Brain trust help please! :-) Secured HBB in center of Prius Plug In?? OR??

brainycrunchy

New member
Hi all! How do folks handle the situation with a high back booster seat in a Prius? I'd love any and all advice. The situation:
-Only child
-Ready for booster (almost 7 years-old; 50" tall; 56 pounds) + (Just outgrowing FF seat)
-Naps in car sometimes (and would like to keep that possibility for road trips, etc.)

I know that center is truly safer, so I would really like her sitting center.
I also drop her off at school each morning as part of a long, move-it-fast line, and I am loath to get out and buckle my booster back in after she exits. Plus, to be honest, I'm usually running late for work, and the spot where I drop her off is sometimes next to mud, and I have on my heels, etc. I would so like a solution that does not add one more stressful thing to our mornings! BUT, it seems safety should be more important than my heels, work clothes, long drop-off line, etc. GRRRR, Prius, why don't you have a center latch?!?

I really need the amazing brain-trust of this site. I'm open to any and all suggestions (short of changing cars), and have not yet purchased a booster. What should I do?:shrug-shoulders:
 
ADS

rin2809

Active member
It is a parental choice, but in my opinion, the LATCH is only holding the weight of the booster, so I would borrow the inner points of the outboard latch as long as the straps on the seat reach. There is a shoulder belt in that position, right?
Posted via Mobile Device
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
The problem with borrowing anchors in that situation is that doing so often covers the seatbelt and/or buckle for that position, which I'm pretty sure does happen in the Prius. (Also, technically borrowing isn't allowed, although I wouldn't be opposed to doing it...as long as it didn't interfere with the seatbelt.

You could teach DD to buckle it up quickly on her way out.

Other options, obviously, are moving it to the side or just leaving it unsecured in the center. I know, we're not supposed to do that, but without other kids in the car, I'd only be putting myself at risk, you know? Not ideal, I realize...
 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
Could she learn how to wiggle into and out of a buckled booster? I don't know how much longer that would take vs her re-buckling it after she gets out of it. Probably depends on the kid as far as which is easier.

http://youtu.be/88NCT3hV-Zo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
We just had a thread on this:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=2922480#post2922480

Personally I enjoy the benefits of rigid LATCH seats and so I am happy with a booster using rigid LATCH outboard vs. an unsecured booster center for my own kids- of course with 4 kids SOMEONE has to go outboard anyway. But currently I have an 8 passenger car with no one in the center, because the other benefits to my family outweigh trying to use the center position.

We don't live in an ideal world so our choices often have to be less than perfectly ideal. But usually they are plenty good enough. :) Do what works best for your family and have no regrets about it- your child in a properly used booster will be ooodles safer than the average American child. :)
 

lgenne

New member
But currently I have an 8 passenger car with no one in the center, because the other benefits to my family outweigh trying to use the center position.


I only have 3 kids, but this. I also have a 6 passenger vehicle that doesn't even have center positions that we could maybe put a kid in someday.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I was in a hurry when I wrote my response, so my "you could put it on the side" got kind of lost in my other thought. I agree with ketchupqueen, though, that putting it on the side is a perfectly reasonable solution if putting it in the middle won't work (either because it actually won't, or just due to lifestyle issues).
 

abigaylebelle

Active member
I usually reach back and buckle the booster from the front seat if my ds forgets. I can reach the center seat in my forester just fine. Although I find boosters kind of tippy in the center so I prefer to put it outboard.
Posted via Mobile Device
 

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