would you use a Swedish seat?

minismom

Well-known member
Assuming you could get the seat brought to the US and since we're hypothetical you got a very could deal so $ is not an issue. Let's say you went there on vacation and brought one back. Then you got a Swedish person you trust to help translate the instructions so you could install the seat correctly. Or let's say you spoke Swedish yourself. And then you were somehow able to get a rock solid install! Now your 16 month old baby who was already 35lbs can stay RF and be safer. Would you do it?

Now, I realize it's illegal, but what are the chances that if you got pulled over a cop would know the difference and what would happen if you got caught? And if you really got a good install and you really felt it was safer, isn't it worth the risk of getting in trouble? you know, dead baby vs. ticket...

Would it change your oppinion if the child was already 28 months and you just wanted to keep RF?

Let me just make it clear I haven't done any of this but I was just wondering and would like to hear some opinions. Please someone tell me if there's no way you could get a good install (even if maybe in a volvo). but i remember hearing something about being possible to petition the NHTSA to import seats, so it should be possible?? Also, I'm sure none of the techs here would ever tell a parent do to this, since it's illegal and you can't recommend that, but would you do it for your child?
 
ADS

MomToEliEm

Moderator
The only way I would import the seat and use illegally in this country was if my child had a medical need to rearface longer. After 2 years of age for a normal child, I don't think it is worth the hassle or risk of using a foreign seat.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
For that reason? Absolutely not.


If I had an infant (less than 12 months) over 35 lbs, or I had an older child with significant medical issues such as OI, who really NEEDED to be rear-facing, I would consider it.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I suspect my scrawny kids would be too tall for even Swedish seats by the time they are 35 pounds and too heavy for US seats, so for ME it's not really worth the expense. http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx (she's now 8 and almost 55 pounds... that's a common top weight limit on Swedish seats). But anyway, yeah, if I had much heavier children I would be very tempted to get one (or if they had an unfortunate disease or disorder that would make FF very unsafe, then I definitely would).

:)
 

minismom

Well-known member
For that reason? Absolutely not.


If I had an infant (less than 12 months) over 35 lbs, or I had an older child with significant medical issues such as OI, who really NEEDED to be rear-facing, I would consider it.

But is a 15 month old really any safer FF than an 11 month old? Specially if the child is already so heavy?
 

minismom

Well-known member
I suspect my scrawny kids would be too tall for even Swedish seats by the time they are 35 pounds and too heavy for US seats, so for ME it's not really worth the expense. http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx (she's now 8 and almost 55 pounds... that's a common top weight limit on Swedish seats). But anyway, yeah, if I had much heavier children I would be very tempted to get one (or if they had an unfortunate disease or disorder that would make FF very unsafe, then I definitely would).

:)

Pretty cool that you were able to keep dd RF til 4yo!! Do you know what are the height limit on those RF til 55lbs seats?

Also, does anyone know what would happened if someone got cought with an imported seat? Am I wrong to assume the only way you'd get in really serious trouble is if you had an accident and your child actually got seriously injured, then they would blam you for using an illegal seat?

And does anyone know when we can expect a RF limit hightr than 35lbs in the US market?
 

katiesmommy

Active member
Quite frankly, I would. But that's just me, everyone here already knows that about me. Typically the height on them is ears even with the top of the shell, at least, that's what I've seen. And they are fairly tall, it's not uncommon for an average 5-6 year old to fit height wise. Additionally, Don't expect higher rearfacing weight limits any time soon. As far as we can tell, there really aren't any solid plans to test to higher limits because the companies think there is no demand for them on the market. According to Britax the majority of people don't even use the current seats to the full rearfacing limit. Of course, I don't really know how they could know that unless they are following up with most to all of their customers, but whatever floats their boat I suppose.
 
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minismom

Well-known member
Quite frankly, I would. But that's just me, everyone here already knows that about me. Typically the height on them is ears even with the top of the shell, at least, that's what I've seen. And they are fairly tall, it's not uncommon for an average 5-6 year old to fit height wise. Additionally, Don't expect higher rearfacing weight limits any time soon. As far as we can tell, there really aren't any solid plans to test to higher limits because the companies think there is no demand for them on the market. According to Britax the majority of people don't even use the current seats to the full rearfacing limit. Of course, I don't really know how they could know that unless they are following up with most to all of their customers, but whatever floats their boat I suppose.

It's true that while there's still so many people turning their 1yo FF then there's no incentive for the manufacturers to extend the limit. But it's very annoying, to say the least! I think I would consider getting a Swedish seat to use in Brazil. My family is there and we go a couple of times a year and drive A LOT when I'm there. I wouldn't mind the expense of having a seat there full time. There's no LATCH and no top tethers, and people drive like crazy. I'd much rather have dd RF for as long as I possibly could. Plus it's not illegal to import seats. You can pretty much use whatever you want. But I wonder if I go through the trouble and expense of getting the seat and figuring out the manual, I'll probably be tempted to use it in the US too once dd reaches the limits of the US seat.
I have a friend who's Swedish and lives in the US. Her ds is huge and couldn't RF in a Britax by weight barely after 1 year. She sure must be mad, she could easily get a Swedish seat... There is if she knows about ERF...
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
Yes. But I am just a tad paranoid. My youngest is 4.5 and still rearfacing. He wobbles around 32.5 lbs. I think I am about ready to turn him, but when I start to take steps to do it I want to throw up.

Plus, when I 'preach' ERF it is easier if I can say look, he is over 4 and it works just find.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I wouldn't.

As for would a police officer notice? I'm guessing if they looked they probably would because their seats are so noticeably different from ours - taller, sit slightly back from the vehicle seat bite and sit more upright, tethers, the stand used for bracing (what's that leg called?) So from that perspective, I'm sure the police would notice something out of the ordinary...

I wouldn't like having to ff a 16mo old due to weight, but any child over 1yr old, who reaches the 30lb rf'ing weight limit on their seat, I would turn ff'ing. (Our seats in Canada only rf to 30lbs.)

I'm a stickler for rules though, and would just not be comfortable bringing in a foreign seat. I would be less comfortable with that, then I would with ff'ing a child who was over a year old but under 2.
 

southpawboston

New member
99.9999485737345% of cops would never notice that it's not a US seat and even if they did, they either wouldn't care or know that it is illegal to use it. that is not the reason that would stop me from using one. what would stop me is liability.

as in, if your child were ever injured or killed while buckled in the seat, due to a defect in either the car or the seat, you would have no legal recourse for charging either the car manufacturer or the seat manufacturer with responsibility for the injury/death.
 

thepote

New member
99.9999485737345% of cops would never notice that it's not a US seat and even if they did, they either wouldn't care or know that it is illegal to use it.

Might they notice that you have this great big kid RF in your car? Especially if they remember their CPST training, they might ask a few questions. Just a thought.
 

southpawboston

New member
they might, but then again, not all cops are CPST trained, and of those who are, many would be very rusty, or just have no clue about what seats are currently on the market, or wouldn't know to look for a FMVSS213 sticker on the seat. again, it's a remote possibility, but not one that would stop me from using one. i think i'd stand a higher chance of getting pulled over for a bulb being burned out (something that people rarely get pulled over for, but should) :rolleyes:.
 

Starlight

Senior Community Member
While I might like to own one, just to play with it, I wouldn't use it unless I had medical necessity - 35 lbs at less than a year, or special needs.

My ds1 rear-faced off and on until he was 2.5, and ds2 will make it atleast that long, as he's a light weight.

I'm not stressing over the issue, and even if he fit, I probably wouldn't worry about keeping ds2 rear-facing past 2.5 or 3, unless he was super-duper light.
 

Wineaux

New member
I dunno... The Swedish long term crash test results and studies are pretty damned convincing. I wouldn't have a problem buying and using one, expecially in the front seat of my convertible, if I could get one here at a reasonable cost, and with English UK English would be fine.) instructions.
 

Mama!

New member
Absolutely.

If I could afford it, and get it here before ds is massive (not such a concern right now since he just lost a ton of weight from being sick).

He just does so much better RF, and if the money and resources was there, I'd take the chance.

Anybody got a Brio or a Maxi :love:seat here in the US they want to sell me? LOL!!
 

minismom

Well-known member
I dunno... The Swedish long term crash test results and studies are pretty damned convincing. I wouldn't have a problem buying and using one, expecially in the front seat of my convertible, if I could get one here at a reasonable cost, and with English UK English would be fine.) instructions.

Unfortunately the Britax UK website doesn't have the ERF Swedish seats. So far I found it on Britax Sweden and Britax Finland pretty much the same seats. Of course the Finland site helped even less. I wonder if the seats come with instructions in English too though. I think it would be a big concern trying to get someone to translate the manual for a proper install. I was just at dinner with this guy who's half Finish and supposedly speaks the language but he couldn't translate all that much from the britax webpage (just enough to give me a rough idea), so let alone the entire manual. It's just plain mean they don't sell these seats in the US. I guess having tough expensive testing standards is good but has its drawbacks.
 

minismom

Well-known member
Might they notice that you have this great big kid RF in your car? Especially if they remember their CPST training, they might ask a few questions. Just a thought.

I think maybe most would notice, the seat definitely looks bigger. But if you pointed to the Britax logo and said they just came out with a brand new seat that allows ERF and even throw in a comment about the great bargain you got a babies r us they wouldn't question you... :D
 

minismom

Well-known member
what would stop me is liability.
That's a good point. Funny cause I just posted on the stroller thread how I wouldn't use the keyfit on the graco stroller frame for the same reason, hehe! But i guess cause that doesn't provide a safety benefit, so definitely not worth the risk. i still don't think that would stop me though. The kind of liability I'm concerned about is being deemed responsible for the child's death for using an illegal carseat and being thrown in jail for maslaugher or something. But hum, would the jury actually put the mom in jail?
Ok, I realize we're going far here lol!
 

Mama!

New member
It never crossed my mind that someone might actually prosecute someone for having a foreign seat. :confused:

Don'tyou think it'd be easy to show that the seat was obtained for the maximum safety of the child?
 

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