We had a car accident

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #1

Hi, I'm 14. Last week, my mom and I were driving to the shops, and we got hit from behind by some idiot who was probably speeding.
Anyway, I went flying forward, and hit my head. Luckily I wasn't seriously injured though.

Because of this, I'm considering using a 5 point harness car seat, since it looks a LOT safer.
What do you think?
All help and recommendations are appreciated.

 

lovinwaves

New member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #2

Were you wearing a seatbelt? I'm surprised you hit your head "flying forward" because when you are rear-ended you would go back into your seat. Unless you are talking about after that you went forward and hit your head.

Unfortunately there are no five point harnessed seats on the market in the US that go above 80 pounds.
A seatbelt and maybe trying to ride in the backseat is your best bet

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #3

lovinwaves said:

Were you wearing a seatbelt? I'm surprised you hit your head "flying forward" because when you are rear-ended you would go back into your seat. Unless you are talking about after that you went forward and hit your head.

Unfortunately there are no five point harnessed seats on the market in the US that go above 80 pounds.
A seatbelt and maybe trying to ride in the backseat is your best bet

Click to expand...

I always wear a seatbelt. And there is one seat I know I fit in (fit as in I can sit in it, and buckle myself up).

 

lovinwaves

New member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #4

what seat is that?

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #5

lovinwaves said:

what seat is that?

Click to expand...

It's a Britax Regent.

 

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LuvBug

New member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #6

how much do you weigh and how tall are you?

 

lovinwaves

New member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #7

How much do you weigh though? If you weigh over 80lbs you CANNOT use that seat. A seatbelt should be sufficient for you. A Certified Technician here on this forum will chime in here soon on why it would not be safe for you to use this seat.

I personally think we would all be safer wearing a five-point harness in the car, but a 3-point seatbelt is all we have.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #8

Danny said:

I always wear a seatbelt. And there is one seat I know I fit in (fit as in I can sit in it, and buckle myself up).

Click to expand...

Doesn't mean, though, that you still fit in the seat. The harness has to be at or above your shoulders, just like a seatbelt, and there are weight limits to seats. So even though you could buckle whatever seat it was doesn't mean you can actually still fit in it.

How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

Wendy

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #9

Also, just out of curiosity ... what vehicle crashed? (year, make, model)

If you're less than 80 pounds the Regent might be OK (over 80# puts you at risk of ejection which is far worse than what you've experienced), but as the others have said it also depends on your height -- can you sit flat on the floor against a wall/door & have someone measure from the floor to the top of your shoulder, please? This will give us your sitting height to know if you actually do fit the Regent

It's also important to remember that it's a lot of $ if you'll only fit it for a very short time

In regards to the vehicle: there's the EZOn restraint option which I actually fit, but it can be easy to use incorrectly -- the "best" seatbelt system fits the occupant & is always used correctly ... in which case the vehicle seatbelt might be your safest possible option

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #10

Well, I'm definately more then 80 pounds. No idea how tall I am, but I wasn't too tall that I couldn't get in it.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #11

I can get in it, too -- but that doesn't mean I fit You have to read the manual & follow it....

• Being over the weight limit means the seat would fail to keep you safe in a crash because it only passes crash testing up to that weight limit.
• Being too tall for the seat puts you at risk of further otherwise easily preventable injury such as severe whiplash, etc.

 

shellebelle

Senior Community Member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #12

I'm 5'-2" and I'm too tall for it. You probably are too.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #13

Then you're too big. There are harnesses you can get, but like Tiffany said, they're complicated and may cause more harm than good.

Sitting in the back reduces your chances of injury by 40%. That may be your best bet, sitting in the back with a lap and shoulder belt.

Wendy

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #14

Our car is a Ford. Not sure on the exact model or the make.
As for my sitting height, I'm about 1.5ft.

 

Simplysomething

New member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #15

is that 1.5 feet from your bottom to the top of your head, or from your bottom to the top of your shoulder?

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #16

Simplysomething said:

is that 1.5 feet from your bottom to the top of your head, or from your bottom to the top of your shoulder?

Click to expand...

From my bottom to the top of my head. It's a rough figure though.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Nov 20, 2006

• #17

Sorry, Danny, but it doesn't matter -- you've outgrown the Regent by weight.... As Wendy & I have both said, your safest option is sitting in the back & simply using the vehicle seatbelt.

 

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Danny

Guest

• Nov 20, 2006

• #18

Ok, thanks for the help everyone.