Carseat Question - Salt Lake City,UT

You use the harness on his carseat as long as it is permitted per the car seat's limits. He is too young to use a high back booster at this point. It is not safe to use a high back booster until a child is typically 5/6 years old which is when 1) their frames are stable enough to withstand a crash should one happen and 2) they can sit properly in a booster 100% of the time and the seat belt sits properly across their hips not on the stomach and the belt sits against the shoulder not the neck. You are correct that it is safest to keep him harnessed.

4 out of 5 people use or install car seats incorrectly.
That means that 4 out of 5 opinions or answers you get to this question are incorrect!

Find a certified child seat inspector NOW. In your area. Free. They will look at YOUR child in HIS seat in YOUR car(s) and tell you what is the best safety option. They may provide no cost/low cost seats as well.
www.seatcheck.org will help you find a location.
Or call your local police department. Usually they have at least O. officer that is certified.
You say you can afford a new car seat, but can you afford to lose a child?
Good luck!

what BeckyW said (with a note that some newer versions of the Alpha Omega have a 50 lb. harnessed weight limit - check your manual to find out what your specific seat's harnessed weight limit is) :-) - here's a link to a CPST review explaining/illustrating why the Alpha Omega is not recommended as a booster http://carseatblog.com/906/alpha-omega-elite-eddie-bauer-...

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/carseats/g/high_back.htm

This might help.

Hi Jane! I absolutely agree w/ Denise. I am a CPST, and we see a ton of incorrectly installed seats or seats that are not the correct size or type for that specific child. MOST car seat harnesses only go to 40 lbs-- but there are some that go above that. Even before you schedule an appt w/ your local fire or police station (or any certified tech), you can check the Alpha Omega's owner's manual to see what weight the harness can support. I'm pretty sure it's 40 lbs. It's best to keep kids in a harness as long as possible, so you could purchase a seat that has a higher harness weight (I believe SunShine Kids and Britax both make seat that has an 80 or 100 lb limit on the harness). However, purchasing a new car seat isn't always feasible for every family, so your son could start using only the seat belt. You can find (slightly out of date) child restraint laws on

http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/safety-laws

"Utah’s law requires children ages 7 & under who are less than 57” in height to be restrained in a child restraint device."

I know IL has a three-prong approach-- your child needs to be 80lbs or 8 years old or a certain height (I can't remember what the height is). However, the SafeKids site has IL law listed incorrectly, so maybe Utah's is too!

Sorry about that, anyway, every state is different legally, but safety-wise, all children should remain harnessed as long as possible. That's the safest way to travel. But at 40 lbs, it's your call! Forgot to add-- NEVER exceed the suggested weight limit on a harness, it has only been crash-tested to the limit that is listed, so it may not protect your son in a crash when he's over 40 lbs.

Please let me know if I can help at all :)
J.

I think Britax has a booster seat with the 5 point harness...

Get a Britax Frontier85! (5-point harness till 85#.)

I was trying to look up this carseat because all of them vary greatly. I couldn't find the specifics on this one so I will tell you what I know from experience...check the manual that came w/ your carseat. If you can not locate it, call the company and verify what the guidelines for THAT carseat is.

Most carseats like this one (mine is similiar but a different brand) is rea-facing from 5-22 or 25lbs, forward facing from 22 or 25 - 40 or 45 lbs, and belt-positioning booster seat from that to 80 or 100 lbs. With each option, there is both a height and weight requirement (neither should be exceeded or it is not safe). Most state laws are the minimum but not the safest. Most states have the minimum requirement and may just specify that a seat is required and for you to follow manufacturer's directions.

I have a booster seat that was given to me that my daughter is of height and weight to be in, but she seems too small in it (it is a no-back booster). It does not seem safe so we don't use it. My niece is old enough to legally not be in a carseat, in my car she uses a booster because she is not big enough to do so safely.

The Alpha Omega wll only harness to 40lbs. The top notch on the back is ONLY for booster mode and cannot be used with the harness, so the top usable slot for the harness is second to the top. A forward facing car seat is outgrown when one of three things happens; the tips of the ears become level with the seat back, the child goes over the weight limit, or the shoulders go over the top usable harness slot.

So he's 40lbs, he's at the weight limit for the harness. I'm guessing his shoulders are over that top harness slot too if he's 4yrs old because its a super short seat.

The Alpha Omega makes a terrible booster seat! It has failed every single crash test it has been in in booster mode. Don't use it as a booster seat.

Technically he's big enough for a HIGH BACK BOOSTER SEAT like the Graco Turbobooster that uses the adult belt only. But he has to be mature enough to sit the entire ride without bending, reaching, laying over, putting the belt behind his back, sleeping, etc.

BUT a harness is always safer. the Graco Nautilus will harness to 65lbs and fits most kids height wise to age 6/7 in the harness, then becomes a high back booster to 100lbs. This is a great choice for you too since your daughter can use the seat when your son outgrows it. You would spend $60 or so on a High back booster, the Nautilus is $150. Definentely worth the investment, and keeping your little guy safe.