misuse of latch

[fastdogs]

I know I've ranted on here before about my parent's inability to install a carseat correctly. The consensus last time seemed to be to just get them a booster and hope they never have to use it (they'd only drive andy in an emergency). He's outgrown the top slots on the touriva they have. I was going to have my sister try her foster child out in it, since it's only been used a few times, I was going to give it to her.
When we went out to the car, I realized my dad had it installed in the center, using one latch from each of the outboard positions. I told him it couldn't be used like that, he became defensive and demanded to know why, what's the difference? All I could answer is that it hasn't been crash tested that way, and that it could be installed in the center using the belt (he thought they had to be installed with latch, although we've gone over this several times before)
I just couldn't get him a booster- he's so small, and is a long way from being 40 lbs and being able to sit properly. I ordered one of the babycenter FPSVD when they were on sale, and will replace the touriva with that. I will duct tape over the rear facing beltpath, and will install it with the belt first to make sure it works, or try to get them to use one of the outboard positions so they can use latch. I've read that it's an easy seat to install, but so is the touriva. The only comfort is that they may never use it.
Am I right with the latch argument, or is there another reason for not using the outboard latch for the center position?
vickie

 

[Victorious4]

It depends on the vehicle year, make, model -- Ford usually does allow it so long as the carseat manufacturer says it's OK & some have no specific rule one way or the other, but most cars don't allow it.... If the manuals don't say precisely how to do it, then a good rule of thumb is not to do it: because it hasn't been tested so kiddo would then be a real life crash test dummy (Grandpa doesn't want to be one to find out the hard way does he?) + it could be Child Endangerment if kiddo is injured in a crash in a state with a Proper Use clause.

 

[snowbird25ca]

I'd first look in the vehicle manual because it may be that their vehicle allows a car seat installed in the middle to borrow latch anchors from either side. There are some Fords and I saw a Dodge last week that also had that allowance in the manual.

If it's not allowed, then the best way to explain it would be to take a pencil, and explain that each set of lower anchors is on a metal bar, one on either end. Think O_____O When used properly, the weight of the restraint is fully shared and secured on that single metal bar. And that's the way it's crash tested. The metal bar might not hold if the weight was sheered on only one side in a collision instead of equally between the two sides.