help with friend's set-up.

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

D1 - 7 (will find out about booster) ETA: backless booster
S1 - 5 (again, will find out if harnessed or boostered) ETA: HBB
D2 - 11 months, very petite (~16#). Not sure if she is an ERFer, but she will be RF for a few more months, at least, due to weight. Riding in SR22, moving soon (possibly to OnSide Air).
S2 - due in 11 weeks. Will ride in SR22.

Car is 2009 Malibu. Front passenger seat has airbag sensor, but can't manually turn off (correct me if I'm wrong). She knows it's not the best vehicle for the situation, but purchasing a new vehicle is out of the question, as her husband has recently left and does not help financially, and it will be some time before child support is set up (if he bothers to actually pay). Money is very tight, I'm sure you can imagine.

Tentative plan: D2 and S2 outboard RF. S1 center. Which leaves D1 up front. Kinda scary. Is there any better option I'm overlooking?

Judi · Aug 20, 2011

So if S1 is harnessed. If so, that is the one to put up front.

mkmama · Aug 20, 2011

I think that about covers it...I personally like to have harnessed child in front of an airbag opposed to a boostered child, but not sure why I feel that way (not sure if its something safety related I've actually heard somewhere or just personal gut feeling).

There's not anything extremely unsafe about having an older FF child in booster and/or harness in front of an airbag, its just not ideal. Make sure she moves that front seat as far back as possible to keep the child as far away from the airbag as possible.

I've had to put my 6.5 year old in front of my airbag in my Sienna and didn't have any qualms about it since it was the only option...I was transporting 7 children, 5 of them RF, and the other FF child was only 3.5, so the 6.5 year old was in front of the air bag in his Turbobooster...I just moved the seat as far back as was possible.

mkmama · Aug 20, 2011

Judi said:
So if S1 is harnessed. If so, that is the one to put up front.

You type faster than me

Can you refresh my memory on the reasoning?

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

mkmama said:
I think that about covers it...I personally like to have harnessed child in front of an airbag opposed to a boostered child, but not sure why I feel that way (not sure if its something safety related I've actually heard somewhere or just personal gut feeling).

There's not anything extremely unsafe about having an older FF child in booster and/or harness in front of an airbag, its just not ideal. Make sure she moves that front seat as far back as possible to keep the child as far away from the airbag as possible.

I've had to put my 6.5 year old in front of my airbag in my Sienna and didn't have any qualms about it since it was the only option...I was transporting 7 children, 5 of them RF, and the other FF child was only 3.5, so the 6.5 year old was in front of the air bag in his Turbobooster...I just moved the seat as far back as was possible.

I mentioned having to move the front seat back as far as possible, but not sure how far that will be with a RFer behind. I know best practice is for the least protected back seat occupant to ride center, but may have to give that up for a safer front seat option. Would you feel ok with a FF child passenger outboard to allow the front seat to come back more?

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

just talked to her. 7yo is backless booster. 5yo is HBB.

Jessica61624 · Aug 20, 2011

cathleencastle said:
I mentioned having to move the front seat back as far as possible, but not sure how far that will be with a RFer behind. I know best practice is for the least protected back seat occupant to ride center, but may have to give that up for a safer front seat option. Would you feel ok with a FF child passenger outboard to allow the front seat to come back more?

If the seat can't go all the way back with a rf child behind it then yes the ff child should go behind the passenger seat. The snugride will probably be best behind the driver or in the middle. In some bigger cars it is possible to put the seat all the way back and still have a rf seat behind it.

Jessica61624 · Aug 20, 2011

What about a vest for the front seat rider?

Judi · Aug 20, 2011

Put a rear facings on the driver's side and middle, no back booster on the passenger side, high back booster in the front. It does make me a tad nervous. I feel bad for her.

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

Jessica61624 said:
What about a vest for the front seat rider?

i hadn't thought about that. i will bring it up.

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

Judi said:
Put a rear facings on the driver's side and middle, no back booster on the passenger side, high back booster in the front. It does make me a tad nervous. I feel bad for her.

me too. her, as well. i just don't see any other option at the moment.

vangelder03 · Aug 20, 2011

with the older 2 do they go to school ? if they do are they within walking distance ?
if the older 2 are in school plan all errands and appointments during school hours. try and arrange it so when your out with family or friends that you meet at your house and have older kids ride with friends or family if they have room
only ride with all 4 in the car if it's an emergency.
what year is your malibu? do you have the title?

Jessica61624 · Aug 20, 2011

cathleencastle said:
me too. her, as well. i just don't see any other option at the moment.

She's doing the best she can. I've seen people with two kids in the middle seat belt so at least she's trying to figure out the safest way to transport her kids.

Jessica61624 · Aug 20, 2011

vangelder03 said:
with the older 2 do they go to school ? if they do are they within walking distance ?
if the older 2 are in school plan all errands and appointments during school hours. try and arrange it so when your out with family or friends that you meet at your house and have older kids ride with friends or family if they have room
only ride with all 4 in the car if it's an emergency.
what year is your malibu? do you have the title?

Assuming she doesn't work...

Cath3114 · Aug 20, 2011

vangelder03 said:
with the older 2 do they go to school ? if they do are they within walking distance ?
if the older 2 are in school plan all errands and appointments during school hours. try and arrange it so when your out with family or friends that you meet at your house and have older kids ride with friends or family if they have room
only ride with all 4 in the car if it's an emergency.
what year is your malibu? do you have the title?

she does work full-time. school is not within walking distance, and i believe her mom keeps the kids when she works, so i believe she would regularly need all 4 in the car at once.

monstah · Aug 21, 2011

I'd want the older kid in the LBB up front. In addition to probably being a little more developed, the no back will keep him a couple inches further from the airbag.

Sent from my Nexus One using Car-Seat.Org

DaniannieB · Aug 21, 2011

I agree that the backless should be in front... a couple inches can make a huge difference in that scenario.

As for the reasoning of putting the FF harnessed child up front whenever possible... a FF harnessed child can't move out of position or even move forward (pre-crash) like a boostered child can.

Brigala · Aug 21, 2011

If it's possible to put the 5 year old in a harnessed seat, that's who I'd put in front. Otherwise, I'd put the oldest child in the no-back booster in the front. Partly because a 7 year old is more likely to be able to understand about sitting up straight and how the airbag works, and partly because as a PP said, the no back booster allows the child to sit a little further back.

lovemybabies924 · Aug 21, 2011

A nbb is the only seat that works for me and keeps the air bag off, the kid I put in front is 44lbs 9 years old in a harmony literider.

Sent from my iPod touch, sorry for any auto-correct typos!

mama2girls · Aug 21, 2011

Brigala said:
If it's possible to put the 5 year old in a harnessed seat, that's who I'd put in front. Otherwise, I'd put the oldest child in the no-back booster in the front. Partly because a 7 year old is more likely to be able to understand about sitting up straight and how the airbag works, and partly because as a PP said, the no back booster allows the child to sit a little further back.

I have to agree that this sounds the most logical. Sorry your friend is in a bad spot.

help with friend's set-up.

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