Dh was just hit.

wendy1221 · Jul 31, 2008

Someone made a left right into him as he was driving down the highway. He says he's absolutely fine, but the driver's side door and front panel of the van ('04 Sienna) are really smashed in and the van isn't drivable.

Do we need to replace the carseats? I assume we do.

This is just perfect timing.

We have to get MIL to the airport on Sat and ds1 has an appointment on Mon. I guess we'll get a rental, but what the heck am I going to put the kids in? There are no stores nearby that carry any of the better carseats. The baby hasn't even ridden in the car yet, but her seat (ds3's hand me down companion) was installed and in there.

What carseats should I get?

I don't really want to have to think about this right now. I have a 7 day old baby and a terrible head cold!

crunchierthanthou · Jul 31, 2008

Oh man! What lousy timing. I'm glad he's okay.

Yes, you need to replace all the seats. Britax follows NHTSA's guidelines regarding seat replacement, and it doesn't sound like the crash falls into the minor category. All other manufacturers state that a seat must be replaced after any crash. The at-fault insurance company should cover the cost of replacing the seats.

wendy1221 · Jul 31, 2008

All 4 of the seats are Britax. I forgot to mention that.

Dh just got home. He said insurance said they'd pay for new seats no problem. The accident WAS minor, I think. The only reason the car isn't drivable is b/c he was hit directly on the front tire. I misunderstood when he said earlier where he was hit. But I'd rather replace the seats to be safe. But I might feel ok using them if needed until our new ones come in the mail.

Nisha · Jul 31, 2008

I do believe that most insurance companies are required to provide you with a rental vehicle until the wrecked vehicle is fixed, but I don't know any details on that.
We had 2 wrecks last year, neither our fault and the at-fault ins companies replaced car seats and paid for rentals in both cases.

wendy1221 · Jul 31, 2008

So I need seats for a 9lb+ newborn, a 36lb almost 3 year old, a 39lb very long torsoed almost 5yo, and a 60lb 9 year old.

The seats we had were a Parkway, a Regent, a Boulevard, and a Companion, but I'm not opposed to getting a different brand. How do Frontiers install in Siennas? How about Radians?

crunchierthanthou · Jul 31, 2008

wendy1221 said:
The accident WAS minor, I think. The only reason the car isn't drivable is b/c he was hit directly on the front tire. I misunderstood when he said earlier where he was hit. But I'd rather replace the seats to be safe. But I might feel ok using them if needed until our new ones come in the mail.

I think perhaps we have different definitions of the word minor-

wendy1221 said:
Someone made a left right into him as he was driving down the highway. He says he's absolutely fine, but the driver's side door and front panel of the van ('04 Sienna) are really smashed in and the van isn't drivable.

highway speeds, "really smashed", undriveable...

minor is more like rearended at a stoplight or tapped in a parking lot.

skipspin · Jul 31, 2008

Hmmmm. Do you want an infant seat for the baby?
If so, I'd get whatever infant seat you want (SS1, Keyfit, Companion)
65# Britax convertible (3 yr old, pass to baby later)
Regent (5 yr old- I assume that's what he was in)
Frontier (9 yr old- can pass to 3 yr old later)

Then, when baby needs the convertible you would just need to buy a booster for the 9 yr old- I'd probably get a Montery at that point- and switch the Regent and Frontier to the kids that work best in them at the time.

If you don't "need" an infant seat for the baby I'd get the baby a nice convertible, a Britax or something else you like.
Then get the 3 yr old a Frontier
The 5 yr old a Regent
The 9 Year old a Frontier or Monterey or another booster

With that set-up you'd be set for a LONG time!

laurenrachey · Jul 31, 2008

Will insurance companies pay for expidited shipping since you basically cannot take your children anywhere until your seats arrive, or do they just expect you to replace locally? Brain fart, just wondering.

I'm glad your dh is okay, and the kids weren't with him. I second everything Joy says, that sounds like the best scenerio.

wendy1221 · Jul 31, 2008

crunchierthanthou said:
I think perhaps we have different definitions of the word minor-

highway speeds, "really smashed", undriveable...

minor is more like rearended at a stoplight or tapped in a parking lot.

Did you read the post where I said I misunderstood him? Perhaps we have different definitions of misunderstood, and the only problem is that the wheel was hit.

With the wind blowing I heard really bad, driver's side door, etc, etc, when he was saying, the PANEL in front of the door was smashed pretty badly, but the wheel still turns, door is fine, airbags did not deploy (we have side curtain), he feels absolutely fine, neither car was driving over 35mph. If the van had been hit anywhere else, t would have been driveable.

wendy1221 · Jul 31, 2008

skipspin said:
Hmmmm. Do you want an infant seat for the baby?
If so, I'd get whatever infant seat you want (SS1, Keyfit, Companion)
65# Britax convertible (3 yr old, pass to baby later)
Regent (5 yr old- I assume that's what he was in)
Frontier (9 yr old- can pass to 3 yr old later)

Then, when baby needs the convertible you would just need to buy a booster for the 9 yr old- I'd probably get a Montery at that point- and switch the Regent and Frontier to the kids that work best in them at the time.

If you don't "need" an infant seat for the baby I'd get the baby a nice convertible, a Britax or something else you like.
Then get the 3 yr old a Frontier
The 5 yr old a Regent
The 9 Year old a Frontier or Monterey or another booster

With that set-up you'd be set for a LONG time!

Thank you! Your post was helpful! Ds1 is too tall for even the Regent, so I I'll get him a booster right away, maybe the Monterrey. I think that was the one I was leaning towards before we got the Parkway on sale. Ds2 hasn't been happy about his Regent, he wants a seat that looks like a booster, so I think I'll get him a Frontier or Nautilus (I don't like Graco very much, so I'm leaning towards the Frontier. Are there still install issues in Toyotas?) I also think it would make sense to get ds3 a Frontier. He's a really big kid, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's even bigger than ds2 in a few years. Ds1 will be in his booster for a long time yet. He has Asperger's and low-tone and really needs the high back to keep him where he's supposed to be.

I guess I really have them all figured out. I'm just not sure what to do about the baby. I've always have the carriers for my babies, but I really don't NEED to have one, I guess. I sling and use a stroller. She is over 9lbs already, maybe even 10, hasn't been weighed since birth and seems a lot bigger already. I should talk to dh about it. I think I'd like to get a Radian for her eventually, but I'm not sure I should skip the baby bucket. I know I've read Radians are hard to install in Toyotas, but not impossible, right?

featherhead · Jul 31, 2008

How about a True Fit for the baby? Newborns are supposed to fit very well in them.

southpawboston · Jul 31, 2008

crunchierthanthou said:
I think perhaps we have different definitions of the word minor-

highway speeds, "really smashed", undriveable...

minor is more like rearended at a stoplight or tapped in a parking lot.

my definition would not take into account words like "really smashed" as that is subjective-- what is "really smashed" to one person is "a ding" to another... and a highway speed accident can still be minor, just as a low-speed accident can be pretty bad.

i think a more acceptable definition of a minor accident (in terms of carseat replacement) is that the car is drivable, no airbags deployed, and no doors close to a carseat were hit. basically britax's guidelines.

NannyMom · Jul 31, 2008

Nisha said:
I do believe that most insurance companies are required to provide you with a rental vehicle until the wrecked vehicle is fixed, but I don't know any details on that.
We had 2 wrecks last year, neither our fault and the at-fault ins companies replaced car seats and paid for rentals in both cases.

If it was the other driver's fault, their insurance company will provide you with a rental. Since you have a van and 4 kids...Demand they provide you with a rental van until yours is fixed. Someone scrathed my van a couple yeras ago and tried to give me a car until I explained I have a van, it's not my fault I can't use my van....they needed to make ammends.

NannyMom · Jul 31, 2008

Wendy,
Not sure why you don't like Graco. But I have a Nautilus in my 08 Sienna. It installed with no problems. It's installed second row, passenger side. J and I both love it. J told a friend he wants to use that seat until he dies (and this is after over a year of backless boster)

gwenvet · Jul 31, 2008

OMG Wendy, I'm glad he's ok! And congrats on dd!! We got rearended on fathers day and got all new seats (well they paid for 2 of 3 that were in the car but the third was going to expire in 6 mo anyway, so I didn't complain). Sounds like your crash was more serious than mine. Do you want to borrow a Parkway and maybe a Marathon? Also, I think I am going to Indy tomorrow and can pick up seats for you at USA Baby if you want them ASAP. Otherwise, I have ordered from both elitecarseats.com and www.albeebaby.com and has great success.
email or PM me and we can talk more

wendy1221 · Aug 1, 2008

Gwen, you are so awesome! The accident really wasn't bad. I grilled dh more ast night (poor guy was SO tired!) Damien's Parkway wasn't buckled in and it didn't go flying or anything, so I really do think the accident would be considered minor and the car drivable if the dents we got were anywhere but around the wheel. THe tire didn't even pop, it's still inflated and it took the hit directly.

Anyway, Damien has a backless booster and I remembered ds2's old Boulevard is in the closet. So when we get the rental, I can take the baby in the Boulevard to see what I can find at Target and TRU, and I can take Damien to his appt w/ the baby and leave the other 2 at home on Mon. I guess if they don't have any infant seats I like, I'll have to order online.

Actually, I'm kinda torn on the infant seat thing. One one hand, I really like the Companion we had. I feel like their tiny little heads are safer with those big pillows than they are in regular infant seats. But on the other hand, she's a big little baby. I think she's over 10lbs now at 8 days! SO I really son't know if I should get another companion, which she'll likely outgrow between 4-6 mos like her bros did, or get a Safeseat1. Arg! I hate deciding things!

wendy1221 · Aug 1, 2008

Actually, have you been to USA Baby before? Do you know if they carry the Frontier in the store? If they do, maybe I'll take you up on your offer to borrow the Parkway and Marathon and we can go down tomorrow to get new seats instead of waiting for them to come in the mail. And you won't have to buy them all for me.

solmama · Aug 1, 2008

I second the Truefit. 35lb rf, 65lb ff, 17/17.5" top slots. It's a great seat with nice wings for protection. And it has lots of padding for infants and bigger kids. The top portion of the seat removes (infants only up to 22lbs, and 1" from top), so it takes up less space. It has lockoffs and the harness adjusts without uninstalling the seat. Target now carries it, so you can see it there.

wendy1221 · Aug 1, 2008

I looked up the True Fit. It look like a really nice seat. Do you really recommend it over getting an infant carrier?

solmama · Aug 1, 2008

I guess you really have to think about how much you value using an infant bucket. Some people really love them and prefer them, while others don't like the weight, banging on legs, etc. Will you be using it again for another child? Does your baby like riding in an infant carrier? Do you use it up to the weight/height limit?

My kids didn't like being in the infant carrier once they were out of the car. I carried them everywhere. My dh and I disliked the weight of the carrier so much that neither of them outgrew our Snugride (22lb) by weight or height-they both went into convertible seats by 6 months. My ds could have been in the Snugride until at least a year (he was a little guy).

It just depends on what you want and need.

Dh was just hit.

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