After ERF. 5 point harness or HBB?

[MidnightDinosaur]

After a child has grown out of their ERF seat, what is safer?

An extended harnessed FF seat or a HBB with adult seat belt.

I've googled loads and am getting conflicting answers.

Need to know whether to take the harness off my ds's seat or not.

TIA

[ilovepowerhoop]

what age/height/weight is the child?

[MidnightDinosaur]

He's 5. 22kgs, 112cm tall.

[MidnightDinosaur]

Actually, he's probably closer to 115cm tall now but I'm not sure height matters much.

His seat has the option to 5 point harness until 36kg and be used as a HBB until 54 (ish) kg so I just need to know which is safer so I can change/leave the seat to suit.

Like I said, so many conflicting opinions regarding extended harnessing that I'm a bit confused.

[AliceMum09]

I think the seatbelt option is safer. With the 5-point harness there is more force put on the child's neck in the event of a crash - the body is held back very tightly but the head is flung forward. If the child is restrained by a seatbelt their body also moves forward slightly, putting less strain on the neck.

At age 5 his body should be developed enough to stand the force of the seatbelt properly. This link explains why putting a 2 year old in a high backed booster, even if they weigh 18kgs, is not a good idea, but could also show that at 5 years old it's ok to use the seatbelt www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.414443542032834.1073741882.282362311907625&type=3

As long as the high backed booster you chose routes the seatbelt correctly (across the chest, not the neck, and as close to the thighs as possible - not across the tummy) then it will be safe.

[MirandaWest]

54 kg sounds quite heavy to be using a HBB - that's about 8.5 stone.

[MidnightDinosaur]

quietly and Alice those are the types of differing opinions I have seen already. I was leaning more towards taking the harness off and using adult belt but then there's all these "extended harnessing" pages that try and tell us that a 5 point harness is always safer.

Miranda this is the seat we have We originally bought it because it had the highest weight limit for rear facing at the time but also because it would be the only seat we ever needed to buy with it going from birth until he no longer needs a seat.

[MidnightDinosaur]

Just looked at that link Alice and the first thing they say is

"Children who are too heavy for their harnessed car seat and under 135cm tall must use a booster seat."

But he's not too heavy for his harnessed seat so should I keep him in it or put him in booster anyway? I see what you're saying about his body being held back in the seat and his head flying forwards in a crash and that's one of the reasons that are making me think about this but like quietly said, F1 drivers use 5 point harnesses. I've heard they have their helmets tethered to the seat to stop their head flinging forward in a crash. I'm no F1 fan though so I don't know if this is correct or not.

See, a minefield. So much information on Extended Rear Facing being safer but not much about what is the safest option after that.

[JellyTipisthebest]

I would use the one you have with the harness until it expires then get a high back booster. If you are in NZ with every mouth that goes buy there seams to be more seats from euro. Some of the ones from oz and usa are not as safe at the ones from the eu.
The britax adventure and the rodi fix from baby on the move are both good. Plunket also sell the adventure and did have it a bit cheaper

[byfiona]

www.kickstarter.com/projects/248260939/inidouh-keeping-kids-safe-in-their-seats

found this and thought it was great!

[Tweetinat]

If you contact InCarSafety they will tell you that FF in a 5 point harness is far far safer (providing your child is within the weight/height limits) than HBB. This was a major consideration in which car seat we bought DS. they're fantastic over the phone and will spend ages giving you advice so do call them if you want to put your mind at rest.