OK, I need a better explanation

L

LuciaBella

Guest

• Nov 5, 2009

• #1

A mother asked me a few days ago..."why not use both LATCH and the seatbelt? it just seems logical that if one fails, one will work"

I agree with this, however in my CPST class we were just taught that although this is logical, it hasnt been tested yet. That is all I've heard.

"isn't the car seat supposed to be one with the car-meaning no movement at all on either side or front to back? Why would they make the mighty tite if it wasn't safe?"-another curious parent

So I need some answers. Why not use LATCH AND seatbelt? Ready...go!

 

T

thepeach80

Senior Community Member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #2

Here's for the mighty tite. http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-ppcarseats&msg=15952.4

I just tell parents it has not been tested or possibly it has been tested and it failed. There's a possibility when using both that you would put too much pressure on the seat causing it to fail and crack. They are just 2 different ways of installing a seat and not meant to be used together at this time.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Nov 5, 2009

• #3

Yes, it has not been testing. We don't know if they will end up slicing one another in a crash. They are starting to test with both, but so far, no ok.

With the mighty tite. Do you want that heavy thing flying loose in the car? Do you trust it to hold in a crash, rather than use retractor in the car already?

 

Pixels

New member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #4

"Why would they make the mighty tite if it wasn't safe?"

Because someone will buy it.

Don't have time ATM to go into further explanation, DD is melting down.

 

T

thepeach80

Senior Community Member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #5

That's the reason the guy from Evenflo gave a few years ago when he was asked about aftermarket products. Parents want them so they keep making them.

 

J

Jan06twinmom

New member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #6

Here's what Wendy wrote (and I copied it and sent it to my BIL who was doing both):

Because it's not been tested that way, or it's been tested and failed. None of us are willing to turn our kids into crash test dummies to see how it works. It may be the best thing ever. Since every single carseat manufacturer says don't do it, though, I have to guess they've tested it and it's not worked as well.

It may be like two outfielders. Each system is tested to take crash forces. But if you put them together you've got two ballplayers running toward the ball. In the end the ball ends up on the grass and your ballplayers have black eyes from slamming into each other. LATCH is supposed to stretch up to 20% in a collision. So is the seatbelt. If neither has the full crash put on it, neither may stretch. And now those crash forces, instead of being absorbed by the LATCH strap or seatbelt, need to go elsewhere. And the only elsewhere to go is into the seat where your child is sitting, magnifying crash forces and possibly causing more injury to the child in the seat.
(copied from http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=98000)


Here's another link I found for our twin club website... http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/f/LATCH_SB.htm

 

D

DahliaRW

New member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #7

The Complete Air Manual has in one of those little warning boxes to NOT install with both seatbelt and latch, only one. I thought that was awesome, never noticed it in an manual before!

 

bethng

Active member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #8

my instructor told me that they had tested LATCH and seatbelt together and it did indeed fail. Now she didnt say who "they" were but thats just what she told me.

 

ProudMomof5

New member

• Nov 5, 2009

• #9

yes, but what about a combination seat... like a harnessed seat that turns to a booster?
What about latching that in and then using the regular seatbelt to buckle the child in, with out the harness? Does that make sense?

To me, that would be safer because then the carseat is not going anywhere, like if the child was sitting with out a carseat and using a regular seatbelt.

 

L

LuciaBella

Guest

• Nov 6, 2009

• #10

ProudMomof5 said:

yes, but what about a combination seat... like a harnessed seat that turns to a booster?
What about latching that in and then using the regular seatbelt to buckle the child in, with out the harness? Does that make sense?

To me, that would be safer because then the carseat is not going anywhere, like if the child was sitting with out a carseat and using a regular seatbelt.

Click to expand...

Isn't that essentially what the Clek car seats do? They latch in, then you use the seat belt to secure the child?

 

Qarin

New member

• Nov 6, 2009

• #11

A few booster seats use LATCH; they have been (presumably) crash tested that way and passed. The booster or combination seats which do not specify that LATCH can be used have the same problem as with car seats: either it was tested that way and failed, or it wasn't tested that way and using it that way puts your child into the position of being a crash test dummy.

"To me, that would be safer," is, unfortuately, not really good science, you know? It may well be that the seat travelling with the child's ride-down during the crash offers protection, or it may well not be so and having the booster stay with the car (or with the LATCH belts' ride-down) is safer.... but we do not, and for now cannot, know.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Nov 6, 2009

• #12

Clek, Nautilus, Frontier, Jane.

In that case the LATCH isn't holding the weight of the child plus the seat. Just the seat. The seatbelt is holding the child. So they're still not working together. Nor are they both going through the same belt path and getting the same forces.

Wendy

 

L

LuciaBella

Guest

• Nov 6, 2009

• #13

I just feel like its OK and safe for the car seat to move not more than an inch. I mean its supposed to be one with the car, but not really so one with the car that it doesn't move at all. I feel like if the car seat didn't move at all, it puts more weight on the child and harness and in an accident, its not going to give at all...which would hurt the child in the long run...??

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Nov 6, 2009

• #14

It'll give. But yes, it's been tested and approved with up to one inch of movement, and there are people who prefer a bit of give. However, it is "up to 1" of movement", not requiring 1", so having it tight is fine too. I don't think we mere humans can get it in so tight, though, that it wouldn't give in a crash. Your average 180 pounds of force put on a seat while installing it just doesn't stand a chance of holding it still during a 30 mph collision.

Wendy

 

L

LuciaBella

Guest

• Nov 6, 2009

• #15

yes but with the mighty-tite....LOL just kidding