Lap Belt Too Low in Booster?

hrice · Mar 14, 2012

A comment from Pixels on another thread caught my attention.

"The pelvis slides forward and tilts while doing so, creating a ramp for the belt to go up and over. Let me look for a link.

ETA: "If the belt is too far forward on the thighs, the body will undergo excessive excursion, and the pelvis may begin to rotate and increase the likelihood of submarining (lap belt passing above the pelvis and loading the abdominal organs)."

http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/...lines_0811.pdf"

I just wanted to discuss (and not hijack the other thread) as the lap belt is quite low on Dustin in his boosters.

An Aurora · Mar 14, 2012

It would be an issue if the lap belt were so far down the thighs that it was not touching the pelvis, but I have never seen one that far down. Flat across the thighs, the top edge of the lap belt is still touching the pelvis.

creideamh · Mar 14, 2012

This actually happened when I put my 10 y/o cousin (skinny, 5 steps only in certain cars) in the BubbleBum one day. She's well within the limits, but the lap belt was soooo far down on her thighs I figured there was no way in heck that could be safe. She just barely 5 stepped in that position, so I pulled her out and had her only in the seatbelt.

Pixels · Mar 14, 2012

In the thread that prompted this one, it looks to me like there is a gap between the belt and the child's pelvis when you look at the anterior superior iliac spines. The belt is touching her tummy in the middle, but not near her hip bones.

An Aurora · Mar 14, 2012

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=193675

creideamh · Mar 14, 2012

When I had K in the BubbleBum, the entire belt began like 3 inches below her pelvis. Glad I did the right thing taking her out!! They never taught us about a belt being too LOW in class.

firemomof3 · Mar 14, 2012

Oh crap...ya this is catching me off guard.
So here are a few pics for thought. The model is my dd1, stats are in siggy.

Backless TB, lap belt too low

Harmony Cruz

firemomof3 · Mar 14, 2012

Heather, can you post pics of Dustin where you think the lap belt is too low? This is a good thread

An Aurora · Mar 14, 2012

firemomof3 said:
Oh crap...ya this is catching me off guard.
So here are a few pics for thought. The model is my dd1, stats are in siggy.

Backless TB, lap belt too low

Harmony Cruz

The lap belt looks loose in the Turbo pic, but yes it looks a bit too low.

The Cruz looks great.

firemomof3 · Mar 14, 2012

An Aurora said:
The lap belt looks loose in the Turbo pic, but yes it looks a bit too low.

The Cruz looks great.

The belt was snug, but yes not a good fit.

I always thought the Cruz provided an ideal fit because the lap belt rested the very most upper part of her thighs and just a hair below her illiac crests.

Mom2FiveGirls · Mar 14, 2012

At the NC CPS conference last week, one of the sessions I went to talked about this. Well a guy from IIHS was talking about how they get their booster ratings. It was very interesting. I had never heard of the lap belt being too low, but it was one of the things he talked about. He said there definitely is such thing as a lap belt that is too low though. In addition to the risk of submarining, in a crash, the child would have to move forward before the seat belt made contact with their hips and that could cause increased injuries.

An Aurora · Mar 14, 2012

firemomof3 said:
I always thought the Cruz provided an ideal fit because the lap belt rested the very most upper part of her thighs and just a hair below her illiac crests.

That IS ideal fit.

hrice · Mar 14, 2012

firemomof3 said:
Heather, can you post pics of Dustin where you think the lap belt is too low? This is a good thread

He just left for his grandparents for the night but I will definitely get pics tomorrow.

I really appreciate everyone's input! This is new info to me!

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

Pixels · Mar 14, 2012

Anatomy lesson:

Iliac crests are in the back of the pelvis. If you put your hands on your lower back/upper pelvis, like "oh my aching back," that's basically where the iliac crests are. If the lap belt is touching the iliac crests, either the lap belt is going completely behind the child or the child has already submarined.

The "hip bones," those bony protrusions at the front where the lap belt should be, those are the anterior superior iliac spines.

An Aurora · Mar 14, 2012

Look at the picture I posted in the linked thread. I was agreeing with the PP that the belt fit in the picture was ideal.

Kac · Mar 14, 2012

This is interesting. I'll definitely be following this thread.

christineka · Mar 14, 2012

Hah! I thought so. (I didn't know, though.) I thought the lap belt was too low on my dd in the literider in one position in my van. She rides in a different spot in the cruz, though and the belt fits her great.

mama d · Mar 14, 2012

I am the OP of the thread from which this one stemmed. I am taking more pics tomorrow to see if we can get a better look at DD. I am certainly intrigued and very glad I asked.

zactayaus · Mar 14, 2012

firemomof3 said:
Oh crap...ya this is catching me off guard.
So here are a few pics for thought. The model is my dd1, stats are in siggy.

Backless TB, lap belt too low

Do you have the armrests in the lower position? I'm thinking if you move the armrests up it may allow the belt to come back a little closer to her.

firemomof3 · Mar 15, 2012

Oh, good thinking...I'll do that today and see if the fit is better :thumbsup:

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