Who here has a RF MA next to a RF Radian?

[elle7715]

Do you worry about whoever is in the Radian hitting their head on the Marathon in a side impact? As DD is getting taller (and she's always had a big head) I'm wondering if her head could swing over in an accident and hit the hard plastic of the MA. I need to update my picture because that's from August. Now her head is about 3 inches from the top. When she sleeps and her head slumps to the side it almost touches the MA. With crash forces I don't know what will happen? I was thinking of getting a Radian for our car for a few reasons, and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it right now. This summer it was almost impossible to get the MA but our finances have improved, not greatly, but enough. I have a pro/cons list for getting another Radian but if this is a safety issue it will tip the scales.
So far my main pros are:
1) I can put the MA in my mom's Grand Caravan instead of the Alphasport. She insists on having all the headrests off and the seats down so she can see out the back window better. When DS is in his carseat I insist on putting the headrest on his seat. If I had a seat with a rear tether I could leave the headrest off and end the maternal nagging ("I really can't see well" etc). She doesn't always remember to bring the headrests either.
2) I'm planning on buying another Radian eventually for the new 35 lb RF limit, the high seatback/slot heights, and the narrow frame. I would just be buying it a year or two before I planned on it.
3) I could use the Alphasport as my spare for DS and ditch the ComfortSport I hate so much.

Cons:
1) They could reach each other and each other's toys better. Or rather, DD could reach DS and his toys better. Those with fiercely jealous older children will understand that this is a big issue.
2) It's a major PITA to tighten the harness. The car's seats are squishy and combined with the fake leather it's really hard to move the splitter plate while it's under the carseat.
3) Cost.
4) I'd be buying another seat with hardly any SIP.
5) I adore my Britax and want them in my car :crying:

 

[An Aurora]

We have ours next to each other. I don't worry about it, honestly. In fact, I had never thought of that. There is a good 2" gap between the seats, and when she sleeps I've never noticed her head touching the MA. I will have to pay closer attention!

BTW, why do you insist on having the headrests on? Just wondering

 

[elle7715]

Our seats are puzzled together so there's no gap between them. I just noticed that in my picture the Radian isn't under the 'lip' of the MA but now it is. So either they shifted around a bit (not likely) or when I reinstalled her seat I squished it into the vehicle seat more.
I'm probably paranoid but I don't like the idea of DS wrapping around the captains chair if his carseat ever rebounded. I'd rather have his head hit the headrest instead of hitting the top or back of the seat. If this isn't an issue please let me know and I'll leave my mom alone.

 

[singingpond]

Our seats are puzzled together so there's no gap between them. I just noticed that in my picture the Radian isn't under the 'lip' of the MA but now it is. So either they shifted around a bit (not likely) or when I reinstalled her seat I squished it into the vehicle seat more.

I have a RF Radian (center) tucked under a RF Wizard (outboard) in a tight 3-across install, and, yes, I DO worry about the hazard of the child in the Radian hitting the outside of the plastic shell of the Britax seat, which is very close to her head. The unpadded outer shell of the adjacent seat is really sort of 'inside' her seating space, because of the overlap of the two seats. Not only is the outside of the shell unpadded, but there is a sharp edge on the plastic. The fact that the two seats puzzle together so well is great for small spaces, but I can't help thinking there is a downside. I have thought of attaching some EPS foam to the outside of the Wizard's shell (I think this would be an acceptable modification, since it doesn't affect the function of the seat at all from the p.o.v. of the child riding in the Wizard), in order to make a safer-looking impact point for the child in the Radian. However, I haven't gotten around to doing this, and I'm about to turn DS in the Wizard FF, so it will become a moot point for us.

There have been some previous threads here discussing this issue.

It's been mentioned that real-life data show that children are somewhat safer in crashes when there is another seat right next to them; but I don't know if this data reflects anything about this type of situation, where a child's head is extremely close to the outer shell of another seat.

Katrin

 

[elle7715]

I found one of the other threads http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=24668&highlight=radian+next+puzzled
I think I will try to add some foam, or cut up a pool noodle for now. I honestly think it's just a short term solution for us though. I've thought about how low DD is compared to DS and if we were ever hit on her side her seat would be pushed under his and crammed between his seat and the door. I hope everyone doesn't think I'm completely morbid for thinking like this...but it's been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe there's a reason for it. We don't have side airbags but we're getting a newer car by tax return time. We were looking at a great 2005 Malibu but someone beat us to it. I wish the Radian had more SIP...

 

[An Aurora]

Maybe switch their seats around? Would that help?

 

[elle7715]

Maybe switch their seats around? Would that help?

I have install issues with the MA outboard. I made it work for a month but it loosens over time and it was either put a locking clip on it as a band aid fix or get a Radian so I could have it in the center. I got the Radian but I didn't realize how tight of a fit it was going to be.

 

[An Aurora]

Ah, gotcha. I honestly think it would take a very major accident to push the Radian under the MA. That thing has a steel frame--I think it would just push against the MA. But that is just my humble opinion

 

[elle7715]

Ah, gotcha. I honestly think it would take a very major accident to push the Radian under the MA. That thing has a steel frame--I think it would just push against the MA. But that is just my humble opinion

I guess I'm not worried about it actually being pushed completely under the MA, but pushed up against it even more. It's already right next to her head and if the Radian was pushed over more, or at an angle, I think the MA would really be in her space.

 

[snowbird25ca]

I wouldn't worry about it and this is my reasoning...

- Both seats can be tethered rf'ing - I'd expect that to reduce the sideways movement in a side impact collision.
- Both carseats & kids would be moving in the same direction during the crash, so it wouldn't be a case of one seat staying still while the other seat crashed into it.

Another point to consider, is that the study that was released in the Injury Prevention journal about rf'ing stated that most side impact crashes have a degree of forward movement to them and speculated that one of the factors adding to the big difference safety wise was that rf'ing kids were being pushed back into the sides of the car seat during the actual crash. If that's the case, then the sides of the Radian would provide protection even if you didn't consider the first 2 points. :thumbsup:

 

[elle7715]

I should post an update...
our car is basically on it's way out, so we'll probably get another Radian if it means we can fit two side by side in the new car. Thank you to everyone, it did ease my mind.