Seatbelt?

CaraMia · Feb 11, 2008

I have always installed my older DD's FF carseat using Latch. But before I lock the seat in, I always buckle the seatbelt behind the carseat. I do this because she has - on multiple occasions - grabbed the free seatbelt and "played with it". This makes me incredibly nervous, but there is not much I can do about it except admonish a toddler while trying to drive the car.

Is this safe - if not, why wouldn't it be?

Jeanum · Feb 11, 2008

It's actually a very good idea to buckle up the unused seatbelt behind the child restraint to help keep it out of the child's reach. :thumbsup: I was encouraged to do so in my tech training class for exactly the concern you're expressing. There has been at least one known case of a child being strangled when he or she played with and became entangled with an unused seatbelt.

CaraMia · Feb 11, 2008

That's what always terrified me, because she would try to pull it accross her body "like Mommy's seatbelt". But at 2, she wasn't very strong, and it worried about it retracting and strangling her if it got caught on something.

Chameleon · Feb 11, 2008

Actually, some car manuals state for you to do this when installing child restraints. I think it's a good idea also.

minismom · Feb 11, 2008

Maybe because my dd is only 1yo, but when her harnessed is tight I can't see her being able to lean forward all the way to reach the seatbelt. I've read about this before and I was always curious. Can someone explain how they get a hold of it?

CaraMia · Feb 11, 2008

My DD couldn't reach it until she was FF. Then she would just reach around behind herself and grab it. I doubt that a child could reach it RF.

sfeitler · Feb 11, 2008

Some RF kids will reach it with their feet, pull it forward and grab it with their hands. I can picture my monkey-child doing this... Fortunately, she hasn't had an interest in the seat belts.

-Sarah

Mommypooh · Feb 11, 2008

I have an issue with my 3 year old doing this but he is in the third row of the van and grabs the belt infront of him and pulls it to him... Fortunatly I can hear him when he does it so I just remind him to not do that. I can't keep it buckled as then him and his sister will trip trying to get out of the van so we have to just deal with it. I figure he will get bored with it soon and give up.

Seatbelt?

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