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In summary, results of both the NASS and PCPS analyses suggest lower injury risks among children restrained in belt-positioning booster seats with lap belts compared with children restrained in lap belts alone. In both datasets, the percentage of children using belt-positioning booster seats with lap belts was very low. Although the sample sizes were very small and most of the differences in injury risk were not statistically significant, this study is, to our knowledge, the only examination of the injury risk associated with using belt-positioning boosters with lap belts in real-world crashes. Clearly, a lap belt only position is not optimal for booster-age children due to the lack of torso restraint. However, faced with the need to restrain a booster-age child in a lap belt only seat position, real-world crash outcomes from two large crash surveillance systems suggest that the current recommendation against using a belt-positioning booster seat is inappropriate.
There were four objectives in the study: evaluation of belt positioning booster seat protection in crash environments; evaluation of belt positioning booster seat protection if used improperly; evaluation of any significant differences between use and non-use of locking clips on lap/shoulder belts with non-locking latch plates; and, evaluation of small shield booster seat protection when used with three point and lap only belts. These objectives were achieved by conducting modified FMVSS No. 213 booster seat tests using 3 and 6 year old dummies. None of the belt positioning booster seats exceeded the FMVSS No. 213 criteria when used with three point belts. The belt positioning booster seats exceeded one or more of the criteria when used with lap only belts. The use or non-use of a locking clip on three point belts with non-locking latch plates does not appear to have a distinctive influence on dummy responses. One of the 3 year dummy tests performed without the locking clip exceeded the chest injury criterion. For the small shield booster seat tests, one of the 6 year old dummy tests exceeded the head excursion limit when used with a lap only belt and all of the 3 year old dummy tests exceeded the Head Injury Criterion when tested with a three point belt. Most small shield booster seat instruction manuals state that the shoulder belt should be placed behind the child's back.
Belt-positioning booster seats are designed to be used in rear seats with vehicles' lap/shoulder belts. Most booster seat instruction manuals say you should not use the booster with a lap belt only. This is because lap belts alone still allow your child's upper body to move, so they do not protect the head and chest as well as the combination of lap/shoulder belts. Always put your child in the rear seat with lap/shoulder belts if available. However, if your only choice is to use a lap belt alone, you still should put your child in a booster seat unless the lap belt fits well by itself.
If you must frequently transport a booster-age child in a seat that has only a lap belt, consider these options to improve your child's protection:...
Well, the 4 yr old, bad without a booster.
It looks like the seven year old has the best lap belt fit. She'd probably be my first choice. (PS, is that a screwless TB?)
This is where having a box of Twinkies would come in really handy to show the parents Twinkie Physics. It really drives home the dangers of seatbelt syndrome. Plus you get a snack each time you squish a Twinkie for safety!
No way to get the 4 year old back into a HWH seat in the center, lap only position? That would be my prefered solution.
From what Judi posted, there is only ONE lap/shoulder seating position available for the three children. TWO of those kids have to ride in lap-only belts. In the pics, the one they're trying out is a captain's chair.
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