5-point ok in front?

[puglover333]

I am trying to figure out a way to occasionally transport 3 kiddo's in my 2003 Corolla. They are:

DS - 5yo - harnessed in a GN
4mo - babytrend carrier
7yo - only 46" and about 44# - needs to be in a HBB

I cannot figure out how to get a HBB in the back with the GN and BT - if you have any ideas that would be great.

I was reading in here and got the idea that it might be ok to move the GN into the front when I need to transport all three? I cannot turn off the airbag (that I know of). But if I moved the seat all the way back, and put the harnessed GN in the front, would that be okay?

I know this isn't ideal, but it would only be occasionally - maybe a couple of times a month.

Also, anyone know if it is okay to have a 5yo in the front in IL?

Thanks

[MustangMama]

I was reading in here and got the idea that it might be ok to move the GN into the front when I need to transport all three? I cannot turn off the airbag (that I know of). But if I moved the seat all the way back, and put the harnessed GN in the front, would that be okay?

I think what you said sounds good. If you can't get them 3 across, on the VERY RARE occasion you have to have all 3 kids, I would put the GN in the front seat as FAR AS POSSIBLE from the air bag.

Maybe if you tried to install the middle car seat, then install the two outboards ones- not yet locking them- and then push them in snug next to the middle seat? Would that help with your 3 across?

If you have the money and could use it more than just a few times I would suggest getting a Radian. It is slim so it will make it much easier to puzzle your seats together. It can RF or FF so you could use it in place of the GN or BT.

HTH:)

[Pixels]

According to the Illinois State Police website (http://www.isp.state.il.us/safety/restraints.cfm), there is no requirement that children must be in the back seat. At least, there's no mention of it.

Try this: Put the GN outboard. Buckle (don't use LATCH, you can usually get a smidge more room for 3-across with seatbelt), slide it as close to the door as you can, and tighten. Make sure there is less than one inch of movement at the belt path, then get it as close to the door as you can. Put the BT seat center, doing the same thing to get it as close to the GN as you can. Then you have to take out the GN and check that the BT is still tight enough, to make sure that it's independently tight, and not a false sense of tightness from pressing on the GN. Put the GN back in, tightening it as much as you can. Hopefully this will leave enough room for the booster on the other side.

If you try it one way (say with GN behind the driver) and it doesn't work, try it the other way (GN behind the passenger). Sometimes one side is bigger than the other.

If you can't get all 3 in back, then the GN (biggest harnessed FFing child) goes in the passenger's seat with the seat moved all the way back.

[Defrost]

Another thing to keep in mind is that you'll want to try out the install before relying on this plan. Front seats are really not designed for carseat installs, and can be very tricky or even completely incompatible much more often than rear-seats. For example, they are more likely to have fixed buckle stalks and/or contouring that interfere with an acceptable install.

[puglover333]

Thanks for the advice.

I think I'll keep my eye out for a radian in the swap area. These are my brother's kids, and I know I will be baby-sitting occasionally for years to come - and I hate being stuck in the house with all 3!

[bobandjess99]

Another thing to keep in mind is that you'll want to try out the install before relying on this plan. Front seats are really not designed for carseat installs, and can be very tricky or even completely incompatible much more often than rear-seats. For example, they are more likely to have fixed buckle stalks and/or contouring that interfere with an acceptable install.

Yes, ! I had to put my grandaughter in teh front seat the other day, and installing the seat was awful...the front seats of my car are definitely NOT made for carseats!

[theannex2]

Could you get a Ride Safer vest, and use that in the middle instead of putting the 7 yo in a HBB? I have a small car too (03 Vibe, similar size to a Corolla), and that's the only way I can get 3 across since my 5 yo is in a Frontier that hogs so much space. Since the vests don't expire, you'll be able to use it for both kids as a carpool/travel seat for years to come.