

My volvo has a fold down "booster seat" that you use with the regular three point seat belt, but it specifically says to not use with children under 40 lbs.

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by nevaehsmommy

One more thought. I dont know if you covered this but did you get new car seats? Insurance will cover the cost many times.....they are one time crash items as well

No, we failed to think about it at the time, and now that the claim is settled I don't think we can go back and get them covered, especially since I don't think we saved any receipts or anything. But I think the Graco Nautilus does sound like a good option for our 3yo, and something affordable within the very near future.

I did want to comment on peoples' concern that Steve Levitt is doing lots of harm: Since listening to him is what prompted me to start this discussion, I can't see that it's totally harmful for someone to present another way of looking at things. Especially since I started the discussion here, where people have been overall pretty gentle and respectful, which makes it easier to listen.

[odenata]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

No, we failed to think about it at the time, and now that the claim is settled I don't think we can go back and get them covered, especially since I don't think we saved any receipts or anything.

I would give a call to your insurance and see. I don't think you would need receipts on the car seats. It may be too late now, but the worst they could say is no, and you could possibly get money to get new car seats, which would be great!

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by odenata

I would give a call to your insurance and see. I don't think you would need receipts on the car seats. It may be too late now, but the worst they could say is no, and you could possibly get money to get new car seats, which would be great!

Okay, good idea!

[Anastasiya]

OP - Check out this link to see the crash test differences between a child in a harnessed seat and a child in a booster. It may help you see the difference between the two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by Sancta

OP - Check out this link to see the crash test differences between a child in a harnessed seat and a child in a booster. It may help you see the difference between the two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

Yes, that is very convincing. I talked with dh, and we are going to get new carseats this weekend.

[mimie]

mammal_mama -

I think you'll be really happy with a Graco Nautilus for your three-year-old and a new backless booster for your eight-year-old. If you need help finding a CPST to help you install your Nautilus, you can click on your state here: http://www.safekidsweb.org/events/events.asp to find a seat check event near you.

[PassionateWriter]

i was looking for something else and came across this for 5 pt harneeses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo...eature=related

[mammal_mama]

Thanks, mimie!

Does anyone know of a backless booster that works for children taller than 57"? We just realized our 8yo has almost reached the height-limit for her Graco backless booster (I think it was a Turbo); we'd initially planed on buying her another one of these, but she's 56" tall now, and it only goes up to 57" so we're wondering if she's getting too tall for a booster?

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter

i was looking for something else and came across this for 5 pt harneeses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo...eature=related

Wow! How heartbreaking.

[PassionateWriter]

Originally Posted by mammal_mama

Thanks, mimie!

Does anyone know of a backless booster that works for children taller than 57"? We just realized our 8yo has almost reached the height-limit for her Graco backless booster (I think it was a Turbo); we'd initially planed on buying her another one of these, but she's 56" tall now, and it only goes up to 57" so we're wondering if she's getting too tall for a booster?

most boosters go to 57" b/c thats what height seat belts are designed for. i dont know of any exceptions but im sure one of the CPST's will chime in.

we have the Ollie Clek for my 10 yo but he's not 57" yet (shy by a few inches).

[an_aurora]

Here's the deal with boosters: Every step "up" is a step "down" in safety. This means from Rf to FF, from harness to high back booster, from high back to backless booster, from backless booster to seatbelt.

It's ideal to leave a child in a highback booster for as long as you can squeeze them in there, because highback boosters provide head, neck, and trunk protection. Good boosters with lots of SIP have energy-absorbing foam in the headrests and long the side. Take the back off, and you have nothing between the child and the vehicle wall.

[PassionateWriter]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

Here's the deal with boosters: Every step "up" is a step "down" in safety. This means from Rf to FF, from harness to high back booster, from high back to backless booster, from backless booster to seatbelt.

It's ideal to leave a child in a highback booster for as long as you can squeeze them in there, because highback boosters provide head, neck, and trunk protection. Good boosters with lots of SIP have energy-absorbing foam in the headrests and long the side. Take the back off, and you have nothing between the child and the vehicle wall.

anna,
what about a child that is 57" though? from a safety point of view...just use my son as an example. the Britax Monarch didn't work for him...it annoyed him (and kind of me but that wasnt impt) to be tipping when driving...and now he's in teh Ollie Clek...but after 57" would he still be "safe" if i kept him in it (im sure he would be ok w/ it b/c he loves it).

i agree UP TO 57" all kids...but is there any advantage to after 57" or any disadvantage to keeping them in teh booster after 57"?