We’re about to travel for the holiday, which reminded me that I’ve been meaning to post about this video which made the rounds a few weeks ago.
It frustrates me to no end that manufacturers, doctors and others promote the MINIMUM safety standards in regards to car seats. Children are safest rear facing and in five point harnesses as long as possible. Why do we as a society race to flip them around at 1 year old and then stick our preschoolers in belt-positioning boosters, that are cheaper than carseats and not as safe? There are a number of carseats that allow for children up to 65 pounds in a five-point harness and one that goes up to 80 pounds but I don’t think doctors or manufacturers promote them nearly as much as they ought to. In most European countries, they sit rear facing for much longer and then in five point harnesses for longer as well. They get it. Why don’t we? It can really be the difference between life and death for a child in a car accident.
I posted on this too a few days ago. I was a bit surprised you didn’t comment. Knowing how we both feel about carseats and all.
Kyrie’s in a rear-facing, 5 point harness car seat in our backseat, but the carseat itself is only buckled in with a lap belt. Is there something else I need? Our back middle seat of our car is only a lap belt, and I don’t want to put her on the side of the car (closer to where there would be an impact). I get a little confused about the tether thing & I’m not sure if I’ve got everything I need to ensure maximum safety…
If it is angled correctly and installed very tightly, it’s fine. The only way I can install our car seats rear facing in the middle tight enough is to sit on it while buckling. The bottom should barely budge when you tug on the top (which will obviously move.) The same with using LATCH rear-facing. The top tether can only be used forward facing in most seats, the Britax Marathon and Roundabout being the only exceptions I know of.
I’ve read that once they reach a certain weight, children are safer facing forward. I don’t remember what it was, but I’m guessing 30 or 35 lbs? Again, I don’t remember the reasoning behind it, but it seemed plausible when I read it.
Thanks Kristen. I definitely have to battle in order to get the carseat tight enough. I was just makin’ sure!
Lenise,
American car seats are designed to accommodate rear-facing children to 27-33 lbs. (depending on the seat). That brings the vast majority of children to at least age 2, some well past 3, before flipping around. Heck, I’ve seen lots of 33 lb. children in belt-positioning booster seats!
Some seats in other countries are designed to rear face to higher weight limits.