Swedish cars

I was thinking about this and now I'm curious. Since so many RF seats are put in the front seat in Sweden, do the vehicle manufacturers put rear tether points and Isofix anchors on the front passenger seat? If there aren't tether points, what do you tether to in the front seat? I'm looking for you Adventuredad

Oh Adventuredad, where are you?

Just look at the Multitech-Manual.
Britax has good explanations for that.

http://www.britax.se/pdffiler/Multi-tech2008ny.pdf

They use the lower tether straps. I'd imagine most people just tether to the seats hinges towards the back of the car.

Hola,

It's true that a high percentage of Swedes install their rf seats in the front seat. I know this sounds crazy for many people but there's a good explanation. It's the safest place for a rf seat. Short story, it's because of the sturdy dashboard, the good view/communication between driver and child, and also that most parents keep their child rf much longer because of the extra leg space in the front seat. Those factors make the front seat a great place, especially with more than one child.

Our rf seats use lower anchors (or is tether the correct term?). Most cars over here have anchor points under the front seats and many also on the floor in the front seat. My anchors (Volvo) in the front seat are under the mat, on of each side where the feet normally rest. I cut a little hole to expose them and can fairly easily install the anchors. If I don't want to use the anchors, the mat covers them up so they are invisible.

I've never hooked up my anchors like shown in some manuals, underneath the front seat but I guess that's a solution which works fine. I think it's easier to adjust the seat and always maintain a tight install with the anchors on the floor of the front seat.

When I install a rf seat in the back sat I use the dedicated anchors on the rear bottom of the front seat. When I'm in a rental car without dedicated anchor points I secure the anchors on the steel bottom rail of the front seat.

I should take some photos of the install of my Britax hi-Way in the front seat. It's a very easy install. It's past midnight here so I'll take care of it tomorrow....:thumbsup:

Your Volvo sounds really cool! Is there an airbag in that position that you just deactiviate if there's a carseat in the passenger seat?

Neatfreak said:

Your Volvo sounds really cool! Is there an airbag in that position that you just deactiviate if there's a carseat in the passenger seat?

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Sorry, should of course have mentioned this. Airbags are always deactivated. Usually with a key or a switch. Sometimes by taking the car to an authorized service center. It can be disabled quickly.

Adventuredad said:

Sorry, should of course have mentioned this. Airbags are always deactivated. Usually with a key or a switch. Sometimes by taking the car to an authorized service center. It can be disabled quickly.

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That sounds perfectly uncomplicated!

(I just noticed that your DD is RFing in the front in two of the photos in your signature!)

Neatfreak said:

That sounds perfectly uncomplicated!

(I just noticed that your DD is RFing in the front in two of the photos in your signature!)

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It really is very simple. The anchors can be attached to virtually any car without any problems. I've used our seats with about 15 different rental cars and limos without issues. And I think the simplicity is a clue that many other countries should follow. Especially since the safety record makes any other country look bad. By keeping car seat safety easy and uncomplicated, parents are far more likely to protect their kids since it takes so little extra effort.

The Swedes are boring people. At least before the first ten beers Being boring works well when dealing with safety. While parents in other countries look at themselves and think about the great job being done regarding their children's safety, the Swedes think differently. No one will talk about their great car seat, the cool install, or how safe the kids are in the car. It's not really discussed between parents. Protecting the kids in the best way possible is completely natural for a large majority of parents. It's as natural as potty training, dressing the kids in the morning, or having the kids take a shower when dirty.

We don't have any certified techs, not safety seminars, and no awesome forums like this one. From the very beginning we've been taught, or brainwashed in a good way, that kids are special and deserve great care. We know rear facing for a long time is by far the best so that's what we use. What's great about this boring way of car safety is that most think the same. It's not only the rich or smart who protect their kids rf, it's almost everyone. Like anywhere else there are some sad exceptions though.

The selection of seats make choosing rf very easy. It's almost difficult finding a ff seat for a toddler. This leads to less confusion about when and why to turn around. We only have three stages. Infant seats first 6-8 months, rf toddler seats until 4 years or so, and then booster seats until 7-12 years. We don't use ff 5 pt. harnessed seats even though some are available. In my view, using this boring way of selecting seats for our kids is very effective. It's a default which many follow and the stats show it's very good for child safety.

Sorry about the long and boring reply. I just think it's great that using the least complicated solutions lead to such great safety for the kids.

Adventuredad said:

Sorry, should of course have mentioned this. Airbags are always deactivated. Usually with a key or a switch. Sometimes by taking the car to an authorized service center. It can be disabled quickly.

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unlike in europe, there is no option in the US of having a key or switch installed. it's by regulation. by law, our cars have to have automatic (and thus stupid and ineffective) weight sensors in the seat which, in theory, deactivate the passenger airbag. also, some car makers provide TSBs for the dealers to permamently deactivate the passenger SRS system. the only exceptions here are trucks and 2-seater cars, which may come with a switch or keyed switch (i know a lot of 2-seater sports cars have them).

unless members here live specifically in european or other countries where an actual switch is an option, or if there are no airbags, it's not recommended to place a child restraint RF in the front under any circumstances.

it's strange and interesting how different nations take different attitudes toward safety in different areas of life. the swedes no doubt take automotive safety the most seriously. i doubt anyone can question that (although, now that there are no more independent swedish automakers and now that sweden is part of the EU i wonder how much longer that legacy will continue).

it's strange and interesting how different nations take different attitudes toward safety in different areas of life. the swedes no doubt take automotive safety the most seriously. i doubt anyone can question that (although, now that there are no more independent swedish automakers and now that sweden is part of the EU i wonder how much longer that legacy will continue).

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That's a good point. One learns a lot from traveling aroudn the world and living in different places. It's quite easy to see what works and what doesn't and what countries takes safety seriously.

The Swedes take traffic and child safety very seriously but I don't think people in general feel that way. People feel like we're just using common sense and taking precautions that are cost effective and easy to follow. Good thing is that everyone benefits since we're all out on traffic at one point or another.

Traffic safety is not difficult. We know what kills people and every country can do something about it if wanted. Speed, alcohol, and crappy cars kill people. Pedestrians and people on bicycles are also exposed.

Alcohol-Limit is 0.02. A normal person can have one (1) beer and drive. But just barely. Having one beer puts a person very close to the allowed limit. Penalties are very harsh and there are random checks everywhere. You get caught for drunk driving, without an accident, and you might go to prison. Most people don't drink and drive.

Speed- Drive more than more than 20 mph too fast anywhere and your license is gone immediately for at least 3 months. There are automatic speed cameras in many places

Crappy cars-Most people use good regular cars with excellent safety. Lots of Volvo, Saab, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc.

Pedestrians-One of my favorite things here is crossing any road on a crosswalk with my kids. Cars MUST stop regardless if there is a signal or not. And they also do so. Failure to stop, even without an accident, and your license is immediately gone for at least 3 months.

Bicycles-There are bicycle lanes on almost every road in teh whole country. Makes people use bicycles more often and also keep them safe

These precautions are simple, easy to implement, and cost effective. They also save many lives each year. Boring but effective:thumbsup:

Teh airbag policy over here works very well. I don't know of a single case where a child has been killed by an airbag while in a car seat. it's not that difficult. USe the front seat for a car seat and disable the air bag. ANyone can figure that out. Is there a reason for US not having this option?

Adventuredad said:

That's a good point. One learns a lot from traveling aroudn the world and living in different places. It's quite easy to see what works and what doesn't and what countries takes safety seriously.

The Swedes take traffic and child safety very seriously but I don't think people in general feel that way. People feel like we're just using common sense and taking precautions that are cost effective and easy to follow. Good thing is that everyone benefits since we're all out on traffic at one point or another.

Traffic safety is not difficult. We know what kills people and every country can do something about it if wanted. Speed, alcohol, and crappy cars kill people. Pedestrians and people on bicycles are also exposed.

Alcohol-Limit is 0.02. A normal person can have one (1) beer and drive. But just barely. Having one beer puts a person very close to the allowed limit. Penalties are very harsh and there are random checks everywhere. You get caught for drunk driving, without an accident, and you might go to prison. Most people don't drink and drive.

Speed- Drive more than more than 20 mph too fast anywhere and your license is gone immediately for at least 3 months. There are automatic speed cameras in many places

Crappy cars-Most people use good regular cars with excellent safety. Lots of Volvo, Saab, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc.

Pedestrians-One of my favorite things here is crossing any road on a crosswalk with my kids. Cars MUST stop regardless if there is a signal or not. And they also do so. Failure to stop, even without an accident, and your license is immediately gone for at least 3 months.

Bicycles-There are bicycle lanes on almost every road in teh whole country. Makes people use bicycles more often and also keep them safe

These precautions are simple, easy to implement, and cost effective. They also save many lives each year. Boring but effective:thumbsup:

Teh airbag policy over here works very well. I don't know of a single case where a child has been killed by an airbag while in a car seat. it's not that difficult. USe the front seat for a car seat and disable the air bag. ANyone can figure that out. Is there a reason for US not having this option?

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as for cycling, it's interesting that helmet use rate among adults is higher in the US than in sweden . i'd be curious to learn of bicycle injury and fatality comparisons between the two countries. biking lanes are not as common here, although it is highly city- and state-dependent. in the city that i bike to work in (cambridge) (every single day, i may add ), 90% of its streets have bike lanes. it provides a sense of security and safety for the cyclist, yet there are studies that conclude that the actual safety of a bike lane is debatable (the phenomenon of "risk compensation" rears its ugly head again!)-- google it or search for threads by me here). statistics have not been able to show decreased cycling accident rates in cambridge compared with other towns that do not have as extensive bike lane networks.

as for airbags, the US policy is probably the way it is because US policy encourages more passive safety (for dumb people) than active safety... passive being automatic, as in sensors, in this case, as opposed to a human-operated switch. they try to encourage idiot-proof technology, yet the technology ends up being idiotic itself sometimes.

as for pedestrian safety, again, it's highly state- and city-dependent. in massachusetts, driving through a pedestrian crossing with a pedestrian in it is an automatic $250 fine. not as severe as sweden, but better than most states here.

same for drunk driving. it's usually a pretty stiff penalty, but not as punishing as in sweden. too bad sweden has a higher alcoholism rate .

i think by now we've all gotten a sense of the culture of child safety in sweden from the numerous examples you've given. perhaps you should get a job with the scandinavian tourism commission .

I used to such a Sweden hater before I moved here 5 years ago. BUt most of the things taht annoyed th hell out of me are now the things I love. I blame it on the darn kids

I didn't know about the helmet rate. That was interesting to hear. There are lots of people who bike to work summer and winter but thought most were using helmets.

I must stop chatting about all this Swedish crap:thumbsup: I blame it on the wine I do find it interesting to hear policies and habits in other places. It's always educational, both good and bad, but I tend to pick up on habits I like from countries I get to know

Adventuredad said:

but I tend to pick up on habits I like from countries I get to know

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i think i'm picking up on one of them...

ever watch the danish TV series "kingdom" by lars von trier?

southpawboston said:

i think i'm picking up on one of them...

ever watch the danish TV series "kingdom" by lars von trier?

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Nope, I try to stay aways from anything Danish Except of course what lenats31 has to say

HE, HE :happy-wavehello: .

YEP, I am Danish and even I choose to stay the H... away from all Lars Von Trier moviesHe is a weirdo :scratcheshead:. Even Nichole Kidman tried to get away from him, and I don´t blame her

:thumbsup:

Lena

lenats31 said:

HE, HE :happy-wavehello: .

YEP, I am Danish and even I choose to stay the H... away from all Lars Von Trier moviesHe is a weirdo :scratcheshead:. Even Nichole Kidman tried to get away from him, and I don´t blame her

:thumbsup:

Lena

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Hey Danish Lena, total OT question for you. How much does your Multi-Tech weigh?

Adventuredad said:

Hey Danish Lena, total OT question for you. How much does your Multi-Tech weigh?

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The user guide doesn´t say anything about size and weight of the MT. So can´t help you there. But I can tell you that it is not as heavy and bulky as the Regent. MT is narrower and more handy.:

Lena

well if neither of you have watched the series then neither of you will understand my jab at adventuredad

Enlighten me....