NewEngland
New member
So please tell me whether my logic is flawed...and provide any statistics on correctly-used outboard carseats vs. incorrectly-used center carseats 
Background: I went to a carseat check 2 or 3 weeks ago because I couldn't remember whether I had ever gotten the TF checked in one of our cars (99 Chrysler Concorde). Well, it was installed correctly, but I got a short statement about how the center was the safest spot for a carseat. The two techs and I tried to get it in the center--it was a slow check--but it didn't work for us so we put it back behind the driver.
For the Chrysler, the center install is not acceptable, but the outboard install is excellent. Case closed, not really too much to argue about. Now on to the 06 Subaru. I can put the carseat in the center, with an acceptable install (outboard is better, though). However, when I put it in the center, dh complains a ton about having to cliimb into the car to strap ds in. Because of that, I've always just had ds outboard. My reasoning is that I have enough trouble training dh to correctly put the kiddo into the seat anyway, why make it more difficult. Am I correct in thinking that a child who is correctly strapped into an outboard seat is safer than a child who is loosely strapped into a middle seat, or am I kidding myself and being lazy? We all keep talking about "fits your car, fits your child, fits your budget, and is used correctly every time" so I've been making it easy for dh to figure out, but now I'm wondering whether I'm just being lazy. My other thought is that we're planning on another kid within the next 1-2 years, so they'll both be outboard then...
I guess I'm asking whether this is a battle that you would fight with your dh, particularly since it would hopefully be a short-term victory anyway. I won the rear-facing-to-the-weight-limit-of-the-carseat battle, so I'm trying to decide whether this is also a hill to die on. And since I won that battle very literally (as in, literally to the weight limit of our current seat. We will not buy a new seat; 35 lbs is it. Since ds is only 26-27 lbs at 20 months, I should be good 'till 3.), I need good, current statistics to back up whatever I say.
And just for reference, the techs at the check were very helpful. They had all the info I needed to call the Chrysler dealership so I can get a tether anchor installed next year at some point. However, neither one had ever seen a TF before; are they very unusual? I bought the first before I found this site, so I didn't think so, but now I'm not so sure. Also, the techs there told me that >90% of all carseats are installed incorrectly. Is this actually true? And if so, how do you know? One of the techs told me that I had the first correctly installed carseat she had ever seen in 3 years of checks. Is that possible, or is that just a nice line to feed to parents to make them feel better? Because it seems a little extreme to me; 10-30% seems much more plausible. Jeez, I'm nervous enough driving anyway, I don't need more worries in my life.
Background: I went to a carseat check 2 or 3 weeks ago because I couldn't remember whether I had ever gotten the TF checked in one of our cars (99 Chrysler Concorde). Well, it was installed correctly, but I got a short statement about how the center was the safest spot for a carseat. The two techs and I tried to get it in the center--it was a slow check--but it didn't work for us so we put it back behind the driver.
For the Chrysler, the center install is not acceptable, but the outboard install is excellent. Case closed, not really too much to argue about. Now on to the 06 Subaru. I can put the carseat in the center, with an acceptable install (outboard is better, though). However, when I put it in the center, dh complains a ton about having to cliimb into the car to strap ds in. Because of that, I've always just had ds outboard. My reasoning is that I have enough trouble training dh to correctly put the kiddo into the seat anyway, why make it more difficult. Am I correct in thinking that a child who is correctly strapped into an outboard seat is safer than a child who is loosely strapped into a middle seat, or am I kidding myself and being lazy? We all keep talking about "fits your car, fits your child, fits your budget, and is used correctly every time" so I've been making it easy for dh to figure out, but now I'm wondering whether I'm just being lazy. My other thought is that we're planning on another kid within the next 1-2 years, so they'll both be outboard then...
I guess I'm asking whether this is a battle that you would fight with your dh, particularly since it would hopefully be a short-term victory anyway. I won the rear-facing-to-the-weight-limit-of-the-carseat battle, so I'm trying to decide whether this is also a hill to die on. And since I won that battle very literally (as in, literally to the weight limit of our current seat. We will not buy a new seat; 35 lbs is it. Since ds is only 26-27 lbs at 20 months, I should be good 'till 3.), I need good, current statistics to back up whatever I say.
And just for reference, the techs at the check were very helpful. They had all the info I needed to call the Chrysler dealership so I can get a tether anchor installed next year at some point. However, neither one had ever seen a TF before; are they very unusual? I bought the first before I found this site, so I didn't think so, but now I'm not so sure. Also, the techs there told me that >90%
of all carseats are installed incorrectly. Is this actually true? And if so, how do you know? One of the techs told me that I had the first correctly installed carseat she had ever seen in 3 years of checks. Is that possible, or is that just a nice line to feed to parents to make them feel better? Because it seems a little extreme to me; 10-30% seems much more plausible. Jeez, I'm nervous enough driving anyway, I don't need more worries in my life.
