So How Dangerous Are These Ideas?

So, on another forum, a mom was complaining about her kiddo escaping the car seat by moving the chest clip down. :thumbsdown: Other moms offered the following suggestions:

1. Put a safety pin in the harness strap underneath the chest clip so she cannot move it.

2. Add a second clip underneath the first one so it is harder to move down.

3. Replace it with a clip from another manufacturer that is harder to move.

4. Get a car seat with an overhead shield.

I can't imagine any of these fix its are a good idea. But, I'm just wondering how (and in what way during an accident) these do it yourself remedies would cause problems? I recommended she use velcro on the chest clip. I can only imagine how scary something like that would be!!!!!!

cat mommy said:

So, on another forum, a mom was complaining about her kiddo escaping the car seat by moving the chest clip down. :thumbsdown: Other moms offered the following suggestions:

1. Put a safety pin in the harness strap underneath the chest clip so she cannot move it.

2. Add a second clip underneath the first one so it is harder to move down.

3. Replace it with a clip from another manufacturer that is harder to move.

4. Get a car seat with an overhead shield.

I can't imagine any of these fix its are a good idea. But, I'm just wondering how (and in what way during an accident) these do it yourself remedies would cause problems? I recommended she use velcro on the chest clip. I can only imagine how scary something like that would be!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Okay Even as a Carseat Novice.. I can not see one great idea there?! give them a safety pin to try and play with??? Are they serious?! I have seen much better tips here to help.. Boy oh Boy..

Keep in mind I'm not a tech so I'm going on gut feelings only here.

1. Put a safety pin in the harness strap underneath the chest clip so she cannot move it.

While I'm inclined to say that this could damage the structural integrity of the harness, I keep thinking about those stupid tiny plastic things that are used to attach the registration form. Would *I* ever do this? Absolutely not. Not willing to take the risk.

2. Add a second clip underneath the first one so it is harder to move down.

No. IIRC there have been reports of abdominal injuries from a chest clip being positioned too low or over the belly.

3. Replace it with a clip from another manufacturer that is harder to move.

I'd call this the least of the evils and while most manufacturers would frown on this, I probably wouldn't hesitate if I felt it would work. I absolutely considered it on my Radian because it is SO easy to open... I also considered removing the chest clip altogether (since a few manufacturers allow this and since his escaping problem was prompted by the chest clip hurting him).

4. Get a car seat with an overhead shield.

No OHS seats are being phased out because they are not considered safe and have a high misuse rate.



A good alternative is to put a jacket/hoodie (thin) on the child and leave it unzipped. Buckle the child in w/ the hoodie pulled out of the harness in the front, then zip over the harness, eliminating all access to the chest clip and harness.

Also, you could put a babyleg/cut sock or similar over the "clip" portion of the chest clip.


Again all of these are against manufacturer recommendations (except the jacket one) so it would be a "lesser of the evils" parental decision type of thing.

If the safety pin goes through the harness webbing, it can damage it.

A second clip could hit the child at a soft part of their abdomen, which could potentially be a problem in a crash.

Unless the manufacturer approves it, a different clip has not been tested with the seat and might not position the harness straps in the same way that the original clip did, which could potentially be a problem. (ETA: this might not be a terrible idea for certain situations - for example, radians used to have different chest clips, and someone with a new radian could probably use an old radian chest clip if they wanted. Also I think Sunshine Kids has said it is okay to use Britax chest clips with their seats - although, don't quote me on that! Just something I think I've heard.)

And overhead shield seats are troublesome because the kid's head can slam into the shield in a crash.

Baylor said:

Okay Even as a Carseat Novice.. I can not see one great idea there?! give them a safety pin to try and play with??? Are they serious?! I have seen much better tips here to help.. Boy oh Boy..

Click to expand...

I didn't even consider THAT aspect :thumbsup: my 4yo would poke his eyes out

cat mommy said:

So, on another forum, a mom was complaining about her kiddo escaping the car seat by moving the chest clip down. :thumbsdown: Other moms offered the following suggestions:

1. Put a safety pin in the harness strap underneath the chest clip so she cannot move it.

Click to expand...

Provided the pin doesn't pop open (not like to kill, but ouch!), it may bend or break, and prevent the chest clip from moving down.

2. Add a second clip underneath the first one so it is harder to move down.

Click to expand...

This misaligns the harness a bit, and prevents both clips from moving as they should. Also, the lower one, depending on where it's positioned, could cause slight to major injuries, depending on how its placed and the collision.

3. Replace it with a clip from another manufacturer that is harder to move.

Click to expand...

We don't have people here with impossible Evenflos and easy Britaxes, or vice versa. Nearly all of them move down fairly easily when shoved, which is what they're supposed to do. There isn't an unescapable seat. Otherwise we'd just recommend that seat for Houdinis.

4. Get a car seat with an overhead shield.

Click to expand...

I don't think they're made anymore (so you run the risk of a used seat/expired seat) and they're less safe.

Wendy

sunnymw said:

I didn't even consider THAT aspect :thumbsup: my 4yo would poke his eyes out

Click to expand...

My son would work that until he got it out.. while it may save him from playing with the clip, I can only imagine what an open pin would be like in his power...
God forbid he was sitting next to his brother!

For a few weeks, we put the shoulder strap covers of the Radian BELOW the chest clip instead of above it. They were stiff enough that they didn't move (which then lead to him just unclipping the clip LOL)

sunnymw said:

I didn't even consider THAT aspect :thumbsup: my 4yo would poke his eyes out

Click to expand...

My son would poke whoever was beside him!! and He is only 16 months!!!