New car seat laws involving LATCH system for 2014

[Talking Hands]

If they didn't have the age thing in place, poor Mary Lou Retton would still be in a booster seat. At 45 years old, the former Olympic gymnast stands at only 4'8". Can you imagine?

I don't have to imagine. I am 65 and 4'8". If I weren't an adult I would still be in a booster.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I don't have to imagine. I am 65 and 4'8". If I weren't an adult I would still be in a booster.

I wasn't 4'8" until sometime around middle school. I know I reached 4 feet at the end of third grade. I can't imagine having to sit in a booster seat when I was picked up from sixth grade. My daughter, though, seems to be taking after her 6'8" father. She is three-and-a-half and already the height of an average 5-year-old. I want her to be as safe as possible, but I don't want her to be in a position to be embarrassed if she is still in a child safety seat when her friends are all in the regular seat.

 

[alex9179]

I wasn't 4'8" until sometime around middle school. I know I reached 4 feet at the end of third grade. I can't imagine having to sit in a booster seat when I was picked up from sixth grade. My daughter, though, seems to be taking after her 6'8" father. She is three-and-a-half and already the height of an average 5-year-old. I want her to be as safe as possible, but I don't want her to be in a position to be embarrassed if she is still in a child safety seat when her friends are all in the regular seat.

Keep in mind the changing landscape. When I was a kid, anyone wearing a helmet while riding a trike, bike or skateboard would have been ribbed. Now, it's par for the course. I see the same thing happening with boosters.

My children are all smaller and my middle kid is tiny. They will be in a booster until they pass the 5 step test.

Luckily for adults and older kids, most front seats in the newer vehicles adjust enough for them. Also, those adjustable pedals accommodate the smaller stature people pretty well for driving.

Edit: The latch limit varied by manufacturer. Dodge Caravan was 48# not including seat.

 

[aprilgail2]

I know a few 8 year olds at my son's school still in full-up carseats. And the friend I mentioned has a 5 year old, but insists he's staying in the carseat until he hits the 100 pound weight limit. She's usually pretty rational, so I'm hoping she changes her mind before she's driving her son to 8th grade graduation in a carseat.

Oh my- my daughter is in high school and was just at the Dr- she is 86 pounds! I can't imagine driving her to high school in her car seat

Keep in mind the changing landscape. When I was a kid, anyone wearing a helmet while riding a trike, bike or skateboard would have been ribbed. Now, it's par for the course. I see the same thing happening with boosters.

.

I don't think I have seen a kid wearing a bike helmet that was over about 8 years old. None of the kids that ride bikes or skateboards around here wear them.

 

[Gracie09]

The car seat my older dd as is convertible to a high back booster. It is good as a car seat until 85 pounds and as a booster until 120. DD is 4 1/2 and 39 pounds (as of her doctors appt a few months ago so a bit heavier now) She would be in her booster until she was in college if I went by weight.
We still use it as a car seat but will probably convert in the spring some time. Probably after I take it out for its spring cleaning.

 

[alex9179]

I don't think I have seen a kid wearing a bike helmet that was over about 8 years old. None of the kids that ride bikes or skateboards around here wear them.

They do here. I see an almost aggressive disregard for car safety all of the time, but people of all ages wear their bike helmets. We do have one elderly gentleman that routinely rides his bike on our busy main street, without a helmet. And, yes, there are always others doing the same. I still see more helmet wearers than not.

I am an admitted advocate for vehicle safety, which spans from driver to passenger. Practicality and safety can coexist and I don't lecture everyone disregarding best safe practices. I don't think education is judgement and also don't care if someone doesn't agree with my precautions. In the end, we have to take responsibility for our decisions and the consequences.

 

[Colleen27]

I had no idea until I came to the dis that there were people that put 10 year olds in car seats.

Me neither. I can't even imagine... One of my three would have been in a booster well into middle school if I went by the safety recommendations, and another could very well be small enough to need one when she starts high school (she takes after the women in my husband's family, all of whom need heels to be 5' tall). But to be honest it never even crossed my mind that I should be buckling my 7th grader into a booster seat to take her to school.

 

[Colleen27]

The car seat my older dd as is convertible to a high back booster. It is good as a car seat until 85 pounds and as a booster until 120. DD is 4 1/2 and 39 pounds (as of her doctors appt a few months ago so a bit heavier now) She would be in her booster until she was in college if I went by weight.
We still use it as a car seat but will probably convert in the spring some time. Probably after I take it out for its spring cleaning.

I think the advantage of the higher weight limit is the ability to accommodate bigger kids. I had a hard time when DS was small because he was so big - he's always been 95th percentile or higher, and there were points where we wanted to keep him rear-facing longer, or in a 5-point longer, but couldn't find a suitable, affordable seat that would allow us to do that. Only the very expensive/boutique brands were offering the extended weight limits then. He was 40lbs by his 3rd birthday and that was the upper limit on his 5-point harness, but I'd certainly have been more comfortable with a 5-point than with a belt-positioning seat at that age.

Now even the lower priced mass-market companies are offering higher weight limits. The seat my 5.5yo uses can be used as a 5 point harness to 65lbs. That would have been great to have with DS, but isn't a feature we'll make full use of for our 35lb 5yo. I think it is great that these seats are becoming so much more affordable, but I don't think that should be interpreted as a mandate to keep them in those seats up to the maximum weight/height limits without regard to age.

 

[alex9179]

I think the advantage of the higher weight limit is the ability to accommodate bigger kids. I had a hard time when DS was small because he was so big - he's always been 95th percentile or higher, and there were points where we wanted to keep him rear-facing longer, or in a 5-point longer, but couldn't find a suitable, affordable seat that would allow us to do that. Only the very expensive/boutique brands were offering the extended weight limits then. He was 40lbs by his 3rd birthday and that was the upper limit on his 5-point harness, but I'd certainly have been more comfortable with a 5-point than with a belt-positioning seat at that age.

Now even the lower priced mass-market companies are offering higher weight limits. The seat my 5.5yo uses can be used as a 5 point harness to 65lbs. That would have been great to have with DS, but isn't a feature we'll make full use of for our 35lb 5yo. I think it is great that these seats are becoming so much more affordable, but I don't think that should be interpreted as a mandate to keep them in those seats up to the maximum weight/height limits without regard to age.

Excellent points! People can also forget everyone's situation is different. One of my cousins has mild cerebral palsy and poor muscle tone, so needed a 5 pt harness longer than some. Some older kids are less mature or fit throwers and try to escape the seat belt. Some are larger or very mature and can be switched sooner. It's so individual. Those tiny kids that are older can sit in the front seat and adjust the seat to the belt, so that it's not across their neck.

I would love it if manufacturers would utilize more adjustable belt systems, not only for safety of those in the rear seats but comfort! I'm a short waisted, short person and hate it when the shoulder strap rubs the wrong way. Maybe I should buy myself an inflatable booster seat g It might help with the extended trip hiney ache!

 

[disney1990]

I had no idea until I came to the dis that there were people that put 10 year olds in car seats.

I don't remember how old she was, but I know that our DD was in a booster seat until at least 8 or 9. She was very small. Also, we never let our daughter ride in the front seat of a car until they were in middle school.

 

[Skippy918]

Since my son is 5 and not 40lbs yet, he's still in a harnessed seat. My 2 1/2 year old is still rear facing in her car seat. The current recommendation is to keep young toddlers rear facing as long as possible.

 

[tvguy]

I emailed the article to our traffic reporter who emailed it to the Office of Traffic Safety, which oversees public education on carseats. First they had heard of it, they are investigating since it appears to be just a recommendation, and because it appears to violate California carseat law.

 

[DLgal]

I emailed the article to our traffic reporter who emailed it to the Office of Traffic Safety, which oversees public education on carseats. First they had heard of it, they are investigating since it appears to be just a recommendation, and because it appears to violate California carseat law.

What is the violation? All they are saying is that you should install your car seat using the lap/shoulder belt rather than the lower anchors (LATCH) once your child reaches about 40lbs (most car seats weigh close to 20 lbs). The has always been the case. People don't always read their manuals though and keep the seat installed using the LATCH anchors well beyond the point where it's safe. The LATCH anchors can only take so much force before they fail. That has all been calculated and comes down to a combined weight of 65lbs before you reach the threshold where failure might occur.

 

[tvguy]

What is the violation? All they are saying is that you should install your car seat using the lap/shoulder belt rather than the lower anchors (LATCH) once your child reaches about 40lbs (most car seats weigh close to 20 lbs). The has always been the case. People don't always read their manuals though and keep the seat installed using the LATCH anchors well beyond the point where it's safe. The LATCH anchors can only take so much force before they fail. That has all been calculated and comes down to a combined weight of 65lbs before you reach the threshold where failure might occur.

I can only guess that California law regarding latch anchors specifies something that is in conflict with this recommendation. We'll see, they hoped to have the answer next week. As the USA Today article was from last year, they weren't even sure that the recommendation had not been modified.