Question Booster or Five-Point?

[Unregistered]

5-year-old daughter is 44lbs and 43.5" tall. I currently have her in a Britax Frontier 85, under the impression that the absolute safest option is a five-point carseat (mounted in the middle of the backseat).

However, I find this thing impossible to install correctly. I thought I had it in my car right, and when I took it for inspection at the local police department, I was way off, and it took the officer a lot of struggling to get it right. So, I've left that one and haven't dared move it now that I know that it's correct, but the spare one that I have to take in and out of babysitters' cars or use for playdates or carpool...I have zero confidence that I'm installing it correctly in all these different cars, and it's heavy and difficult work when I do. A regular booster would be much easier, though of course safety first.

My question is, would a booster be safer? I have heard it said that a correctly installed carseat is more important than any of the specific characteristics of a given carseat. Would a booster that anyone could easily install with confidence be safer than a complicated five-point? Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[wendytthomas]

Hi there. At her age and size provided she sits properly 100% of the time neither a harness nor booster is safer. Both are fine. If you can't install the Frontier, then turning it into a booster would work.

However, can we help you learn how to install it? The police tech did you no favors whatsoever by not teaching you how to do it. If you ever need to clean it or that car breaks down you're out of luck. It's important you know how to use your child's carseat. It is a lifesaving device, afterall. So can we walk you through it? Pick one of the typical cars it goes in and we'll let you know if long or short belt path is better, or LATCH (though likely at her weight LATCH isn't allowed since the limit would either be 40 or 45 pounds, depending on the car, and she's pretty darn close to that).

In the meantime, did the officer put her in the middle or on the side of your car, and with the seatbelt or LATCH? It's top tethered? If it's the seatbelt, is it the long or short belt path?

Wendy