This has been on my mind. We have a 7 year old daughter (40 pounds) and due to have a baby in August. We own a 1986 Crown Victoria that only has lap belts in the back seat.
What is the safest scenario for our two kids in the back seat? Do I need to purchase some sort of kit to get shoulder belts in the back? I am planning on buying the Chicco Keyfit 30 for the baby. Our daughter is currently sitting in her booster in the front seat so she can have a shoulder belt. There is naturally not airbag worries in such an old car.
thanks!
I wouldn't have her in the front seat ever- even though there are no airbags. She could go right through the windshield. How tall is she? You could get her a 5pt harness combination seat like the Britax Frontier 85 and have her in the back seat.
You would be very wise to take your kids, your car and their seat to a local seat inspector near you and NOT rely on the opinions of parents anywhere--as 6 of 10 people use or install their own car seats improperly! I think it would be god use of your time. You could save O. of your childrens lives.
I think that's the car I learned to drive in. :)
I'm not sure there is such a kit. I would stop by your local fire station and ask them-they always have someone who is a CS install expert or will point you in the right direction.
I'd check with the folks at http://www.car-seat.org - many of them are certified child passenger safety technicians who are very helpful and well informed on things like whether older vehicles can be retrofit with shoulder belts or top tether anchors.
I agree with the posters who said that the safest solution that can be done immediately is to purchase a good combination seat (forward facing seat that can be used with 5 point harness or without harness as a belt positioning booster) such as a Graco Nautilus or a Britax Frontier. Harnessed car seats can be installed with lap only belts (locking clips may be required - this is another area where the techs at car-seat.org can be really helpful).
If your car cannot be retrofit with shoulder belts but can be retrofitted with top tether anchors, there are products such as the RideSafer Travel Vest and the EZ-On 86Y harness that allow children who have outgrown harnessed child safety seats to be safely buckled in vehicles with lap-only belts
At only 40 pounds, I'd get your daughter a 5-point harness. She would be much safer in that than a booster. We love our Britax Frontier 85 seats (we have 3). Your daughter could use it for a couple years and then could be passed on to your new baby when he/she turns 2. Perhaps by then, your older daughter would be a better fit for a booster...... I would NOT put her in the back without a shoulder strap if you are going to continue using a booster....
If she is only 40lbs she can still fit (and IMO should be) in a high back booster with a 5 pt harness in the back seat. Air bag or no air bag, kids are safer in the back seat.
This video says so much.
Hello, As far as the regular child restraint systems, if you think about how you install them, the lap part of the belt is the part which secures the seat in. As far as a booster seat without it's own 5 point harness, your child would only have the lap part on her.
Good luck with your precious family.
K. K.
