Is there any evidence of fatalities due to the use of the aoe as booster?

I often read that the alpha omega (and clones) makes a "deadly" booster. I understand proper belt fit, etc, but is there any evidence to support this designation as a "deadly" booster? I have been saying "unsafe" or "ill-fitting" booster for years, but the jump to calling it "deadly" is hard for me, since I have not seen any evidence of fatalities due to kids riding in it as a booster.

I always feel like the term "deadly" booster is kind of like saying it's going to reach out and strangle your child while you drive down the road.

I point out that it does not position the belt well (and explain why, if necessary), and that it is the only booster to earn the 2012 IIHS "Not Recommended" rating.

Ok, I think I remember more, because when this fit study (IIHS) first came out, I was enraged that JPMA claimed no knowledge of seatbelt syndrome injuries in booster riders. Here's what I can find so far, I'll edit and ad more if I find it... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2529446/

I think one of the ERF studies has a case study of a child in a Ventura (not an AOE but a similar belt path) that had a negative outcome. I don't recall the details, so I am hesitant to say more, but it may be worth digging up.

I agree with your point of saying "ill-fitting." When we opt to dramatize things, we run the risk of having a parent who will want proof - and then undermining ourselves when we cannot provide it. Or, being accused of fear-mongering... and there is plenty to fear in CPS without us making things more dramatic! There is also the possibility that a family cannot afford an additional booster, and in that case, an AOE may be a better option than seatbelt only. I have seen some acceptable fits (particularly lap-belt fits; shoulder belt not so much) and it would do those kids a disservice to insinuate that their booster is ALWAYS harmful. Sometimes it's better than the alternative.

The first couple of years I was on cso I tended to parrot things I had read frequently, assuming they are accurate, but more recently I have been making an effort to be conscious in my word choices. Further, it's threads like this that help me refine those word choices - so thank you for starting it!

As we all know, various models of carseats tend to be more difficult to install or use than others. Similarly, some boosters work better with some kids and vehicles than others do. Even a highly regarded booster can have issues in certain vehicles.

Calling any of them deadly without data seems rather unfair, though. Some people will tell parents they are putting their 12-month old in a death trap by using a front-facing seat also. Even that is not contrary to most manufacturer's instructions and still likely to provide a very good margin of safety for the child, even if less than a rear-facing carseat.

The question is whether or not fear will motivate a parent to look into alternatives or change their behavior, or whether fear and criticism will simply cause them to think we are all a bunch of carseat crazies who have no data and pull stuff out of thin air to promote certain products.

Its always bothered me when people use the expression "deadly booster" too. When I am reading a post that says that, it jumps out at me and gives me a negative feeling. If I was a parent that owned one, I would feel offended or irritated. I prefer to say that it makes a poor booster seat because it doesnt position the belt properly. Why not just state the facts clearly instead of trying to shock or scare parents?

Transport Canada research testing that was done years ago had a number of tests done with the AOE in booster mode and they all had some serious issues - most of them were rotation of the child out of the shoulder belt so that they were restrained by only the lapbelt.

I have never seen a child in an AOE as a booster that I haven't had to recommend seat replacement for, and I only recommend seat replacement if the fit of the seatbelt is one that I know it won't properly protect the child - the shoulder-belt being off the child's shoulder for instance.

That being said, I read a study on seatbelt syndrome quite awhile ago and of all the kids who were paralyzed as a result of seatbelt syndrome, only one was in a booster and the shoulder belt had been placed behind the back. I would say that there is definitely an increased risk of abdominal injuries and resulting spinal injuries that can cause paralysis in the AOE knowing how kids roll out of the shoulder belt, but I haven't seen proof of it being deadly.

I have often questioned where the AOE falls in to on the scale of "lesser of evils" - I have no doubt that I'd rather see a child in a $20 backless booster any day of the week. Most families who purchase the AOE can afford a $20 backless booster so it really is more a matter of education about seatbelt fit vs. necessity of using it as a booster... I suspect the AOE falls in to the category of being better than nothing, but I also think it gives a false sense of security and perhaps skews the numbers on the effectiveness of booster seats on reducing injury...

overview: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-programs-testing-booster-report-924.htm

AOE video links: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-programs-testing-booster-coscoaoe-991.htm

This video is a frontal view with AOE on left and a Graco on the right: http://download.isiglobal.ca/transp...Close/Quicktime/TC05-242_19_UN5-264_close.mov

In this one it looks like the dummy actually strikes the driver seat after rotating out of the belt: http://download.isiglobal.ca/transp...Close/Quicktime/TC06-118_14_UN5-265_close.mov

Some of them have the belt in the belt guide, some of them have them not in the belt guide which results in the shoulder belt starting up higher, but the dummy still rotates partially out of the shoulder belt.

Definitely not something I'd put my kid in, that's for sure. In the right circumstances, that tendency for the shoulder to come out even in a pure frontal collision could cause catastrophic injury.

(videos are quick time links. there are other links on the video pages if you're looking for wmv or flv)

eta: This video is from a distance, but watch the dummies heads and the amount of forward movement, and the difference in timing between when the distant dummy and the closer dummy become visible again. It looks like the torso ends up completely unrestrained and the dummy may be partially ejected even based on the height it's at as the head comes back up at the end: http://download.isiglobal.ca/transp...r/Wide/Quicktime/TC06-215_14_UN5-265_wide.mov