Which is worse, older child with airbag or lack of head support?

Suzibeck · May 6, 2007

I took oldest dd out in dh's car this evening. Her ears are currently even with the seat back. Whomever has yougest dd keeps the van as we currently only have one seat for her. That puts the older two in dh's car on occasion.

So, next growth spurt she will be too tall to have proper head support in his car. It has an airbag that cannot be shut off. Which is worse, air bag or no head support? Ugh! I just bought the Parkway because middle dd got too tall for the rare ride in a backless booster in this car. Dh doesn't want a harnessed seat installed every day, but he may have to accept that so the van can stay with oldest. But then what do we do when the van is in the shop and the car is all we have?

Oh the joys of driving old cars!

ETA: Dd is 10 yrs 10 mos, 95 lbs and 59 1/4 inches tall, she is too tall for the Parkway.

skaterbabs · May 6, 2007

Honestly, I personally would risk the airbag at this point, although I haven't been able to get a good answer on which is safer.

flipper68 · May 7, 2007

Ditto - she's almost 5' and 100 lbs. She might be young, but that's "adult" size.

Just move the seat as far back as it can go so you have maximum distance between child and airbag.

I would think the risk of head/neck injury would be higher than the risk of injury from airbag deployment.

Suzibeck · May 7, 2007

I'm thinking of putting her in a backless booster too, at least until she hits 100 lbs. That will put her still farther away from the air bag.

Thanks!

becca011906 · May 8, 2007

the only thing that a backless booster would help is to lift her up to make the seat belt fit better, if she already passes the 5 step test with out the booster, really it won't do much to help. i don't think it will put her farther away from it just hit her more in the tummy/chest rather then face/chest... so i'm not sure really which woudl be better.

Suzibeck · May 8, 2007

That makes sense. She passes the 5 step test, no problem.

I'm really thinking I need to convince dh to let me get a second seat for the yougest so she can go in either vehicle and keep the van with oldest now. Dh does not like having a harnessed seat installed in his car however since it gets in the way when he carpools. His trunk really isn't big enough for a hb booster, a harnessed seat and all the bags of the guys he carpools with so the seat would mostly sit in our garage to be installed as needed.

Which is worse, older child with airbag or lack of head support?

Suzibeck

Active member

skaterbabs

Well-known member

flipper68

Senior Community Member

Suzibeck

Active member

becca011906

Senior Community Member

Suzibeck

Active member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics