S
sarah
Guest
What's safer: LATCH on side or belt in middle?
In our 2002 Subaru Outback, I have my 4 month old daughter in a Graco Snugride (made before LATCH was standard) in the middle, using the top tether belt. With normal use, the seat base loosens itself often enough to bother and worry us, and my husband and I dread the regular readjustment we have to do because it's just so tiring, usually when my daughter is starting to get fussy on the way somewhere! We've visited the local official seat station and had it adjusted twice, and they said it's just bound to happen with taking her in and out.
We're going to grin and bear it till she outgrows this seat and we put her in a covertible; what we're trying to decide is where to place that next seat. Our Outback does have tethers, but only on the two outer seats: is it safer to use LATCH and put the seat on the left or right, to insure the tightest fit, or to forgo LATCH and use the seat belt in the middle in case of a side crash? I have read about using the two outer tethers to jerry-rig putting the seat in the middle, but have also read that that's not recommended. I want to do what's safest for my baby, and seeing how loose the seat can get in the middle using the belt is unnerving.
Thanks for any help you can provide, and happy holidays!
Sarah
In our 2002 Subaru Outback, I have my 4 month old daughter in a Graco Snugride (made before LATCH was standard) in the middle, using the top tether belt. With normal use, the seat base loosens itself often enough to bother and worry us, and my husband and I dread the regular readjustment we have to do because it's just so tiring, usually when my daughter is starting to get fussy on the way somewhere! We've visited the local official seat station and had it adjusted twice, and they said it's just bound to happen with taking her in and out.
We're going to grin and bear it till she outgrows this seat and we put her in a covertible; what we're trying to decide is where to place that next seat. Our Outback does have tethers, but only on the two outer seats: is it safer to use LATCH and put the seat on the left or right, to insure the tightest fit, or to forgo LATCH and use the seat belt in the middle in case of a side crash? I have read about using the two outer tethers to jerry-rig putting the seat in the middle, but have also read that that's not recommended. I want to do what's safest for my baby, and seeing how loose the seat can get in the middle using the belt is unnerving.
Thanks for any help you can provide, and happy holidays!
Sarah