Safety when seats are reclined?

[roadtripper]

Hi all-
First post to this board-- forgive me if this is a common question. We are driving straight through from MA, and want the kids to sleep in the van. We have reclining buckets in the back. Is it safe for the kids to sleep (belted, of course) with the buckets reclined? A physics teacher told me it's "slightly less safe" than upright, since the child could slide under the belt at a quick stop. Neither child needs a car seat (7,5). Any advice? Thanks.

 

[DVC-Don]

The further back you recline the seats, the less safe it is in a collision.

 

[roadtripper]

Thank you Don. Do you know why that is? The new seatbelts can be "locked" so that the kids are practically pinned down to the seat. Is it the angle of the seat? Forgive all the questions, but I don't want to put the kids at risk for a little convenience. These physics questions are not my strength!

 

[safetymom]

Yes, it is not safe to do this. I doubt you can lock the belts. They will lock up in a crash but by then they will have slipped. By reclining the seat you are exerting crash forces on parts of the body that weren't meant to absorb them.

 

[DVC-Don]

In a collision, they will slide under the belts. This increases the chance of internal injury from the belts. Belts are designed and tested with the seats upright.

 

[poohraedopey]

Originally posted by safetymom
Yes, it is not safe to do this. I doubt you can lock the belts. They will lock up in a crash but by then they will have slipped. By reclining the seat you are exerting crash forces on parts of the body that weren't meant to absorb them.

Actually safteymom all NEW vehicles now have LOCKING seat belts. If you pull them all the way out they LOCK and you can hear it clicking tight as you feed the extra back in. It became law due to carseats and peopel not proerly installing them with locking clips. SO instead of using the extra clips now they auto lock. I beleive all vehichles manufactured after 1998 were suposed to be phasing them in and as of 2000 or 2001 they are required.

As far as allowing the kids to sleep reclined while you drive I agree bad BAD bad idea. Even with the belt locked they could slide down under. And I dont actually think you are suposed to *lock* a child under a locking belt. They are designed only for carseat and to lock in the event of an accident. I know they wont be as comfy but I think they would be okay mostly upright to sleep. I'm not even entirely sure its legal to drive with passengers reclined at this point?


Anyways thats my 2 cents LOL!

 

[safetymom]

For anyone having questions about Car seats, booster seats, etc. you should go to
www.carseat.org

The locking feature of the belts is good for car seats but not for children. This site also talks about submarining, which is what happens when you are reclined.

My thoughts are to better safe than sorry. I am sure they will not have a problem sleeping in an upright position.

 

[roadtripper]

Thank you for the link about carseats-- I have copied some of the post here for those who are interested:from www.carseat.org

"Although the most upright position probably still provides the most effective overall restraint in terms of load distribution to appropriate bony structures, a certified reclined position may be used for a sleeping child or to make the CR conform to the enclosed angle of the vehicle seat for a tighter installation. " (CR is child restraint)

Thanks to all for the input!