HB Turbobooster question

[AlbertanMom]

I have my 7 year old in a HB Turbobooster in the 3rd row of a 2012 Grand Caravan.

The seat fits him fine, and the belt retracts well with the headrest down behind the seat. I find the seat a bit tippy, though. So I've tried to sort of tether the seat to the headrest with a bungee cord. I know that if it was meant to be tethered they would have included one, but I'm curious to know if there is any reason NOT to do this. I feel better knowing it's there, but is the seat meant to move forward in a crash? If it is, then why do some boosters have tethers?

Thanks

 

[Baylor]

You need to take the bungee off. It is not meant to be tethered or strapped to the car in that manner.

Boosters don't have tethers, Combinations seats that have tethers and some may be used in booster mode.

More answers will have to come from a tech or someone more educated than I am..

 

[AlbertanMom]

I kind of thought so. I haven't driven with him in the seat like that yet. I just tried it and thought to check on here first. Thanks.

 

[SafeDad]

I kind of thought so. I haven't driven with him in the seat like that yet. I just tried it and thought to check on here first. Thanks.

Great question!

As far as I know, there is not a lot of data on any improvement in safety for boosters or combination boosters that have attachments for the lower anchors or top tethers.

One European study years ago showed some benefit for boosters with rigid LATCH, but I've not seen much of anything since. Lacking any studies, boosters that allow such attachment are mostly doing so for convenience to prevent tipping or movement while loading/unloading or unoccupied.

Is it bad to secure a model that doesn't include such attachments? Even with something as seemingly harmless as a long strip of velcro? Impossible to say for certain, but it could definitely affect the crash dynamics and would likely not be allowed by the manufacturer. I would also recommend against it.