1 Minute Tip: Learn WHY babies & toddlers ride rear-facing from this fantastic video.
Babies ride rear-facing. Everyone knows that. But do you know why (and not just because safety experts say so). This 1 minute video explains "why" more eloquently than any I've seen before. If everyone forwards this video to one parent of a toddler - think how many kids could get to ride 5 times safer!
I'm curious- is this suuposed to be a properly installed seat? The shoulder straps look really loose in the beginning. I'd like to send this to others, but have a feeling if skeptics notice the loose straps they won't jump on the extended rear-facing wagon! :) (at least that is my experience)
Rachel - This is a computer simulation so I know how the straps look a little loose (this is due to the computer rendering of the image) but it is an accurate portrayal of the forward-facing crash dynamics if you look at actual crash test footage with similar european seats.
This also doesn't seem to have a five point harness. Wouldn't the chest clip provide a tiny bit more protection? Does the car seat actually fling forward off the seat like that if it's properly latched?
This car seat has a 5 point harness (1 above each shoulder, one on either hip and one between the legs) - but as this video was made in Europe there is no chest clip as they do not use chest clips on their seats.
Yes, the car seat really does move forward away from the vehicle seat even when properly installed - even with a properly installed forward-facing car seat and a tether attached the child's head may still move up to 28 inches forward (measuring from approximately the back of the vehicle seat)! Without a tether the head often moves 4-8 inches further forward than it would if the tether was attached!
I think it's interesting that that it states "until a child is 4yo" but the child in the video is clearly not 4 yo. In fact, the child looks like he's only 1 [based on the proprtion of the child to seat] and seat is not adjacent to the car's rear seatback. By 18, my rear facing child's legs were spread on either side of the carseat bc they were way too long. I'd like to see a new simulation with a 2 or even 3yo. I'd also like to hear testimony of parents whose 3yo's are happily sitting in their car rear facing for longer then 30-60 minutes.
Well, my daughter is 3 years old now and rode that way in her car seat for 4 days, 8-9 hours a day, when we drove across country without a complaint. Recently, we found she would have to have the bottom clip in the forward facing position, so we gave her the choice of forward facing, or using a different convertible that would have her rearfacing longer. She chose... REAR FACING! Really! I had shown her videos like this after the trip, and she saw a car accident that we passed. She has dinosaurs on the back of the seat to look at, and things to do facing rear. She chose it, she's still facing rear.
Broken leg cast it. Broken neck casket. I've been in two accidents in the past 3 months and will take no chances. I'm flipping my 30 pound 4 year old back to rear facing in a Sunshine Radian. My 2.5 year old will be RFing in a Radian too and my almost 6 year old in a frontier.
I'm curious- is this suuposed to be a properly installed seat? The shoulder straps look really loose in the beginning. I'd like to send this to others, but have a feeling if skeptics notice the loose straps they won't jump on the extended rear-facing wagon! :) (at least that is my experience)
ReplyDeleteRachel - This is a computer simulation so I know how the straps look a little loose (this is due to the computer rendering of the image) but it is an accurate portrayal of the forward-facing crash dynamics if you look at actual crash test footage with similar european seats.
ReplyDeleteThis also doesn't seem to have a five point harness. Wouldn't the chest clip provide a tiny bit more protection? Does the car seat actually fling forward off the seat like that if it's properly latched?
ReplyDeleteThis car seat has a 5 point harness (1 above each shoulder, one on either hip and one between the legs) - but as this video was made in Europe there is no chest clip as they do not use chest clips on their seats.
ReplyDeleteYes, the car seat really does move forward away from the vehicle seat even when properly installed - even with a properly installed forward-facing car seat and a tether attached the child's head may still move up to 28 inches forward (measuring from approximately the back of the vehicle seat)! Without a tether the head often moves 4-8 inches further forward than it would if the tether was attached!
I think it's interesting that that it states "until a child is 4yo" but the child in the video is clearly not 4 yo. In fact, the child looks like he's only 1 [based on the proprtion of the child to seat] and seat is not adjacent to the car's rear seatback. By 18, my rear facing child's legs were spread on either side of the carseat bc they were way too long. I'd like to see a new simulation with a 2 or even 3yo. I'd also like to hear testimony of parents whose 3yo's are happily sitting in their car rear facing for longer then 30-60 minutes.
ReplyDeleteWell, my daughter is 3 years old now and rode that way in her car seat for 4 days, 8-9 hours a day, when we drove across country without a complaint. Recently, we found she would have to have the bottom clip in the forward facing position, so we gave her the choice of forward facing, or using a different convertible that would have her rearfacing longer. She chose... REAR FACING! Really! I had shown her videos like this after the trip, and she saw a car accident that we passed. She has dinosaurs on the back of the seat to look at, and things to do facing rear. She chose it, she's still facing rear.
ReplyDeleteBroken leg cast it. Broken neck casket. I've been in two accidents in the past 3 months and will take no chances. I'm flipping my 30 pound 4 year old back to rear facing in a Sunshine Radian. My 2.5 year old will be RFing in a Radian too and my almost 6 year old in a frontier.
ReplyDelete