Techinican...to latch or not to latch that is the question?

[momto2princes]

If the seat has latch and the child's weight is within guidelines would you install it with the latch or use the seatbelt anyway?

I guess my question is do you like the latch or not and why or why not?

[Mommyto2]

I would install it whichever way got the best installation. If they are both equal I prefer the seatbelt, but there is not reasoning behind it, just what I prefer. I know many others prefer LATCH.

[bubbaray]

I use whatever method gives me the best install -- which isn't necessarily LATCH/UAS.

[natysr]

Not a tech here, but I will say "it depends".

In our SUV, normally Jordan's seat is in the center, so that is a seatbelt install. If we need to fold down the second row to put something large in the car, I will move it outboard and install with a seatbelt, because my LATCH straps are already stored in the seat, and a FF seatbelt install on a Marathon is simply a breeze. I can install it faster than I can get the LATCH straps out from under the cover.

When Jordan was rearfacing in my honda, I had him outboard (for various reasons). I always installed that seat with LATCH, because I could do it in less than 60 seconds. It was soo quick and easy.

Any preference for LATCH v. non LATCH install would vary so much from car to car and seat to seat.

[LISmama810]

Neither poll choice works for me because, like others have said, it depends.

Presuming the install is acceptable either way, I generally prefer seat belts because they are less hassle, IMO. Sometimes for a RF seat, I prefer LATCH to avoid tipping.

[momto2princes]

The answers surprise me.... and I will tell you why

You should always be able to get a rock solid install with the seatbelt except in rare circumstances that the car seat and the vehicle just are not compatible.

The latch to me isn't as "safe" as the seatbelt because it does have a weight limit.
If you are as a tech installing it for a parent unless you tell them to contact you back when the child hits x weight to re-install it with the seatbelt how many parents diligently read the manual to find out the weight limit for the latch or will remember. As technicians isn't part of the job to teach the parent how to properly install the car seat so if they need to move it around or take it out they know how to put it back. There isn't always going to be latch available and it isn't always going to apply so I would think the wiser way would be with the belt.

Maybe I am wrong.

In my own car I have installed with the latch on occasion. I had my Frontier in the latch but had switch it a few months ago when DS hit 40lbs. I just bought an XT and installed it first with the latch because DS is only 30lbs but re installed it with the seatbelt and it works better. I don't know it just "feels" safer.

[wendytthomas]

If you are as a tech installing it for a parent unless you tell them to contact you back when the child hits x weight to re-install it with the seatbelt how many parents diligently read the manual to find out the weight limit for the latch or will remember. As technicians isn't part of the job to teach the parent how to properly install the car seat so if they need to move it around or take it out they know how to put it back. There isn't always going to be latch available and it isn't always going to apply so I would think the wiser way would be with the belt.

I tell the parents about the LATCH limit, and if the child is within a year or so of it I show them how to do a seatbelt installation. Takes an extra five minutes. If they have a newborn and they get a new car every three years I ask if they'd like to know and leave it up to them. If they never travel by air or switch out the seat I don't bother. If they travel all the time then I show them how to do both seatbelt and LATCH.

To turn it the other way, if we're doing a seatbelt installation and they tell me they travel four times a year and get American rental cars every time (which often allow for center LATCH), then I'll show them how to do LATCH as well.

Some parents also don't want to know about a seatbelt installation. They want LATCH and they'll put the seat wherever there's LATCH. Hopefully they never travel internationally. Others prefer the seatbelt and don't care to learn about LATCH.

So yes, it depends.

And LATCH is perfectly safe up to its weight limit. I believe seatbelts may have limits as well, though they're something like 500 pounds. Not at all sure. More than most adults weigh. But if you're concerned about LATCH simply because it has a weight limit then that's not rational. It's safe to that limit.

Wendy

[chickabiddy]

As everyone else wrote, it depends. I have a slight personal preference for seatbelts, just because I've done so many more seatbelt installs than LATCH installs. But I will use whatever works best.

IME, parents tend to prefer LATCH when it's available. That's fine; it's their choice. We'll try LATCH first. If it works, yay. If it doesn't, we'll try belts. I explain LATCH weight limits and teach seatbelt installations. If the child is very very close to the LATCH limits, I will recommend a seatbelt installation, but again, it's the parents' choice.

[ketchupqueen]

I do whatever is easier and gives a better install. In my mom's car lower anchors are IMPOSSIBLE to use. So I use seatbelt in her car, always. In our car LATCH is a breeze, so I use that when I can. In some cars you'll get a better install with some seats with seatbelt than LATCH (had that happen at checks a few times.) In some you'll get a better install with LATCH (in a few cars, with a few seats, it can be the ONLY way to get an acceptable install.) If everything else is equal, I defer to the parents' wishes. I don't care one way or the other. If both give a good install I show them both ways and let them make the choice (since once I install a seat I take it out and they get to do it themselves.)

[chickabiddy]

If you are as a tech installing it for a parent unless you tell them to contact you back when the child hits x weight to re-install it with the seatbelt how many parents diligently read the manual to find out the weight limit for the latch or will remember.

Coming back to respond specifically to this: I would not refuse to work with or even recommend against a carseat with a 40# limit for a 34# child because he'll eventually outgrow it and I don't trust the parents to notice or care. I feel the same way about LATCH limits. It is my job to educate parents about proper use and installation, not to make their decisions for them.

[LISmama810]

The latch to me isn't as "safe" as the seatbelt because it does have a weight limit.

Keep in mind, though, that the current weight limits on LATCH are based on testing done to accommodate the seats on the market at the time LATCH was introduced (ones that hold 40 lbs). So although vehicles state a weight limit, that doesn't mean that LATCH really won't hold more than that. I guess that's sort of beside the point, but having a weight limit doesn't necessarily make it less safe (especially if you use LATCH only within the stated limit).


If you are as a tech installing it for a parent unless you tell them to contact you back when the child hits x weight to re-install it with the seatbelt how many parents diligently read the manual to find out the weight limit for the latch or will remember. As technicians isn't part of the job to teach the parent how to properly install the car seat so if they need to move it around or take it out they know how to put it back. There isn't always going to be latch available and it isn't always going to apply so I would think the wiser way would be with the belt.

If a kid is close to the weight limit for LATCH, I let the parent know that they'll need to use the seatbelt, and I'll demonstrate if they're using LATCH. (Same for the Regent's long and short belt paths. If the kid is under 40 and using the LBP, I at least explain what they'll need to do to switch, and when.)

If a kid isn't near the weight limit, I'll mention that there IS a limit, but I don't spend a lot of time on it. Chances are the parents won't remember by that point anyway. I don't mean to make light of it, but there are a lot of things parents need to know going forward, and I don't want to overwhelm them with things that aren't in the near future, because I don't want them forgetting the stuff they need to know NOW.

There are a lot of hypothetical scenarios we COULD prepare parents for, but there's only so much we can do during an appointment, and only so much that a parent will retain. Even if I teach them how to install a seat with their seatbelts (and I do usually at least show them how to lock their belts), that doesn't mean that they'll know how to install with a seatbelt in EVERY car. There are different types of latchplates, retractors, belt stalk positions, belt stalk lengths, etc.

Even though seatbelts are more universal, LATCH is more standard.

[safeinthecar]

I'm in the "depends" category too. I ask parents a lot of questions for one thing. If they have on car that is a 2007 with LATCH, and another car that is a 91 without it, I generally recommend using the seat belt so they can replicate the install in both cars. I do usually so a quick demo of LATCH too. It depends on the car seat and the placement and accessibility of the LATCH anchors too. Some seats are just simpler with one or the other. For example, I had a Toureg come in today with a ffing RA and a Snugride. Ra went in the center with the seat belt. There was no point in pushing a seat belt install for the outboard Snugride. LATCH was simple and easy, seat belt would have required a locking clip ( Toureg has recall on the seat belts for having too big of a dead zone for the switchable retractor that was not fixed yet) and buckling the SR would have meant undoing the RA because the buckle was too close to the RA to get your had around it. All this going on with a screaming 2 yo in the background was just too much for the dad and I decided to K.I.S.S.

Earlier this morning I had another snugride that I ended up showing the parent how to seat belt with and without locking clips, LATCH, and baseless installs, because my questioning let me know that they would need to know all this for different cars.

[snowbird25ca]

I'm also in the "depends" category. Rf'ing seats I almost always LATCH when it's available and when it's compatible - in fact, if LATCH is available in the seating position the parent wants, I always try it first with the exception of the SS1/SR32 which I leave up to the parents just because seatbelt install with the base is so easy and in most cases faster than LATCH.

Most parents want to use LATCH when it's available. If it's compatible in that position, then it's what I instruct. I also always teach about locking the seatbelt so that if the parents needs to install with the seatbelt they know.

Like someone else mentioned though, parents are already being given a lot of information. They need to know how to properly install their child's seat and secure their child in it in the present, and when to move to the next stage. Discussion over seating position and method of installation is something that happens with pretty much every vehicle. That's how the parent needs to know how to install the seat. There's just no possible way to teach everything they need to know for 2yrs down the road, or to cover various "what-if" scenarios. They won't retain the info and it's not practical in terms of time constraints. :twocents:

[Melizerd]

Not a tech but I can tell you I went from a 98 Plymouth Breeze with no LATCH to a 2008 Chevy HHR WITH LATCH and I was excited thinking I'd like it better.... nope I still use the belt for my seat.

I've only liked LATCH in one vehicle I put my Marathon or Regent in.

[Stretchy Glue]

I use whatever the parent wants most, but if it's a rf seat with a l/s belt with a switchable retractor, I almost always choose LATCH so the parents aren't dealing with the tipping seat. In most situations I just pick what is going to work the best for the situation. Many times, I find the seatbelt easier to teach parents to use because so many LATCH anchors require pulling at a specific angle, and most parents want to pull out, which is usually ineffective.

It honestly depends on the parents I'm teaching.

[Pixels]

I'm in the "depends" category, too. For my daughter, two of the vehicles she rides in don't have LATCH at all, and two do, but only outboard. I prefer her in the center, so it's usually seatbelt installs.

As a tech for other parents/kids, I always start by asking the parent if they are familiar with LATCH (some have never heard of it, some already have decided they don't want to use it) and explaining it if necessary. If the parent has a preference, I try installing it that way, and if it works, that's the end of it. If not, then I'd try the other way.

[Splash]

I debate which one I like best. In my head, of course. Seatbelts have a higher rating and only one point of failure (vs 2), so that sometimes wins out. Then I think that seats were rigged to work with an already present system (seatbelts) and not really made dedicated for each other. So then I like LATCH better because it was designed solely for carseats, sort of a "jack of all trades, master of none" scenario.

Then I go back to realizing it doesn't matter much.

RF, almost always LATCH. FF, depends on the belt path. Narrow, low belt path like the RN or FN? LATCH every time if available. High, open path like the MA or GN, either one but normally belt. And those assume an ALR belt. Lap only or locking latchplate, belt every time with very few exceptions. I think they should just kill LATCH entirely and equip each rear seating position with a thin ALR lap belt for carseat use only. Then no one will be able to screw anything up anymore.

[Qarin]

I think they should just kill LATCH entirely and equip each rear seating position with a thin ALR lap belt for carseat use only. Then no one will be able to screw anything up anymore.

Er, well, except to use that belt for people...

Why ALR?

[LuvBug03]

I always try seatbelt first. I have always preferred seatbelt for installation. If for some reason the seatbelt doesn't get it as tight as I want it, then I use LATCH.

I just prefer the seatbelt, it is just how I like it. A nice ALR lap/shoulder is my favorite to play with.

In the end, I go with the one that gives the best install though, usually it is seatbelt... which is why I default to it first anyway.

[BW1426]

If both provide a good install, I go with whatever is easier because-- easier=more likely to be done correctly.

[Splash]

Er, well, except to use that belt for people...

Why ALR?


I'd make it thinner and obscene looking and that it is notnotnotnotnotnot for non-carseat using humans at all.

WHy ALR? Because it installs itself. As long as they don't stop pulling until it's buckled, then there is nothing to screw up or do wrong. It's near impossible for the belt not to be tight enough, and saves parents the pesky task of actually giving a rat if the seat is in tight.

[disbugsmomma]

:yeahthat: