Car Seats and Car Wrecks

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Some close friends of mine were the victims of a speeder this weekend. A guy doing 50 in a 25 zone rear-ended the car they were in while they were stopped poised to make a left turn. Their one year old was strapped safely in her car seat. Everyone was okay, thank the good Lord, but their car was totalled. The seat sure worked for their baby - she would have been a projectile had she not been strapped in appropriately. I personally want to bitch slap people I see with their kids running loose in the car. Car seats are the law for children under four in all 50 states, and I think it should be considered child endangerment or worse for kids to be unrestrained in a car.

But I digress...

The cops on the scene gave them some good advice about the car seat which I thought I would share, given the number of new parents (and aunts and uncles) on the board. Never hurts to be reminded...

** Child car seats should always be discarded after a wreck. Some manufacturers will take them back and send you a new one. But regardless, you should never continue to use a seat that has been involved in a wreck.

** Make sure you know how to install your car seat in case there's an emergency where you need to put it in some other car. I know my seat was installed by the people at the local Sheriff's dept (I was seven months preggers and couldn't even get in our back seat!!), and so I am not sure I personally would know how to install it. A good idea is to keep the car seat installation instructions attached to the car seat in case your brain is fuzzy or someone else is trying to install the car seat for you.

[autigger 0]

It also drives me nuts to see little kids running around in the car ragged. Also kids riding in the front seatdrive me crazy. Little miss Alli is strapped in really good and if 2 people are in the car one is in the back seat with her. However, 2 more pounds and she has outgrown her first carseat so off to the store for a new one. Personally, i think she is too tall for it, but io guess its more of a weight issue. Poor child is growing like a weed and if she keeps at the pace she is going she will be 6 foot....

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Also, do not buy a used car seat unless you know the person very well and know that it has not been in an accident. It isn't worth $50 if your child is hurt by a compromised safety seat.

And if your back seats can accomodate it, put them in the center position rather than the driver or passenger sides.

[channonc 466]

Also, before buying a car seat, make sure it hasn't been recalled. A lot of models get recalled and don't get pulled off the store shelves.

[Ravad 77]

It also drives me nuts to see little kids running around in the car ragged. Also kids riding in the front seatdrive me crazy. Little miss Alli is strapped in really good and if 2 people are in the car one is in the back seat with her. However, 2 more pounds and she has outgrown her first carseat so off to the store for a new one. Personally, i think she is too tall for it, but io guess its more of a weight issue. Poor child is growing like a weed and if she keeps at the pace she is going she will be 6 foot....

One thing to be aware of with this. The child must remain rear facing until the age of one.

We had the same issue with Daniel growing out of the infant carrier car seat at about 6 months (and we bought the one that had the largest max's for height & weight).

When we spoke to our pediatrician about getting a new one he practically begged us to stay rear facing saying he has seen more neck injuries in children under the age of one because parents turn them forward facing because they need a bigger car seat and their little necks are just not strong enough to hold their heads back just in a "have to stop short situation".

[autigger 0]

It also drives me nuts to see little kids running around in the car ragged. Also kids riding in the front seatdrive me crazy.  Little miss Alli is strapped in really good and if  2 people are in the car one  is in the back seat with her.  However, 2 more pounds and she has outgrown her first carseat so off to the store for a new one.  Personally, i think she is too tall for it, but io guess its more  of a weight issue.  Poor child is growing like a weed and if  she  keeps  at the pace she is going  she will be 6 foot....

One thing to be aware of with this. The child must remain rear facing until the age of one.

We had the same issue with Daniel growing out of the infant carrier car seat at about 6 months (and we bought the one that had the largest max's for height & weight).

When we spoke to our pediatrician about getting a new one he practically begged us to stay rear facing saying he has seen more neck injuries in children under the age of one because parents turn them forward facing because they need a bigger car seat and their little necks are just not strong enough to hold their heads back just in a "have to stop short situation".

Alli faces the rear and she has a mirror where her mommy can see her face.... Alli has outgrown her infant car seat at 3 months...

[Ravad 77]

Alli faces the rear and she has a mirror where her mommy can see her face.... Alli has outgrown her infant car seat at 3 months...

Wow...3 months...she's a big girl.

Just curious...what was her height & weight at her 3 month check up?

[autigger 0]

Umm im not real sure her exact weight and height but i would guess between 24-25 inches and weighs about 17 lbs... she was 8lbs 3 oz and 20.5 inches when she was born

[sevenDs 0]

Like Jenny said, many local police and or highway patrol departments have trained personnel on installing car seats. They will inspect your installation, or, at some departments, install car seats for you. On models with a separate base(infant-carrier type) a secondary base is fairly inexpensive so you can swap cars out with your spouse if need be.

Aidan stayed rear facing till he was thirteen months old. Even though he had to move to a larger seat, he still hadn't reached the twenty pound limit at 12 months.

[autigger 0]

starting to think little miss Alli needs a diet

[eibua12 81]

Not pushing Britax here but..

#1 car sear per a lot of people (consumer reports being one) not just for comfort but safety as well

The Marathon can take larger Kids up to 33 rear facing and the seat fits taller children. Ease of Installation is a plus

Issues: Big so if you have a small car check it first and expensive (not that I put a price on safety) but if you have to keep changing seats it is worth it to by one.

In case you are looking for a great car seat

Britax Link

[TitanTiger 20,499]

According to Consumer Reports, the Britax Roundabout, the Evenflo Titan/Vanguard 5, and the Evenflo Triumph 5 all scored the same. They were the top rated ones. When you look at specific ratings, the Triumph 5 actually outscored the Britax in their tests for crash protection and fit to vehicle. The Britax got slightly higher marks on ease of use.

However, the difference is the price. The Britax Roundabout is $230 retail. The Triumph 5 is $130. The Titan/Vanguard 5 is $70. I got the Triumph 5 after also reading on Babycenter and reading actual user comments. They gave both the Britax and the Triumph high marks. The knock on the Titan/Vanguard was that it wouldn't accomodate larger infants very well and after seeing it in person, I can see that. It's rather narrow at the hip. I got the Triumph for $109 with a $10 off coupon at Babies R Us.

Of course, these are all infant/toddler convertible seats. They can be rear facing until the child is over 1 year old and 20 lbs., then can go forward facing up to 40 lbs.

I'm a research freak.

[Ravad 77]

According to Consumer Reports, the Britax Roundabout, the Evenflo Titan/Vanguard 5, and the Evenflo Triumph 5 all scored the same. They were the top rated ones. When you look at specific ratings, the Triumph 5 actually outscored the Britax in their tests for crash protection and fit to vehicle. The Britax got slightly higher marks on ease of use.

However, the difference is the price. The Britax Roundabout is $230 retail. The Triumph 5 is $130. The Titan/Vanguard 5 is $70. I got the Triumph 5 after also reading on Babycenter and reading actual user comments. They gave both the Britax and the Triumph high marks. The knock on the Titan/Vanguard was that it wouldn't accomodate larger infants very well and after seeing it in person, I can see that. It's rather narrow at the hip. I got the Triumph for $109 with a $10 off coupon at Babies R Us.

Of course, these are all infant/toddler convertible seats. They can be rear facing until the child is over 1 year old and 20 lbs., then can go forward facing up to 40 lbs.

I'm a research freak.

I also got the Triumph 5 after reading on Babycenter and reading actual user comments when Daniel grew out of his infant carrier/carseat.

We have had it for about 2 years now and I still like it a lot.

[sevenDs 0]

I'm a research freak.

My wife is too, we also bought the Triumph 5. It's been very easy to use althouhg I haven't seen the Britax in person.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

The Britax got high marks on ease of use as well. I saw the Britax at Babies R Us. Basically, it seemed like the Britax looks a little nicer/high end, but the Triumph was every bit as good for $100 less.