mommyto4kiddos
Senior Community Member
I drive a 98 buick regal and am considering putting my regent in the front so was wondering if anyone has even done it. Thanks, Annie
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Anyone ever had a tether installed in a front seat?
- Thread starter mommyto4kiddos
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I don't think it's likely for that car at all. Why are you trying to put the Regent in the front? What do you have in the back?
Wendy
Wendy
Bryana'sMomma
New member
A Buick Regal should have a nice big backseat.
You should NEVER put a child in the front seat. The Front Passenger seat is suppose to be the most dangerous spot in a car in a accident I thought.
Front seats don't have anchors or latch because carseats are not suppose to be in the front. The only acception is a pick up truck.
You should NEVER put a child in the front seat. The Front Passenger seat is suppose to be the most dangerous spot in a car in a accident I thought.
Front seats don't have anchors or latch because carseats are not suppose to be in the front. The only acception is a pick up truck.
Defrost
Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Seeing as how her username is "mommyto4kiddos," I'm guessing she's got her three other children back there. (Easy for me to imagine since I've got four, too!)
nisi
Senior Community Member
Mine, too. Makes a great place to rf tether
Annie, to answer your question, I have never heard of a TA being retrofitted on a front seat. I highly doubt it is possible. If you must put someone in the front, we can help you figure out which child should go there. What are the ages, sizes, and current seats of your 4 children? Also, is there a front passenger airbag?
Simplysomething
New member
Well...the passenger side seat belts in both mine and my mothers car--lock. I assume it's so you can install a car-seat there.
When it comes to having more children than backseat--then you have to have one of them up front.
mommy2zander+baby
Senior Community Member
I know she's really hoping to get this resolved soon, so I'll paste in her post from yesterday with her kids ages/weights/heights:
-----------------
Right now we have the regent, a rear facing marathon and the bottom of a graco turbo booster. I want to get something with straps to replace that one, but the space is very limited. I want some ideas or choices or anyone who has 3 across the back with one of them being a regent.
I'm thinking of the radian 65 but just don't know if it will fit and there is nowhere to try it. I wonder if they will have either of the radians at the carseat tech class. Anyone know if i would be better or if there are any research on putting a carseat in the front seat. There is ample space up there, and right now my 9 year old 96lb kid rides up there unless the spot is open in the back.
2 year old 25lb in a rear facing marathon
4 year old approx 40 lbs in the regent but will likely move to the new seat.
7 year old 67 lbs Shoulder height of 18inches and height sitting to head of 27 inches.
9 year old 96lb in the front with seatbelt. height sitting to shoulders is 19inches.
Any help would be great. Driving a car sucks. I miss my van more and more everyday!! <end quote>
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I had been thinking putting the Regent up front with the largest harnessed kid in it (her 7 yr old son) was the best for her, but then she'd need a tether anchor... Then I wondered if the Buick regal gets a good Radian install & if it, a PW booster (she already owns) & rfing MA will all fit in the backseat... I hope someone can help her find the best/safest setup!! She drives an 89 Buick Regal... she's also not sure if her daughter (9yrs) passes the 5 step test, could someone post the link, please?
-----------------
Right now we have the regent, a rear facing marathon and the bottom of a graco turbo booster. I want to get something with straps to replace that one, but the space is very limited. I want some ideas or choices or anyone who has 3 across the back with one of them being a regent.
I'm thinking of the radian 65 but just don't know if it will fit and there is nowhere to try it. I wonder if they will have either of the radians at the carseat tech class. Anyone know if i would be better or if there are any research on putting a carseat in the front seat. There is ample space up there, and right now my 9 year old 96lb kid rides up there unless the spot is open in the back.
2 year old 25lb in a rear facing marathon
4 year old approx 40 lbs in the regent but will likely move to the new seat.
7 year old 67 lbs Shoulder height of 18inches and height sitting to head of 27 inches.
9 year old 96lb in the front with seatbelt. height sitting to shoulders is 19inches.
Any help would be great. Driving a car sucks. I miss my van more and more everyday!! <end quote>
---------------
I had been thinking putting the Regent up front with the largest harnessed kid in it (her 7 yr old son) was the best for her, but then she'd need a tether anchor... Then I wondered if the Buick regal gets a good Radian install & if it, a PW booster (she already owns) & rfing MA will all fit in the backseat... I hope someone can help her find the best/safest setup!!
She drives an 89 Buick Regal... she's also not sure if her daughter (9yrs) passes the 5 step test, could someone post the link, please?southpawboston
New member
or a two-seater. most two-seater cars even have LATCH built into the front seat, since it's the only place that a carseat could possibly go.
it's actually quite common in europe to place a carseat in the front, even in normal sedans and vans. but then they also have passenger airbags that can be deactivated.
mommyto4kiddos
Senior Community Member
I have to figure this out by tomarrow. I have an appt to get the tethers installed, so hopefully that works out and they know what they are doing. If i could put the regent in the front then in the back i would have a marathon rf, and some other seat for my 4 year old 40lb, and if room allows i would have the parkway for my 9 year old 96lb, if it goes to 100 i can't remember
UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
The Parkway does go to 100 lb.
It's quite probable that they will not be able to install a tether anchor for the front seat. They can only do it in preapproved locations. If you cannot get a tether anchor installed for the front seat, you'll have to put the 4 year old up front in another seat (Marathon or Radian would both work). Then, depending on space issues, you could either put the 7 year old in the Regent in the back or in a Parkway in the back.
It's quite probable that they will not be able to install a tether anchor for the front seat. They can only do it in preapproved locations. If you cannot get a tether anchor installed for the front seat, you'll have to put the 4 year old up front in another seat (Marathon or Radian would both work). Then, depending on space issues, you could either put the 7 year old in the Regent in the back or in a Parkway in the back.
UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
5-step test
http://carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm
Thanks for providing those ages & weights. It was very helpful!
http://carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm
Thanks for providing those ages & weights. It was very helpful!
mommyto4kiddos
Senior Community Member
Re: 5-step test
So if they can't do the front tether then would you say i should just get the one tether for the regent in the back (either on the side or the middle)or would you say to plan ahead and get one in both of those spots?
Should the regent be in the middle or on the side? I have the rear facing marathon in the middle currently because it just fits better cause its kinda big.
Let me know what anyone thinks of this. I put anyone who is in a booster or in a seatbelt on the passenger side because the way the seat belts buckle there is no way to accidently unbuckle the other seat. If is so enough safer the other way that it would be worth the risk to change it? I use to have it the other way because i know its safer on the drivers side but after 2 times finding the other carseat unbuckled i switched it.
One other thing i was thinking after looking at some rear tethering. I wasn't sure if i could tether the regent like they tether other carseats to the metal part that holds the real car seat in the car or if thats a big no no?
Thanks so much for your help!!
So if they can't do the front tether then would you say i should just get the one tether for the regent in the back (either on the side or the middle)or would you say to plan ahead and get one in both of those spots?
Should the regent be in the middle or on the side? I have the rear facing marathon in the middle currently because it just fits better cause its kinda big.
Let me know what anyone thinks of this. I put anyone who is in a booster or in a seatbelt on the passenger side because the way the seat belts buckle there is no way to accidently unbuckle the other seat. If is so enough safer the other way that it would be worth the risk to change it? I use to have it the other way because i know its safer on the drivers side but after 2 times finding the other carseat unbuckled i switched it.
One other thing i was thinking after looking at some rear tethering. I wasn't sure if i could tether the regent like they tether other carseats to the metal part that holds the real car seat in the car or if thats a big no no?
Thanks so much for your help!!
UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Re: 5-step test
Tethering to a non-moving, structural part can ONLY be done rear facing (and only if you have a seat that can be tethered when used rear facing--most cannot be). A front facing seat like the Regent, must be tethered to a "real" tether anchor.
Speaking of rear facing, in case you didn't already know, at 2 years old, your rear facing little one can sit fairly upright. He doesn't need a full 45 degree recline angle. In fact, by age 2, my kids liked to sit just as upright rear facing as their older siblings did front facing.
I would get all the tether anchors installed, simply because it gives you more options.
As for which seat where in the 2nd row, it really depends on what fits and how easy/safe it is for the kids to get in and out (e.g., if you drop kids off at school, you don't want them climbing out into traffic). Assuming a good fit and no other issues, I'd put the rear facing seat outboard, but the most important factor is ensuring that everyone is properly restrained.
This is definitely one of those factors that you'll have to consider. If, for example, school drop-off & pick-up is an issue, you may find that it works best to have the Regent in the center, booster on the passenger side and Marathon behind the driver, so that both of the older kids can climb out on the passenger side, away from traffic. This also eliminates the risk of the oldest one accidentally unbuckling one of the other seats.
The driver's side is no safer than the passenger's side. The statistics on side impacts are virtually identical between the two sides, so don't worry about that.
Tethering to a non-moving, structural part can ONLY be done rear facing (and only if you have a seat that can be tethered when used rear facing--most cannot be). A front facing seat like the Regent, must be tethered to a "real" tether anchor.
Speaking of rear facing, in case you didn't already know, at 2 years old, your rear facing little one can sit fairly upright. He doesn't need a full 45 degree recline angle. In fact, by age 2, my kids liked to sit just as upright rear facing as their older siblings did front facing.
I would get all the tether anchors installed, simply because it gives you more options.
As for which seat where in the 2nd row, it really depends on what fits and how easy/safe it is for the kids to get in and out (e.g., if you drop kids off at school, you don't want them climbing out into traffic). Assuming a good fit and no other issues, I'd put the rear facing seat outboard, but the most important factor is ensuring that everyone is properly restrained.
This is definitely one of those factors that you'll have to consider. If, for example, school drop-off & pick-up is an issue, you may find that it works best to have the Regent in the center, booster on the passenger side and Marathon behind the driver, so that both of the older kids can climb out on the passenger side, away from traffic. This also eliminates the risk of the oldest one accidentally unbuckling one of the other seats.
The driver's side is no safer than the passenger's side. The statistics on side impacts are virtually identical between the two sides, so don't worry about that.
mommyto4kiddos
Senior Community Member
Re: 5-step test
If you could compare having backseat regent, marathon rf, parkway booster / front seat just my 9 year old in a seat belt She does meet the 5 step test.
to
ff marathon or regent till 50lb in the front for 4 year old / back a marathon rf with a parkway or some other booster on each side, what would you choose?
If you could compare having backseat regent, marathon rf, parkway booster / front seat just my 9 year old in a seat belt She does meet the 5 step test.
to
ff marathon or regent till 50lb in the front for 4 year old / back a marathon rf with a parkway or some other booster on each side, what would you choose?
I would plan a head and get both tethers installed.
In my opinion I would order a Radian and put your 4yr old in the front seat in a harnessed seat that doesn't require top tethering. Order from Target in case it doesn't install well you can return it to the store.
Then I would put your baby & 2 older child in the back seat. You want the safest forward facing child in the front seat when this situation arises and that would be the harnessed 4yr old.
In my opinion I would order a Radian and put your 4yr old in the front seat in a harnessed seat that doesn't require top tethering. Order from Target in case it doesn't install well you can return it to the store.
Then I would put your baby & 2 older child in the back seat. You want the safest forward facing child in the front seat when this situation arises and that would be the harnessed 4yr old.
My '05 Chevy Tahoe has a front passenger seat tether hook.
joolsplus3
Admin - CPS Technician
I'd keep the oldest in the front seat, but TRY her in a backless booster, like the Ambassador...the armrests imitate hip bones to help keep the lapbelt lower, and raising her up will ensure that the airbag hits her chest, not her head. Boosters are just a really good idea up until puberty, even if kids pass the 5 step test, IMO.
Get as many tether anchors as you can afford/they will put in free in the back, so you are set for any eventuality. Any seat in the back is very safe, so just go with what is most convenient/fits/is least likely to be unbuckled.
Get as many tether anchors as you can afford/they will put in free in the back, so you are set for any eventuality
. Any seat in the back is very safe, so just go with what is most convenient/fits/is least likely to be unbuckled.
UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Re: 5-step test
The biggest risk to front seat children comes from having them improperly restrained. Specifically, children in boosters or just a seatbelt are frequently tempted to lean forward (to change the radio or heat control, or to pick up something off the floor) or turn around (to see siblings in the back seat) or just plain wiggle (because they're kids). For that reason, it is generally recommended that the oldest child in a front facing 5-point harness go in the front seat, rather than a child in a booster/seatbelt.
The biggest risk to front seat children comes from having them improperly restrained. Specifically, children in boosters or just a seatbelt are frequently tempted to lean forward (to change the radio or heat control, or to pick up something off the floor) or turn around (to see siblings in the back seat) or just plain wiggle (because they're kids). For that reason, it is generally recommended that the oldest child in a front facing 5-point harness go in the front seat, rather than a child in a booster/seatbelt.
UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
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