Question Safety of seat belt vs. latch - no latches or tether in car I want to buy

[joelzenny]

Hello,

I am currently located in Mexico and want to buy a 2009 Ford Focus Sport edition. While checking the safety features of this car, I was surprised to see that it did not have latches or a place for a tether. What's strange is that this car comes equipped with air bags and an ABS system. I would like to purchase the car, but am concerned for the safety of my child using the seat belt only without latches and without a tether.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Joel

 

[wendytthomas]

Hi Joel,

If it's an American model it has lower anchors and tethers.

If it's an international model it may not. I would have no problem installing a seat in a car without lower anchors, but I wouldn't want to forward face in a car without top tethers. They're vitally important.

Wendy

 

[NessieNess]

Hi there,

You could try to contact Ford in Mexico to see if a tether anchor can be retrofitted to the car.

I would also try out the car seat in the car to make sure that you can get a proper install using the lap-shoulder belt. If yes, you don't need lower anchors, because you can just install using the seat belt. Depending on the weight of the child and the weight of the seat, lower anchors may not be much use to you anyway, since there's a weight limit to using them.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Do be aware that standards for vehicles are different in Mexico. I don't know what's involved in importing a US model but if it's in budget and possible you might want to read about the advantages and disadvantages. Here's one fairly recent article on the subject: http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsan...the-difference-between-cars-in-mexico-and-u-s

If you opt for a Mexican model, consider going for options that improve safety, such as airbags.