Youtube Video

[southpawboston]

The only issue I am having with this is that she was only 3...she should have been in a 5 point easily, at least until she was 40 lbs, and she looks lean. My dd is heavy-43 lbs and 4.3, but was in her 5 point until 4...(she had just hit 40 lbs).This little girl was probably around 30 or so, so why was she in a booster??? ugh.

that's the point of the video... and i agree with splash. they simply *didn't* know any better. based on what was presented to them, they thought they were doing what was appropriate.

this all comes down to LAW. if the law doesn't require things to be done the proper way, people won't always be educated enough to do things the proper way...

 

[smurf]

This video, though it still has some inaccuracies, actually DOES highlight a very real problem though- boosters rated from 3 years and 30 pounds. Even here, all (or almost all) of the boosters are rated from 30 pounds and 3 years. Some don't even HAVE an age on them, just 30 pounds and up.
If someone really doesn't know any better (and think about it, how would most people know any better? The box AND the salesman says to use it for a 30 pound child) then how is it their fault? Okay, they could research more, absolutely. But the manufacturer TELLS YOU to put your 30 pound 3 year old into their booster. They are being told BY THE MANUFACTURER that this is the appropriate seat for their child. I don't think much further research is necessary, you know? My child has a lot of food allergies. I read the ingredient labels. If it's a safe food, I give it to him, because I trust that the manufacturers have labeled it accordingly. Am I supposed to further research it to make sure they're not lying to me?
This is a sad video, and it's a bit incorrect, but at least this one does highlight a very real problem.

I completely agree with Splash.
In Canada boosters are rated for use from 40 lbs (the same models that are rated 30 lbs in the US). It makes a big difference in age, probably around 1 1/2 to 2 years before a child can graduate to a booster. But sadly I see toddlers in boosters too soon, and young kids without boosters all the time, because the law simply isn't enforced here.

There was an article in my local paper today about helmets becoming mandatory for tobogganing because 2 kids died recently after hitting trees while tobogganing. I'm sure many more children die in car accidents because they're not properly restrained.

(off to get more tissues now, boy these videos get to me! )

 

[Victorious4]

There are 3 phases to a crash: 1- vehicle into object (car, tree, wall) 2- occupant impacts vehicle interior (seatbelt/harness, window, etc.) 3- internal organs impact skeletal frame.... The body does indeed "slam into" the harness.

I have made formal complaints (& so can you) to carseat manufacturers (namely Dorel) who tell buyer that any child over 30# & 12 MONTHS old can use a booster! They are totally failing to take into account cognitive development: children do not have the ability to use a booster properly unless they have the attention span to sit still for the entire length of every ride A wiggly toddler/preschooler is very different than a fake dummy!

 

[doriansmummy]

So Sad...

My hubby is Australian so I lived down here for over a year.
We use to take his neice who was 2 at the time and she was in a booster with a seat belt and she is a tiny thing. I had no idea about car seats 7 years ago.
I thank god we never got in an accident. We would drive from his sisters house to ours which was a 2 hour drive.

Hopefully Australia will get on board with higher harness weight seats.

 

[southpawboston]

I have made formal complaints (& so can you) to carseat manufacturers (namely Dorel) who tell buyer that any child over 30# & 12 MONTHS old can use a booster! They are totally failing to take into account cognitive development: children do not have the ability to use a booster properly unless they have the attention span to sit still for the entire length of every ride A wiggly toddler/preschooler is very different than a fake dummy!

not meant to criticize your effort which is commendable, and not to play devil's advocate, but aren't the carseat mfrs simply passing that bad advice on to the consumer because they are following the minimum requirements of the LAW? my point is, wouldn't it be more effective to have laws REQUIRING children to remain harnessed longer? then the mfrs would have NO CHOICE but to comply with the law in their recommendations. you know the old saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink. in this case, you can point out to the mfrs that it is bad advice, but you can't force them to change anything... but a law can. i would rather write in a formal complaint to the powers that be. and in fact, if anyone can provide a contact, i'd be more than happy to write in my opposition to the existing minimal requirements.

 

[UlrikeDG]

The problem with laws (well, one of the problems anway) is keeping them current and relevant. A few examples:
1) Law requires infants to rear face until age 1. Little Timmy weighs 38 lb at 10 months. There are no US carseats which allow rear facing above 35 lb.

2) Law requires booster use to age 12 or 4'11". Vehicle A has poorly designed seatbelts which really don't fit Mary Sue very well, even though the 10 year old is over 5' tall. Vehicle B has 4-point seatbelts that are so well designed that they can properly restrain 8 year old Billy Joe, even though he's only 4' tall.

3) The law requires rear facing to 2 years or 30 lb. Over the course of the next three years, a variety of new products are released which allow rear facing to 45 lb.