Automatic Locking Belts

[papooses]

Are they standard? If so, starting what year?

My daughter's stepmom has a 2000 Dodge Intrepid & says they only lock in emergencies, but she hasn't tried to pull them all the way out & find out if they lock when they retract....

Now that NY law states kids under 4'9" must be in booster seats, she's agreed to use one for her 6 year old -- we're sharing the cost of the "girly" pink flowered Graco Turbo, which she's then going to use for my daughter once hers outgrows it -- by then mine will hopefully be heavy enough to use it for such a rare occasion, but I'm really hoping she has the Automatic Locking Belts!

Otherwise, I'm wondering if I should get the Bodyguard instead??? I know the BG -- my daughter's sister used it in my car before I gave it to my niece -- & I really like the lock-offs.

But, then again, I doubt my daughter's stepmom will have the patience for it [she's pretty hands-off, wants the kids to be able to do it themselves] -- my guess is that she'd just skip the lock-offs & that's not OK.

So, I'm kind of stressing myself out @@

[murphydog77]

1996 is the year seat belts were required to have some type of locking mechanism on them. Dodge uses lightweight locking latchplates, so they at the latchplate, not the retractor.

[joolsplus3]

And for visual reference, here are all the types of seatbelts out there... http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/csr2001/csrhtml/seatBelts.html

[papooses]

Uh-oh ... maybe I'm just not having a good day ... I don't understand what you mean about the locking latch plate & that link confused me even more!

The one time I saw the belts in the 2000 Dodge Intrepid I didn't notice any latch plates that look like the ones in the link :confused:

[UlrikeDG]

Maybe Heather's site will help instead? http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm

[murphydog77]

Lightweight locking latchplates have a piece that clamps down on the lap and shoulder part of the seat belt to hold it tight. You can see that piece move by pressing on it, but sometimes it's really hard to see. In my Toyotas, the lightweight locking latchplates look very similar to regular non-locking sliding latchplates. Testing the lightweight locking latchplate for locking is like testing a lap-only belt. Make sure the belt is laying flat against the latchplate. try pulling on the lap-only part of the belt to loosen it. If you can loosen it, it's not holding.

Here's a pic of the lightweight locking latchplate in my van. I don't know--maybe it'll confuse you more because it's a lap-only belt, but it should give you an idea. The metal part within the latchplate next to the belt is what clamps down on the belt to hold it tight.

[UlrikeDG]

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to play with my friend's brand new Dodge truck. She had light weight locking latch plates that worked really well with the seat we installed (Britax Marathon).

[papooses]

OK, yeah, I guess that looks familiar. I've sent these replies on to my daughter's stepmom. Hopefully she'll have it figured out by the time my tot is big enough to use a booster -- I'll push her to let me secure my kid in the first time, though. In any event, I think it should be easier for her than the lock-offs on the Bodyguard :confused: Hope so anyway, because we got the "Disney Princess" theme Turbo Booster last night -- with hopes that her super girly girl will enjoy using it! Now if I could only convince them that it's better to leave the back & head support portion attached [as opposed to using just the base]. I've already sent her the side crash test results [only 3 stars].... Any other ideas?

[papooses]

Just wanted to let you all know that my daughter's older half-sister is riding in her backless Turbo booster all the time now {yippee} ... we're saving the back/top of it for my daughter once big sis reaches 4'9" {very soon}, since mine is used to having head support.

I also wanted to share a handy idea: you can print this http://www.buckleupamerica.org/partnership/2004/cps/AdCouncil/Boosterposter.jpg for you kid to measure off when s/he's ready to graduate out of the booster {you might have to adjust your printer settings} ... we've got one up on our wall for my daughter's big sis & cousins so they can see how much longer they have to go befdore they can ask to stop using their booster :cool:

[joolsplus3]

Oh, that's pretty cute! Hehehe, I'm in NO hurry to get my wee babies out of booster seats, but THEY want to grow up...ain't it the way?
Don't forget the 5 step test...kids really fit differently in all cars at all different ages (my 2 year old darn near fit perfectly in the third row of a Durango, that seat is so small! But the captain's chair of a conversion van? Not till she's 12!)
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm (I like to add a sixth step: that their feet touch the floor...that way they can't scootch down for leg support and make the seatbelt ride up on their bellies)
:)

[papooses]

Yeah, I've passed that out to everyone, but most people I know are only bothering to use boosters now because of the new law -- they don't like the idea of $100 fine, but I guess the thought of a crash isn't such a worry for them? :o Actually, some people I know with kids that definitely need boosters still aren't using them because the kids will turn 8 {the law is for 4-7 year olds} before March when the police will be enforcing it @@