adult shoulder belt lower than shoulder

Melanie · May 19, 2010

I just got a Ford Flex. The middle of the second seat has the shoulder belt coming from the top of the actual seat back. It doesn't come out of the roof like a lot of vehicles. When an adult sits there the shoulder portion comes up from below your shoulder. It's like having a forward facing carseat seat with the harness straps too low. Is this safe? I wonder if spinal compression would be an issue like with carseats. This is how it fits me and I'm 5'2".

DD might even fit there with a no back booster. She's 5 and just booster training now. Would that be as safe as a high back booster? (Assuming the shoulder belt fits properly.)

On a side not, it does make for easy seat belt installs. Yesterday I was fighting with a RF radian. I was able to release the vehicle seat and bring it forward which allowed the belt to tighten more. It's like the reverse of reclining the seats back, letting it retract and pushing them back upright.

MomToEliEm · May 19, 2010

I am curious about this as well. Luckily I don't have any vehicles with low shoulder belts, but do ride in them occasionally. It would seem that the shoulder belt should fall above the shoulder as if it is below the shoulder that could lead to spine compression, but maybe that it more for a 5-point harness which holds you in place more. A regular seat belt does allow for you to move more during a crash.

I checked my Toyota manual to see if it mentioned anything about where to position the shoulder belt (it has height adjusters in the front seat), but it didn't mention anything about where it should fall. It just mentioned how to adjust it.

Defrost · May 25, 2010

This is basically conjecture, based on some research I did a few years ago about 4-pt harnesses for adults. From what I understand, the risk of spinal compression is lower for adults due to the fact that it's a 4-pt harness instead of a 5-pt (allows more downward movement to counteract the compression from the upper points?) and the difference in bone development. Basically it said that having the harness come from above the shoulders was ideal, but that having them "slightly" below the shoulders was also acceptable (the image I saw showed the anchorage points at the tops of the shoulder blades.)

Again, I'm really not sure if this applies to 3-pt harnesses, but I'd guess that's how the manufacturers are "allowed" to have that type of seat belt (that is anchored below the shoulders for many adults.)

Splash · May 25, 2010

The main concern I have (compression is not even a remote concern for me) is the belt coming off the shoulder entirely in that situation. Too easy to launch right out of it. I hate those type of belts for this reason. I wouldn't use it for an adult or a boostered child if other options exist. If they don't, then I'd consider it okay but not ideal.

adult shoulder belt lower than shoulder

Melanie

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