Think your kid passes the 5 step test? Think again.

joolsplus3 · Feb 1, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYee6yH6tI4&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yUl4...eature=related

These videos show a 10 year old that really does fit in the seatbelt (legs bending at the front of the seat properly, belt low on the hips, shoulderbelt on shoulder), and yet the dummy still submarines dangerously down into the lapbelt. Some European countries recommend boosters till age 12, I wonder if it has to do with puberty and skeletal development, that allows for the hip bones to be stronger and wider and help keep the lapbelt low in a crash? At any rate, my 10 yo fits quite well in one of our cars without a booster, but I think the lapbelt is so much lower and safer looking when he IS in a booster, that I still make him ride in one.

thepeach80 · Feb 1, 2008

Yikes! That reinforces my reccomendation that kids should ride in boosters till they just don't fit anymore.

joolsplus3 · Feb 1, 2008

:thumbsup:
Yup, absolutely.

(Makes me wish someone would invent a VERY low booster with little lapbelt hooks on the side to keep them low, like the Clek Oto...it would just be an unobtrusive way to make the belt fit better without raising a taller kid up so high that the shoulderbelt falls off their arm, or 'looks embarrassing!', you know?)

crunchierthanthou · Feb 1, 2008

Yikes. I'm going to start recommend boosters until driving age.

TerisBoys · Feb 1, 2008

Josh still rides in a High Rise on longer trips even though he passes the 5 step test.

It's more comfortable for him and I don't have to worry if he falls asleep and moves out of position.

classicseats · Feb 1, 2008

Maybe all the shorter ladies out there should use a booster!

mamaofthree · Feb 1, 2008

Does this mean all tiny adult women are going to submarine in an accident too? There's plenty of sticks out there. I'm pretty small, but I do have some hips. Hope they hold me in.

Kimberly

Jewels · Feb 1, 2008

crunchierthanthou said:
Yikes. I'm going to start recommend boosters until driving age.

Apparently the new Monterey will be good until pretty much this age, I was told if they out grow this seat they could be driving

classicseats · Feb 1, 2008

mamaofthree said:
Does this mean all tiny adult women are going to submarine in an accident too? There's plenty of sticks out there. I'm pretty small, but I do have some hips. Hope they hold me in.

Kimberly

Sounds possible? Could you reach the pedals from a booster? LOL

thepeach80 · Feb 1, 2008

Jewels said:
Apparently the new Monterey will be good until pretty much this age, I was told if they out grow this seat they could be driving

That's assuming they're not over 120#. A mom I work w/ has a 6yo who is at least 105#.

Jewels · Feb 1, 2008

thepeach80 said:
That's assuming they're not over 120#. A mom I work w/ has a 6yo who is at least 105#.

Well yes, as long as they aren't over the weight limit.

groovymom2000 · Feb 1, 2008

Wow.

Just because I don't know--how fast are these tests done? I was thinking about this the other day after watching a bunch of crash test videos--is there a standard speed that they do these tests?

crunchierthanthou · Feb 1, 2008

groovymom2000 said:
Wow. Just because I don't know--how fast are these tests done? I was thinking about this the other day after watching a bunch of crash test videos--is there a standard speed that they do these tests?

They look like Maxi-Cosi test footage. There are quite a few of theirs floating around. Even if not, the lanuage suggest NCAP, which is done at 40 mph.

edit: I missed that they said ADAC, which is German (right?). I'm still guessing NCAP.

joolsplus3 · Feb 1, 2008

Usually 30 mph.... Not sure about this exact one (and 30mph is a FAST, BAD crash, I know it doesn't seem that way when you think about speed limits you usually travel at, but it's like 97th percentile...only 3 percent of crashes are worse than 30, and they are frequently unsurvivable).

Edit...yeah, it seems ncap is about 40 (64kph, I had to do some math after I went to that site, rofl!). Either way, pretty fast.

Victorious4 · Feb 1, 2008

Thanks for posting this, Julie

I give parents the 5 Step Test, but always make sure to tell them that Safest Practice = keeping kids in boostered until they actually outgrow it -- my DD's 9 y.o. 1/2 sister passes the 5 Step Test but still rides in the Parkway will me (she seems to have at least another year or so in it)

As for adults: I am 5'4" about 100-110# . . . I have ridden in a backless booster more than once when necessary (so sorry the pix from my cell phone never turned out well enough to share

) The bases for Dorel Juvenile's Intera & Prospect/Cubb are very wide :twocents:

groovymom2000 · Feb 1, 2008

Thanks Crunchy and Julie. That's useful stuff to know!

Suzibeck · Feb 1, 2008

You know, I've worried with my oldest that her hip bones are not wide enough/strong enough yet. I prefer she ride in a booster, but she is over 100# now and all my boosters stop there. She does still occasionally ride in the RightFit in spite of her weight. What is the highest weight a booster goes to? Is there one that goes over 100#?

skaterbabs · Feb 1, 2008

geesh

joolsplus3 · Feb 1, 2008

There's not one over 100 yet

. With a much shorter kid over that weight, some parents may choose to ignore the weight limit, because there's not really much 'to' the weight limit, in terms of passing or failing testing, it really just makes the seatbelt fit better, there's nothing to really fail in a crash.

Synchro246 · Feb 1, 2008

I tried to give you rep jools, but I'm at my limit. Thanks for the info

Think your kid passes the 5 step test? Think again.

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