Less safe for a long drive

christineka · Dec 11, 2008

I hate driving the van, so I was considering taking 3 kids with me to my midwife appointments. Dh will be home, but working, so he can't be looking after children. The older two should be fine to hang about on partially supervised.

But, if I drive the car my 4 year old (28 pounds, 12.5 inch torso) has to ride forward facing and my 5 year, 11 month+ year old (42ish pounds) will have to ride in a booster. The drive is about an hour there and an hour back. The booster would be a fp booster and ds's legs actually don't make it to the edge of the seat before bending, so he tends to slouch in the seat. The turbo fits him, but it doesn't fit that spot in the car. My girls were in boosters at age 4 and 5, but now I know better. I don't mind the situation driving around town, but this will be highway speeds for most of the drive. Otherwise, I have to take the big old van (which I don't think is particularly safe itself, although my kids are safe in it. It is big and bouncy and such.) WWYD?

Maedze · Dec 11, 2008

I personally would drive the vehicle I thought I would be least likely to crash in :twocents:

southpawboston · Dec 11, 2008

Maedze said:
I personally would drive the vehicle I thought I would be least likely to crash in :twocents:

agreed. you really have to consider both variables. if your kids are reasonably safe in a car that is safer than your van, i think i would choose the car.

BW1426 · Dec 11, 2008

I agree that I would drive the car that you are least likely to crash in, however, that is a completely separate issue from you 5 yo sitting properly in a booster seat. I would not feel comfortable using a booster seat that the child cannot sit properly in.

LISmama810 · Dec 11, 2008

BW1426 said:
I agree that I would drive the car that you are least likely to crash in, however, that is a completely separate issue from you 5 yo sitting properly in a booster seat. I would not feel comfortable using a booster seat that the child cannot sit properly in.

Agreed. Is there a harnessed seat from the van you can put in for the trip?

Just something else to think about: the little jaunts around town might be more dangerous than the long highway trips. Most crashes happen close to home. On freeways, people are paying more attention to driving, not looking at the Christmas lights, checking out the shopping center, waving to their neighbors, etc. Also, highways don't (usually) have intersections, which eliminates the possibility of people blowing stop signs and traffic lights.

christineka · Dec 12, 2008

We only have one hwh and it is a nautilus. Since there is only 15 inches for ds' seat (the reason why a turbo won't fit) there is no way in the world I could get the nautilus to fit in there. I would love to have a radian again for that car, but there was a good reason I sold it for a nautilus.

I know the chances of a crash around town are more likely, but I would only be driving 35 mph, whereas on the highways I go 55-75 mph. The highway crash would seem more dangerous although less likely.

bobandjess99 · Dec 12, 2008

How old are the kids you have?
for me, it would be a mix of age and how they would act, but it sounds like you have to leave 2 and take 3? Would leaving 3 be an option, so you don't have to squeeze 3 kids in the car? Otherwise...i would probably put the oldest child you are taking in the front seat, with 2 kids in the back. That way you dont have to do 3-across the back and can therefore put everyone in a proper seat. I just dont know enough about how old your kids are, what their personalities are (so i know who could be left at home together) and stuff to be able to help you make a decision...

ketchupqueen · Dec 12, 2008

That's what I was thinking-- could you leave the older two in charge of the oldest one you were going to take? Give them a few games to play and bribe the older ones (extra privileges, treats, whatever works for them)?

christineka · Dec 12, 2008

The older two when left to themselves are very subdued. They know how to read and do so. They have different playing interests, so they keep out of each other's way. Ds likes the same games as oldest dd and they get into fights and disagreements often. I won't leave him with the girls and have dh break up fights. (He's supposed to be working, undisturbed.)

Up front is not an option at all. The seatbelt is incompatible with all child restraints. (It has a separate lap-belt and the shoulder belt slides along the edge of the door frame. The manual says no child restraints and all the car/booster seats we have say not to install with such belts.) None of my kids are big enough to pass the 5 step test.

Less safe for a long drive

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LISmama810

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