Which is safer?

ChckLiz

New member
My DH and I decided the other day to go ahead and turn Jonah FF, we were going to at 2 and he's 20 months, so not too much more time.

Anyways.. here's the question. I have his car seat right now on the driver side that has a lap/shoulder belt that locks, it's good and snug, that seat isn't moving at all! I'd like to have him in the middle but that seat has a lap belt that has a shoulder belt that can attach to it. The shoulder part doesn't lock like the outboard seats do. Also I can't figure out how to even attach it and buckle it.. tried and couldn't get it. Anyways.. I tried the seat with just the lap part and it's also a good fit, doesn't move an inch or anything. But I don't have tether hooks in my car *wish I did*, it's a 97 ford taurus.

So, which is safer? Is it better to have him on the outboard seat with a locking shoulder belt? or is the middle fine with the lap belt? Also wanted to add that whenever I had him RF it was in the middle and I NEVER could get the seat as tight as I can FF!

TIA!!
 
ADS

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I'm sorry, because I know this isn't what you want to read, but a 20mo FFing without a top tether is not really very safe, either center or outboard. Please consider RFing him at least until you can get the tether installed.
 

ChckLiz

New member
See that's what I was thinking too but DH thinks he's fine.. I've not been really comfortable with it since we did it Tuesday. Can you get a tether installed in an older car? If so how do you go about doing it?
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with chickabuddy... neither is safer. Head exertion is the biggest danger to young forward facers, and the tether helps mitigate that. If you don't have tethers, you should RF as long as possible.

FWIW, Joel's accident was when he was at 18mos, so IMO 20mos isn't "close enough" to 2. Here's his grandpa's video if you're not familiar with it...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8"]YouTube- Front facing or Rear facing? Car seat safety TRUE STORY crash test videos[/ame]

Hopefully someone here will get the lookup for your car from the LATCH manual; if you're not going to turn him back around then at a minimum get those tether anchors installed ASAP.
 

ChckLiz

New member
I'm fine with turning him back around, doesn't bother me a bit! If it's safer since I don't have tethers then I'm all for it! :thumbsup:
 

christineka

New member
And in the future when you do decide to turn your ds back to ffing, ford will retrofit the tether anchors for free. (Your local service center may not know about the program, but you can give them the info and they will comply.)
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
Call your local Ford dealer to have the tether anchors retrofitted. It is program R7C. I would advise you keep him rear facing at least until you have the tether anchors, but if he were mine, it would be much longer than that. (Until the rear facing seat it outgrown, it really is that much safer) Hope this helps.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Like the others have said, rear facing at his age is far safer. Not just a little bit, but significantly (up to 500% safer. Or read that another way, and it's 500% more dangerous to have him forward facing).

When it comes time in a year or two to turn him forward, if you still have the car, take it to the Ford dealership and tell them you want tethers installed under program R7C. It'll be free for you. The part number for your car, the "tether strap anchor kit", is F6DZ 54613D74-A for all three positions in your backseat.

If your DH is hassling you, tell him not yet, but you'll start getting tethers for when he does go forward. Then take your time getting the tethers, then just don't turn him for a while. But it'll make your DH think he's winning some ground. :)

Wendy
 

ChckLiz

New member
Hey, good news, just went and put the seat back the way it was *whew.. I feel better now lol* but also just talked to DH and told them what you guys said about it being MUCH safer and all he said was "okay, that's fine" so ha :D I feel sooooo much better now.. like seriously when I drove with him like that Tuesday I just couldn't breath.. I was driving soooo slow! lol Thank you guys for all your replies.. we'll be taking the car to Ford.. ya know... sometime in the next year or so haha! lol
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Great! I'm glad to hear it. Show him Joel's video (and/or some of the others) if he needs further convincing, I feel like it makes more of an impact than just saying, "He's way safer!"

I'm always afraid of offending someone, so I'm thrilled to hear that you & DH are receptive and are keeping Jonah RF! He's so much safer now :)
 

ChckLiz

New member
Here's a pic from today :D.. DH thinks Jonah's knees are to his chin, that's why he wanted to turn him "because he just can't be comfortable with his knees kissing his chin" as he would say. I just don't see it.. not in my car anyways.. in DH's SUV his seats sit straighter so Jonah doesn't have as much leg room but it's not that bad.

23545_1293088090179_1319581480_30884715_322198_n.jpg


23545_1293088210182_1319581480_30884716_265813_n.jpg


I personally think he looks plenty comfy! Also, by looking at the 2nd pic, I'm guessing he's going to hit the height limit before weight.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I see your 20 month old and raise you a 26 month old, 4y3m old, and 5y1w old.

2089253979_435c078d81_o.jpg


956049483_20ef757792_o.jpg


1024886238_c9321f8bf6.jpg


His knees are nowhere near his chin. Also, forward facing, Piper tends to cross her legs because it's more comfortable. How does he sit normally? With his legs out, or crossed? How do you sit? How would you sit if you didn't have to drive? On a long trip? He'll likely want to cross them anyway, even forward facing.

He is so cute! I bet you could stare at him all day. :) Absolutely adorable. Seeing pictures of cuties is one reason I love this job. LOL

Wendy
 

ChckLiz

New member
Thank you! Yeah I catch myself staring at him all the time.. I think he's pretty cute too lol.

Haha, I turned that one on him (DH) too when he said the knee thing.. I was like "seriously, when do you ever sit with your legs perfectly straight?" That caught him off guard lol

Jonah normally sits with his feet the way they are in the pic but I've seen him sit them up on the seat like Piper is doing in the pics *she's also a cutie too!!! I love her hair!*

His legs really aren't very long so I'd say for him to sit like this for long would be uncomfortable, more so than crossing! Probably why he just sits them like he does lol
20100325_3.jpg
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
what I would do is definitely keep him rearfacing until the weight limit (please show your hubby joel's story... how anyone can ff a child before they have to after seeing that is beyond me)

and... ASAP... call your dealer about retrofitting tether anchors... they should do AT LEAST 1 for free (your car is young enough to have pre-drilled holes, so it will be super easy)

someone around here with a latch book can even get you the part number.

And just remind the hubby... which is worse? broken leg or broken neck?

also, did you know that (I don't have the links for the research... but someone will) kids are actually more likely to break a leg FORWARD facing?? True.
 

Mommy2Marcus

New member
I have to agree that he is an absolute DOLL!!!!! He looks so happy.

As for the knees in the chin, not even close. Here is a picture of my son at over 3 RF. He was plenty comfy.
006-12.jpg

004-10.jpg


I turned him about a month ago, maybe 2 months ago. He never complained about his legs bothering him. Also remember what looks uncomfortable to us, it not to them. Look at the way they sit in the floor that would kill us! LOL!
 

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