A Car Seat Primer

[burgler]

Two questions from the original post:

1) What are "Lock-offs"?

2) What is "Tethering", which is also noted is served by an "anti-rebound bar"?

Thanks!!!!

[jackyl08]

Originally Posted by burgler Two questions from the original post: 1) What are "Lock-offs"? 2) What is "Tethering", which is also noted is served by an "anti-rebound bar"? Thanks!!!!

Lock offs take the place of a locking clip(the H-shaped metal clip used to lock seatbelts). Not many seats have them, but they are very convenient when they do. Most vehicles have locking seatbelts, so lockoffs or a locking clip are not usually needed.

Tethers are on the top of the back of the car seat. All seats have them for forward facing use. They are just a strap that you hook onto the anchor in your vehicle. A few seats, like the Radian, all Britax convertibles and the Combi Coccoro allow tethering while rearfacing. The First Years True Fit Premiere uses an anti-rebound bar, which is a square of plastic attached to the foot area of the car seat and keeps the seat from rebounding into the back of the seat of the car.

[KB'sMama1031]

love this!

[tweety612]

nevermind

[cokelush]

I'm apparently going to have to start FFing my currently RFing 4 yo granddaughter. Now, there was something I read some time ago about how the straps hit on the child differing with RFing and FFing. Can someone tell me which is correct for sure?

In RFing the straps should be/can be a bit LOWER than the child's shoulder.
In FFing the straps should be a bit HIGHER than the child's shoulder.

I only have my granddaughter 2x a week and while I set her's up correctly some time ago - I don't have her here to verify which is right. Thanks!

[jackyl08]

Yes, for forward facing, they should be at or above the shoulders.

[cokelush]

thanks!

[lilychic4]

Would it be possible to update the info for this post?

The AAP recommend rear-facing to a bare minimum of 2 years old and then to the maximum fit of the car seat. The National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration recommends rear-facing to age 4 if possible or to the maximum of the car seat.
The vertebrae in the neck are actually 3 separate bones in children. The muscles and tendons of the neck can stretch up to 2" before showing visible injury. But the spinal cord will snap after only 1/4" movement. The vertebrae begin to fuse into a solid ring of bone to protect the spinal cord somewhere between ages 3-6.

Age 4-7 years should be in a harness as long as possible. Children should remain in a booster until age 12 (if possible) for the pelvis to mature enough to be able to withstand accident forces without the support of a child restraint.
The earliest a child should move out of a booster is when they can pass the 5-step test, which will vary in each vehicle:
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

http://www.safercar.gov/parents/RightSeat.htm