Does he pass the 5 Step Test?

HeatherB

New member
My 10yo is very eager to (at least occasionally) ride in an adult belt. He's always been on the taller side and seems to pass the 5-step test - I *think.* I keep worrying about the lap belt, though, and wanted to get some input on it.

These pictures are of him in the plus one seat of our Odyssey. His feet touch the floor, his knees bend, and he stays positioned well (he claims he stays better than in a booster because he tries to look around the headwings). The shoulder belt seems to fit reasonably well (this is a sort of odd seat; most fit better) and he doesn't fiddle with it. The lap belt touches the top of his thighs. In one of the pictures, I'm touching the top of his pelvis/hip bone, and the belt is below that. But the belt doesn't lay flat over his thighs; it definitely is up against his pelvis, but doesn't seem to be intruding into soft tissue abdominal areas.

Thoughts?

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(I'd obviously not finished buckling the 4yo when I took these. ;)


Thank you!
HeatherB
 
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HeatherB

New member
Does "It's ok" mean "it's alright but could be better," or, "It's great; no problem?" :)

He's in a Monterey, now, so I could take the back off. I've been wanting him in the booster in part for the side-impact protection and the fact that he does, sometimes, fall asleep in the car. While not particularly comfortable for him, it seems that the headrest is still good because it keeps him in a more-or-less reasonable position.

In my mom's car (Honda Fit), he's been riding without a booster perhaps most of the time (only occasional rides, but still). He seems to fit well in it, but I have asked that he ride in a Parkway SGL that I got for them when possible (i.e., when the 7yo isn't with them and needing it). Mom complains that it's impossible to see out the back when the Parkway is adjusted up enough for the 10yo, though, so I'm not sure if they're using it now. :/ But then I'm not entirely sure his fit is perfect.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
It's all right, but could be better. I don't know that I'd freak over it, but I'd probably give him another six months or so.

If he normally sits between seats I wouldn't sorry about side impact protection at all. He gets the benefit of the other shells. I'd use the Monterey backless.

Same thing in the Parkway. I'd pop the back off for him (and it'd be ok for the seven year old too as an occasional seat) and have him use that in the Fit. It has adjustable headrests back there.

Wendy
 

HeatherB

New member
He's normally in the 3rd row of the Odyssey, passenger side. The 7yo is in a Regent in the 3rd row, driver side. He just *wants* to ride in a different spot more, but almost never does (we were picking up his little brother when I took these pics, so he had been out of the car and then got back in his real seat).

Maybe we should get a backless booster for Grandma's and DH's cars? I hate to think we *just* bought the Parkway only to use it backless. :/ But the 7yo can certainly use it with the back with no problem. Since he fits in the HBB, I hadn't really thought of letting the 10yo ride in a LBB. (Actually, I'd thought about the Bubblebum. Maybe we need to get one.)
 

HeatherB

New member
I took pics in various other cars a while back. I really don't think I want him full-time out of the booster, but I've let him ride occasionally in cars where he seems to fit. But there's a niggling worry that maybe he's not fitting quite right, still. I'll try to get a pic in my mom's or DH's car. I'm sure I'd had one, but can't find it. :/

FWIW, I just measured him about about 4'8". He's pretty leggy, so that may be why he fits well in those respects - knees bending, feet touching, sitting all the way back.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I mean, in that seat he definitely fits... but obviously my point was that I just don't think he's going to pass in EVERY vehicle in EVERY seat.

He's probably close to passing in MOST, though (and those cars that I'm thinking of that make me say most instead of all may not be an issue for you... if you don't have them in your life... the 2 door cobalt can be the bane of an older child's existence... lol... Jeffrey will be using his booster there probably at least until July, when he turns 11, because, at 5' tall and 106lbs, he still doesn't quite yet have that good lapbelt fit (I don't settle for OKAY when the seatbelt is still fitting perfectly in the booster... with his brother, he had longer legs so he could sit in the middle where the seat is totally different and kids pass early, but Jeffrey's eyes are well above the top of the seat and there is no headrest there, so he has to ride outboard, which means a booster until the belt fits)
 

christineka

New member
My oldest is 4'8". She barely passes in short, skinny seating positions. She prefers to ride in a booster, though. If you'll let him go backless, I would def go buy some cheap, good backless boosters. (I also have difficulties using an expensive seat as a backless. I would never use a nautilus backless for that reason- I would see it as paying $130 for a backless booster, which is too expensive for me.)
 

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