Child Seat Advice

[rhinochopig]

Does anyone have the definitive answer with respect to a fwd facing seat in the front of a car with air-bag still active - is this a yes or a no?

There seems to be conflicting information on this.

[boobles]

rhinochopig said:

Does anyone have the definitive answer with respect to a fwd facing seat in the front of a car with air-bag still active - is this a yes or a no?

There seems to be conflicting information on this.

Thee answer is no. Airbags are designed specifically for adults & not children in child seats.

[rhinochopig]

boobles said:

rhinochopig said:

Does anyone have the definitive answer with respect to a fwd facing seat in the front of a car with air-bag still active - is this a yes or a no?

There seems to be conflicting information on this.

Thee answer is no. Airbags are designed specifically for adults & not children in child seats.

Thanks boobles. Confirms what I thought, but nice to know I'm not being an overly nannying parent.

[DBSV8]

out of interest of the new cars that have airbag disable switches , how reliable are these with rear facing seats fitted in front seat vehicles .

Interested if there has been any failures resulting in injury

[boobles]

I dont understand that question fully? ^^^^^^^^^^

[DBSV8]

boobles said:

I dont understand that question fully? ^^^^^^^^^^

The question was some modern cars have switches to turn off the front passenger airbags , thus allowing you to place a rear facing child seat in the front passenger seat.

I was wondering if there have been any reported failures where people have disabled the front airbags ( turning off the switch ) and then had an accident where the front passenger airbags have activated .

[boobles]

DBSV8 said:

boobles said:

I dont understand that question fully? ^^^^^^^^^^

The question was some modern cars have switches to turn off the front passenger airbags , thus allowing you to place a rear facing child seat in the front passenger seat.

I was wondering if there have been any reported failures where people have disabled the front airbags ( turning off the switch ) and then had an accident where the front passenger airbags have activated .

Thank you, I understand now.

Not to my knowledge no.

[jonnydrama]

I definately need some advice mate!

Do you have any information regarding how isofix bases should sit on the rear bench, recommended clearances, degree's/angle the seat should be at? I was at mothercare and tried a recaro seat in my BMW E90 335i and to be honest the girl there didn't know her arse from her elbow!

[TROOPER88]

Hi Boobles
Our daughter turned 3 yesterday and uses an excellent quality child seat in the back.

My question regards the useage of a booster seat. Does it go by the stature of the child as to when they become OK to use?

I used the booster in a different car with her this morning. I placed the booster in the front on the passenegr seat and the belt seemed to fit ok.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

[boobles]

jonnydrama said:

I definately need some advice mate!

Do you have any information regarding how isofix bases should sit on the rear bench, recommended clearances, degree's/angle the seat should be at? I was at mothercare and tried a recaro seat in my BMW E90 335i and to be honest the girl there didn't know her arse from her elbow!

We don't have information like this, but there are these... They will tell you exactly which seats will fit in properly.

http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/fit-finder/

http://www.maxi-cosi.com/gb-en/carselector

[boobles]

TROOPER88 said:

Hi Boobles
Our daughter turned 3 yesterday and uses an excellent quality child seat in the back.

My question regards the useage of a booster seat. Does it go by the stature of the child as to when they become OK to use?

I used the booster in a different car with her this morning. I placed the booster in the front on the passenegr seat and the belt seemed to fit ok.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

Typically once the child is 15kg or approx 4yrs old, this is when you should look at using a booster & not before. Do you have a "booster" or whats called a "high back booster" this comes with a back part rather than just a base. Because of there design, you shouldn't have any issues with installing such seats.

[LooneyTunes]

Interesting articles for those looking at rear facing car seats - seems like the US are now advocating use of rear facing seats for as long as possible:

US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said:

Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car
seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the
rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

Link

The American Academy of Pediatrics said:

All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Safety Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer

Link

[GT Kodiak]

Hi boobles,

Thank you for offering advice.

My other half is currently looking into our next step (daugher at 6 months) out of the baby seat.

she's getting drawn in to the Front facing vs Rear facing debate. I'm unsure if this has already been covered in this topic as I read most of it a while ago and have luckily just seen it pop up on page 1.

She's drawing figures from sweden saying that they find rear facing seats to be 70% safer. I pointed out that as Sweden is largely covered in snow they're more likely to slide and incur a frontal impact thus making a rear facing seat safer.

But in the UK my gut feeling says that the majority of crashes are rear end shunts, I consider a front facing seat to be safer in this instance.

I'd rather have a front facing seat as I want my daughter, Elise, to enjoy going on a drive and see the road ahead.

What's your opinion?

EDIT: seems I should have read the current page...

[boobles]

It's about time the UK adopts this attitude.

[boobles]

GT Kodiak said:

Hi boobles,

Thank you for offering advice.

My other half is currently looking into our next step (daugher at 6 months) out of the baby seat.

she's getting drawn in to the Front facing vs Rear facing debate. I'm unsure if this has already been covered in this topic as I read most of it a while ago and have luckily just seen it pop up on page 1.

She's drawing figures from sweden saying that they find rear facing seats to be 70% safer. I pointed out that as Sweden is largely covered in snow they're more likely to slide and incur a frontal impact thus making a rear facing seat safer.

But in the UK my gut feeling says that the majority of crashes are rear end shunts, I consider a front facing seat to be safer in this instance.

I'd rather have a front facing seat as I want my daughter, Elise, to enjoy going on a drive and see the road ahead.

What's your opinion?

Rear facing is safe even in a rear collision. Most rear facing seats come with floor tether kits or rebound bars which are specifically designed for this type of collision. Ofcourse, I am not suggesting that forward facing is "un-safe" & if you are happy to have a forward facing seat, have one, they are absolutely fine if fitted correctly.

[TROOPER88]

boobles said:

Typically once the child is 15kg or approx 4yrs old, this is when you should look at using a booster & not before. Do you have a "booster" or whats called a "high back booster" this comes with a back part rather than just a base. Because of there design, you shouldn't have any issues with installing such seats.

We just have a booster that is just the base with no back support.

So are you saying that we should stop using it until she is 15kg?

Thank you for your advice

[boobles]

TROOPER88 said:

boobles said:

Typically once the child is 15kg or approx 4yrs old, this is when you should look at using a booster & not before. Do you have a "booster" or whats called a "high back booster" this comes with a back part rather than just a base. Because of there design, you shouldn't have any issues with installing such seats.

We just have a booster that is just the base with no back support.

So are you saying that we should stop using it until she is 15kg?

Thank you for your advice

15kg is only a guidline or 4yrs of age. If she is way below 15kg then you must keep her in a harnessed seat until she is ready.

[lenats31]

GT Kodiak said:

Hi boobles,

Thank you for offering advice.

My other half is currently looking into our next step (daugher at 6 months) out of the baby seat.

she's getting drawn in to the Front facing vs Rear facing debate. I'm unsure if this has already been covered in this topic as I read most of it a while ago and have luckily just seen it pop up on page 1.

She's drawing figures from sweden saying that they find rear facing seats to be 70% safer. I pointed out that as Sweden is largely covered in snow they're more likely to slide and incur a frontal impact thus making a rear facing seat safer.

But in the UK my gut feeling says that the majority of crashes are rear end shunts, I consider a front facing seat to be safer in this instance.


I'd rather have a front facing seat as I want my daughter, Elise, to enjoy going on a drive and see the road ahead.

What's your opinion?

EDIT: seems I should have read the current page...

There is usually a lot of "give" in rear impacts since the cars are going in the same direction. This combined with floor tethers or front braces which reduce movement and loads even more....

Most rearfacing children will have a nice view through the rear window and side windows as well.

Plus it is very easy for them to communicate with older siblings in the car who are facing forward. Personally we have only faced trouble in our car once. that was on a 5 hour drive, where we had placed our little 3-year-old man Mathias in a rearfacing seat right next to his 6 year-old sister in her booster seat. he became tired so we reclined his seat (placed in middle rear position). Then he started poking her face with his feet. SO we regretted the recline pretty quickly and put the seat back in upright position. then he started crying Lucky for us there was only about 30 min. until we reached our destination. Aaaaaand we positioned his seat behind the passenger front seat on the drive home

Lena

[phil1979]

Hello Boobles

A quick question if I may...

Our little one is due any day now. I already have an Easyfix base attached via Isofix in my Alfa GT, for use with the Maxicosi Cabriofix seat. All good.

We are getting a second car, and her folks have offered us their Ford Fusion (jacked us Fiesta thingy) for next to nothing, with few miles, which would be ideal as a shopping car / vomit comet.

As all the pram etc is bought, can you advise on what base would fit the Fusion, and how it would attach (belts or isofix), so that we can use the Cabriofix seat as planned? The Fusion is a 2003 5-door.

Cheers
Phil.

[boobles]

phil1979 said:

Hello Boobles

A quick question if I may...

Our little one is due any day now. I already have an Easyfix base attached via Isofix in my Alfa GT, for use with the Maxicosi Cabriofix seat. All good.

We are getting a second car, and her folks have offered us their Ford Fusion (jacked us Fiesta thingy) for next to nothing, with few miles, which would be ideal as a shopping car / vomit comet.

As all the pram etc is bought, can you advise on what base would fit the Fusion, and how it would attach (belts or isofix), so that we can use the Cabriofix seat as planned? The Fusion is a 2003 5-door.

Cheers
Phil.

Hi,

According to the MaxiCosi website, the seat in question is not compatible with the Isofix base in this vehicle.
It would appear that you can only use it with just the seat (no base) & 3pt adult belt only.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&am...