booster seat question for techs

musicmaj

New member
What do you have parents do if they have a vehicle without headrests and the child has outgrown highback boosters by torso height (or the highback can not be adjusted tall enough because the headrest hits ceiling or inside of the car), but does not pass the five step test? Would you have them use a backless because it is safer than bad seatbelt fit?
 
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Maedze

New member
That falls under the 'tough choices' clause ;)

If someone comes in that situation, you explain the two scenarios. One is insufficient head support with the potential with whip-lash and head injuries. The other is a poor seatbelt fit with potential for lapbelt syndrome and submarine ejection. You explain both as well you can and let the parent make the decision.



As a parent, if I absolutely had to transport a child in that situation, I would likely choose the booster.
 

Ahzryn

Active member
Yeah that to Madze.

I tell them the truth, there is no safe way to transport their child in that vehicle. I give them their options (lbb and risk neck injury, nothing and risk seatbelt syndrome, front seat boostered and increased risk overall in general), and the parent has to make the best of a bad situation.

It's hard to put relative risk values on those situations, they are all bad :( If it were my car and kid, I honestly don't know what I'd do.
 

musicmaj

New member
Personally, I will be faced with this situation, but I will choose a ride safer vest for my dd. Without the booster, she still has 3.5 inches before her ears are even with the seatback. I know a lot of parents who would not consider the vest for a child this age and size and so I was really curious over what you all would suggest the average parent to do.

There will come a day when she will pass the 5 step test and she will have to sit in a couple of vehicles (grandparents) that have no head support. I still feel that she will be safer in the backseat than in the front seat. Am I right?
 

Pixels

New member
Yes. Statistics show that a child in a lap-only belt, without adequate head support, is safer in the back seat than in a lap-shoulder belt in the front seat with head support. It's really surprising, but that's what the numbers say. The back seat is that much safer.
 

tiggercat

New member
Greg is getting close to this situation in my inlaw's Mazda Protoge. He is nearly too tall for the Turbo with back, but his ears are at the top of the headrest backless. I haven't checked him officially for the 5 step test, but I don't think he is quite there yet. Luckily, my inlaws have two vehicles, so I'm going to ask them to use the other vehicle (which does have headrests) when they drive Greg.

I think I'd prefer a booster with not quite adequate head support (so ears just over the seatback/headrest) over a very poor seatbelt fit. If the lapbelt fit was "ok" or "close" I'd go boosterless for the head support.
 

christineka

New member
I'd go with the booster. I've had to sit in positions like that myself as well as transporting adults in those positions. There is no option of "go without the booster and have head protection" since adults (generally) don't use boosters and are too tall for short seat backs without anyway.
 

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