Something I saw at the grocery store tonight...is this okay?

[toothfairymama]

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I'm pretty sure it's not but I'm not a tech and I just wanted to ask. There was a woman putting her 2 girls into the middle seat of a minivan and she had the kind that you can turn the chairs rear-facing. So her younger daughter was getting into a convertible car seat that was installed in a rear-facing seat, therefore the car seat was facing the rear of the vehicle. I'm almost positive car seat manuals say not to install car seats in rear-facing vehicle seats...don't they?

But this made me think of something else...would kids not in car seats (like 10 yo+ kids who are no longer in boosters) be safer in those rear-facing captains chairs?

[DahliaRW]

You are correct, they cannot be installed on rfing seats. Every car seat manual says that and I would bet the van's manual does as well.

[Jonah Baby]

The woman must have really thought this through.

Everything I have heard says NO - you just really shouldn't do that.

I wonder if it was parental laziness regarding seat installs? FFing seats are often easier than installing RFing.


Don't try it at home.

[Neatfreak]

Originally Posted by Jonah Baby

I wonder if it was parental laziness regarding seat installs? FFing seats are often easier than installing RFing.

I'd wager it's just parental unawareness ...

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by toothfairymama

I'm pretty sure it's not but I'm not a tech and I just wanted to ask. There was a woman putting her 2 girls into the middle seat of a minivan and she had the kind that you can turn the chairs rear-facing. So her younger daughter was getting into a convertible car seat that was installed in a rear-facing seat, therefore the car seat was facing the rear of the vehicle. I'm almost positive car seat manuals say not to install car seats in rear-facing vehicle seats...don't they?

But this made me think of something else...would kids not in car seats (like 10 yo+ kids who are no longer in boosters) be safer in those rear-facing captains chairs?

1. No, the seat cannot be installed on a rear facing vehicle seat. (Although it would be great if they were tested that way!)

2. Yes, for older kids not in child restraints, those rear facing seats are great!

[joyride]

I think all european group 1 seats (20-40lbs) are allowed to be used on rear-facing van seats.
It is interessting that it is not allowed for the US seats.
Joy

[joolsplus3]

Originally Posted by joyride

I think all european group 1 seats (20-40lbs) are allowed to be used on rear-facing van seats.
It is interessting that it is not allowed for the US seats.
Joy

Yeah, it is interesting. Probably based on nothing but fear of the unknown and a rigid set of testing standards (we have one type of crash bench, a lap belt or LATCH, it's forward facing, and seats have to be tested on that at a certain speed). Not that I'm saying we should go against the manuals here in the US, of course....

[NannyMom]

Originally Posted by Jonah Baby

The woman must have really thought this through.

Everything I have heard says NO - you just really shouldn't do that.

I wonder if it was parental laziness regarding seat installs? FFing seats are often easier than installing RFing.


Don't try it at home.

I think it's the opposite. Mom thinks the kids are big enough and should be FF. But the kids think it's fun to ride backwards, that's a nice benefit of the van. They turn backwards, so why not use it. Before I knew better, I probobly would have done the same thing.

But now I know better. And I never will. Though a child that can pass the 5 step test, or an adult...that's another story