Question BRAZIL - 3 across in a rental car - help please

threeundertwo · Nov 4, 2014

My family is moving to Brazil for 4 months next year and will be renting some kind of car while we're there. I am completely ignorant about what are options are in the way of both car types and whether our current seats will fit but am hoping this forum can give me some idea of whether we can hope to just bring our current seats with us. I realize this is very dependent on vehicle type but with the types of seats we have I'm hoping to do a 3 across in a medium to larger sized rental car. What do you think? And do the cars there have locking seat belts?

We have 3 kids who we want to keep harnessed while we're there:

DS 4yo currently in a Radian XTSL FF
DD 4yo currently in a Radian XTSL FF
DS 3yo currently in a MA70 RF but I'm not sure if he'll have outgrown this seat RF by the time we leave. I would like to keep him RF until age 4 so I'm open to handing him down a Radian and buying something else or swapping seats with his older brother.

I believe all these seats are certified for air travel so we'll be having the kids sit in them on the flights down and back.

Anyone with knowledge on cars/car seat issues in Brazil please let me know what you think? I'd really appreciate any input people could give.

This forum has helped me so much in the past. I LOVE it! Many thanks!

Dillipop · Nov 4, 2014

It is possible that whatever car you get will not have latch, so you'll need to do seatbelt installs. And it is also possible that the seatbelts will not lock for car a eat installation, so you'll have to use a locking clip for the radians and the lockoffs on the seat for the britax seat.

aept · Nov 4, 2014

I think, width-wise, you could fit a FF Britax, a FF Radian center and a RF radian on the other side of that, even in a pretty narrow backseat. It would be wise to practice ahead of time with the radians with seatbelt installs f you aren't used to that. and make sure their locking clips are indeed present on the back of them in their designated storage areas. Don't forget the RF boot for the radian and angle adjuster if you have one.
Also, I would plan to FF all of the seats on the plane.

Adventuredad · Nov 5, 2014

I can't remember what applies in Brazil but likely they are not as far behind as US so airbag in front passenger seat can likely be turned off. Three across is possible in many cars but not practical or preferred. Using front passenger seat for one child is usually afar better solution and just as safe or safer than the rear as long as airbag is turned off.

Radians are narrow seats but horrible to travel with due to the heigh weight.

Another option for the two oldest ones is to use a high back booster. These are cheap, seats are light weight and safety is as good or better than a FF harnessed seat. You could bring the seats along or purchase seats down in Brazil.

Nice to see that you are thinking ahead and thinking about the kids safety on the road.

bubbaray · Nov 5, 2014

You should PM Quassee, she has traveled in Central America (& maybe South America) and might know.

mom2juliarose · Nov 5, 2014

Hi there! Where in Brazil are you moving to? My husband is from Porto Alegre.

We haven't been back in 3 years (his mom has been coming here instead), but I can share some of our experiences. First, in case you only drive automatic like we do (DH can drive stick, but was worried about doing it after so many years without practice on the busy city streets), make sure your rental car company has an automatic available. When we have been down there it's typical for rental cars to only have one automatic in their fleet. Just a note about that.

As someone mentioned, the cars will probably not have LATCH, so familiarize yourself with how to install your seats tightly using a seat belt. Older cars don't have locking seat belts, but if you're renting, more than likely your car will have locking belts. I'm not too good on the 3-across front (knowing what would or wouldn't work) but we traveled with our Radian down there during our last trip.

Whether or not your rental car will be able to turn off the front airbag will more than likely depend on the auto maker. Japanese and American automakers have plants in Brazil, and I don't recall them having that option on the few cars we were in. But then there are companies that rent Puegots (sp?), Fiats, etc. that may have that option.

And finally, fly with your seats and use them down there.

The market for car seats is improving in Brazil, but they are very expensive for the quality seats. I don't think it would be worth it for you to buy for such a short trip. You're not going to get in trouble for using your seats there, and that way you're not stuck with seats you can't legally use in the US.

Have fun on your mini adventure!

safeinthecar · Nov 5, 2014

Seeing as how Brazil didn't even require anti-lock brakes or air bags in their cars at all until Jan 2014, I'm not sure how you can say the US is trailing them in automotive safety. They have us beat hands down in the percentage of alternative fuel vehicles and electric vehicle technology in their fleet, but that is not a safety measure.

Brazilians die in vehicle crashes at 4 times the rate as American do. Brazil has made an amazingly quick jump to improve their laws to prevent these deaths, including a law that all children 10 and under must ride in the back seat that was passed in 2010. I highly doubt that the new airbags implemented in 2014 would have been designed to be turned off for (illegal) use with a child seat.

Adventuredad, I used to respect you for your contributions here and am very disappointed that you have chosen to go down this current path of pointed bully behavior towards Americans. Every post you make has some kind of disparaging remark about how backwards and stupid we are. Disparaging the US doesn't make you an authority, or give you any credibility whatsoever. If you want to be taken seriously, find some professionalism, tact, and courtesy when you post about the relative differences between different safety standards please.

mom2juliarose · Nov 5, 2014

safeinthecar said:
Brazilians die in vehicle crashes at 4 times the rate as American do. Brazil has made an amazingly quick jump to improve their laws to prevent these deaths, including a law that all children 10 and under must ride in the back seat that was passed in 2010. I highly doubt that the new airbags implemented in 2014 would have been designed to be turned off for (illegal) use with a child seat.

I do think there are many elements to that statistic (I know that it took me some time to get used to driving on a busy city street with a barely-marked center line, motorcycles weaving around cars, city buses with different traffic rules, and horse-drawn carts thrown in the mix

) but the newer laws do make me hopeful.

Regarding the new airbags rule it makes me wonder how long will go by before most cars have them, simply because from my experience (metropolitan city, fairly wealthy subsection) not many people drive new or newer cars. They know how to run cars to the ground there.

It's also because there isn't as much driving going on within the city, though.

safeinthecar · Nov 5, 2014

mom2juliarose said:
I do think there are many elements to that statistic (I know that it took me some time to get used to driving on a busy city street with a barely-marked center line, motorcycles weaving around cars, city buses with different traffic rules, and horse-drawn carts thrown in the mix ) but the newer laws do make me hopeful.

Oh definitely. Drunk driving, a nation full of relatively new drivers and poor road conditions, and a lack of generational norms regarding car safety are the main factors to this statistic for sure. The statistic was not related to the comment in the paragraph above regarding airbags, just as an illustration of where Brazil is currently at in their process of creating a safer driving culture.

threeundertwo · Nov 6, 2014

Thank you everybody for your replies! So it sounds like we'd be OK with our current seats. We have the base for the Radian and AA so we'll bring those along in case we need to swap seats. I'm not familiar with using a locking clip so I'll need to find a video tutorial.

If we can turn off an airbag and put one in the front, great. If not, we'll try for 3 across or think about getting a couple of high back boosters for the twins. DD is small for her age and not even 35lbs so I'm not sure how I feel about putting her in a HBB. The kids have also really want to sit in their car seats on the plane but lugging two Radians on two flights isn't particularly appealing either.

My husband and I both prefer manual so we're definitely OK with either automatic or manual but thanks for the info on that. We'll be in Campinas, not too far from Sao Paulo. We're really looking forward to our trip and trying to get all the pieces to fall into place. Your replies have given me confidence that we should be OK with our seats. Many thanks!

ERFmama · Nov 6, 2014

Apart from the hassle of car seats during travel I envy you your holiday! haha
Would love to go to Brazil.... <3

carseatcoach · Nov 6, 2014

Most of us would not recommend putting 4yos in boosters. That is another thing on which Adventuredad often stands alone. Besides, boosters will be MUCH more difficult in a tight three-across. Harnessed seats may require blood, sweat, and tears to install, but once they're in, they're in. Trying to buckle seatbelts for two boosters smushed against each other each and every time is not going to be pleasant or easy.

You could consider getting two Evenflo Titan65s or Surerides. They are reasonably narrow, very cheap, and lightweight for travel.

threeundertwo · Nov 14, 2014

Thank you all so much! Just looked at the stats for the Evenflo Sureride. I might end up getting one for the trip as I realized DS1's shoulders are almost even with the top slots on his Radian. He has a very long torso. So he's probably too big to use the Marathon70 FF. That way we'd be traveling with two Radians and a Sureride. I would definitely feel more comfortable with them harnessed for our trip, especially considering the road safety statistics for Brazil. Hope those seats will puzzle well together. Thank you all very much! We're really looking forward to our trip!

Sgmonkey29 · Dec 4, 2014

DO bring your own carseats! I live in Brazil (i'm an expat) and often glance at the carseats in stores. And there is nothing that I would consider putting my kids in, except maybe their booster seats. But harnessed seats usually only are 3 points still. I've also looked up what I can on carseat laws and european and american made carseats are legal to use here.

A rental car should be fine, but not all cars have locking seatbelts, not all cars have airbags, abs, etc etc. Rental cars tend to be more top of the line, but you never know for sure until you actually get it. And you can be pretty sure there wont be latch or isofix or anything in the car, so any seats will need to be installed with a belt.

threeundertwo · Dec 6, 2014

Thank you so much! We actually just scooped up two Evenflo Surerides on Black Friday and plan to bring those and one of the Radians. We've arranged for a minivan with a driver to take us to our housing and will just have to go look at what rental cars are available for 3 across. Renting a minivan for four months was way out of our price range so we're hoping to find a smaller car that will work. Fingers crossed! Online it looked like a lot of cars still only had an old style lap belt in the middle of the back row. Not sure if this would be safe even with a locking clip?

Dillipop · Dec 6, 2014

threeundertwo said:
Thank you so much! We actually just scooped up two Evenflo Surerides on Black Friday and plan to bring those and one of the Radians. We've arranged for a minivan with a driver to take us to our housing and will just have to go look at what rental cars are available for 3 across. Renting a minivan for four months was way out of our price range so we're hoping to find a smaller car that will work. Fingers crossed! Online it looked like a lot of cars still only had an old style lap belt in the middle of the back row. Not sure if this would be safe even with a locking clip?

Old style lap belts don't need locking clips- they'll either have a heavy duty locking latch plate or be a belt that pulls all the way out and ratchets back in while locking. Old lap belts are so easy to install seats with!

threeundertwo · Dec 6, 2014

Great! From what I've seen they cinch and don't retract. So hopefully we can do 3 across then. Hooray!

Dillipop · Dec 6, 2014

You likely won't have tether hooks though. Which, while not ideal, is ok since all US seats pass testing without them. Just try to rearface whichever kids you can .

threeundertwo · Dec 9, 2014

Dillipop said:
You likely won't have tether hooks though. Which, while not ideal, is ok since all US seats pass testing without them. Just try to rearface whichever kids you can .

Will do! Thank you! We'll have at least one RF and if I can convince an almost 5 y.o. twin she could potentially RF too. Thank you again for all your advice and knowledge! Wish us luck!

Question BRAZIL - 3 across in a rental car - help please

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