Car seat brochure

[Angela]

Looks great!

Here is my nit-picking. Hope you don't mind.

In the section below, the age of 6 is in both comments.
I think it should say "a child from the age of *7*..." instead of 6.
However, maybe the actual law says it that way. If so, never mind!

A child age 1-6 years old must
be secured in a child restraint
system (a safety seat or booster
seat -- NOT a seat belt).

• A child from the age of 6 up to
the age of 11 must be secured
in a child restraint system or by
a safety belt.

Also, maybe should repeat "seat belt" instead of "safety belt"

I appreciate all the nit picking!

That's actually exactly how the law is worded. I'm not sure what to do about the age 6 thing, since the law is so inconspicuous.

I will change the safety belt, just because I want it to correspond with the previous one.

Any thoughts about the age 6 thing? Should I change it to 7 for the second one, or just leave it the way it is, since that's how the law is actually stated? Suggestions?

 

[ketchupqueen]

Well, let's put it this way-- California is a 6 or 60 state. That means that the law is actually that 1-5 year olds must be in a child restraint (if they are under 60 lbs.)-- after the 6th birthday, or when they hit 60 lbs., they must be properly restrained in a seatbelt or child restraint. If your law is similar, then the first number should be 1-5 (since you apparently have a rear-facing law for under 1.) If the law covers through the 7th birthday, then the second number should be 7 and up.

 

[Angela]

Well, let's put it this way-- California is a 6 or 60 state. That means that the law is actually that 1-5 year olds must be in a child restraint (if they are under 60 lbs.)-- after the 6th birthday, or when they hit 60 lbs., they must be properly restrained in a seatbelt or child restraint. If your law is similar, then the first number should be 1-5 (since you apparently have a rear-facing law for under 1.) If the law covers through the 7th birthday, then the second number should be 7 and up.

Had some time to search around a bit and found most other sites (iihs, a reputable children's hospital, misc 'unofficial' sites) state 1-5 and 6-11 (this will actually be changed to 6-17 sometime in July!). I will definitely change it to that number to make it a bit less confusing. Thanks for bringing that up!!

 

[Angela]

That's a good one, but not what I was thinking!

My quibble is with "the longer children can stay in the harness, the safer they will be." (paraphrasing)

I've seen/heard of several parents interpreting that as "I should keep my kid in the harness that is below his shoulders/she is over the weight limit of, because using it over the limit is safer than a booster." And honestly past a certain age, the original statement is not true (or at least we don't know it is), much less this misinterpretation.

I would probably say, "The longer children can ride in a properly fitted 5-point harness, the more time they have to become ready to ride in a booster." Or something. I know that wording doesn't quite sound right but... You see the problem?

I changed the school age section to this:
SCHOOL-AGE
• Switch a child to a booster once they:
o Are at LEAST 4 years old and 40 pounds.
o Have outgrown a forward-facing harnessed seat.
o Can sit properly in a booster seat 100% of the time.

Does that sound better?

 

[ketchupqueen]

Weeeell... I switched my 6 year old before she outgrew a harness. She still rides in one for long rides but that's it. So, um, depends what you're going for?

I'd probably stick with "at least 4 and 40" and "can sit properly 100% of the time" with a blurb about "if a child is not ready to sit properly in a booster but has outgrown a harnessed seat, select a seat with higher weight and height limits."

 

[Angela]

Weeeell... I switched my 6 year old before she outgrew a harness. She still rides in one for long rides but that's it. So, um, depends what you're going for?

I'd probably stick with "at least 4 and 40" and "can sit properly 100% of the time" with a blurb about "if a child is not ready to sit properly in a booster but has outgrown a harnessed seat, select a seat with higher weight and height limits."

I'm going for short and to the point. Any suggestions of how to put that with fewer words? Thanks for the input!

 

[ketchupqueen]

I am NOT the one you want to ask to be less wordy. LOL

A child who is school aged:

-should move to a high-backed booster when at least 4 years old and 40 lbs., and able to sit properly 100% of the time
-should remain in a harnessed seat with higher weight and height limits until all 3 above criteria are met.

Yeah, I suck. Maybe someone can do better.

 

[carseatcoach]

My 8yo still fits in a Nautilus or Frontier harness, and could use a Radian since they allow shoulders above the top slots. She's perfectly safe boostered.

Honestly, I'd leave out the part about outgrowing the seat and just go with 4 years, 40 pounds, and able to use a booster correctly. "Harnessing to the limits of the seat" is not generally accepted as best practice since some seats are outgrown long before booster age/size, and some kids who still fit in seats are just fine in boosters.

A 2yo who has outgrown a ComfortSport is not ready for a booster just because she has outgrown her harnessed seat, and an 8yo with room in a Nautilus does not *need* to be harnessed just because she still fits.

 

[Angela]

Okay, I think I'll just leave out that last part. It's just too ambiguous.