Help with car seat query

[amyruk]

I have a quoestion about the graco junior maxi highback. My partner is going through courts to have access to his Son, and finally after a year he gets him on a saturday for 2 hours, however the carseat we have is apparently not safe and illegal according to my partners ex for thier 3 year old son. We have sent her the links to it and she's still arguing that he can't go in it. He is big for his age just wondering if anyone can give me advise on this please even if there is something that states that it is from 3 years and not illegal. Thank you.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Carseats go on weight (and height) so her son may be too light for the seat.

[Bamaluz]

I expect she wants him in a five point harness because it is safer.

[amyruk]

Yeah it's a 5 point harness she wants us to use, he is a big 3 he is the height of my 5 year old daughter. Is the one I'm using illegal if he is the right height and weight?

Thanks for your replies.

[ilovepowerhoop]

its not illegal but is certainly not as safe as a harnessed seat. They can stay in most harnessed seats until they reach 18kgs. They have to be a minimum of 15kgs to use a high backed booster but they are safer staying in the harnessed seat until they are 18kgs. 3 is very young to be using the adult seatbelt to restrain them rather than a 5 point harness.

Some of the graco high backed seats get a dont buy from Which as well so I would check that out too

[ilovepowerhoop]

you could get a 123 seat that would do him with the harness up until he is 18kgs and then can be used without the harness after that.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Could you just ask her which seat she uses and then just buy the same? or ask that the carseat travels with the child?

[amyruk]

We have bought a 5 point harness one now, just seems unnecessary as the one we had seemed fine. Just want to know if it was illegal. She would not have let us use hers.

[Squtternutbaush]

If he's under 15kg then yes its illegal.

But she is right in saying its not safe, children should ideally use a 5 point harness until18kg and then move onto a high back booster with decent side impact protection.

The Graco boosters are notoriously flimsy and are not what I'd want my child travelling in frequently.

[ilovepowerhoop]

I would want my child in the safest seat possible. I dont think that Graco seat looks as if it provides much side impact protection and it is safer for a 3 year old to have a harnessed seat. The age guide on highbacked boosters is also 4+ alongside the weight guide of minimum 15kgs (but preferably wait until 18kgs). If he is over 18kgs then the harness should no longer be used.

[SoonToBeSix]

Surely wether it is illegal or not is a side issue compared to safety. I would never use that type of car seat for a three year old. Glad you dh has shelled out the extra money to keep his ds safe.

[ilovepowerhoop]

if you want a high backed seat with better side impact protection then something like the maxi cosi rodi seat would be much more appropriate than that graco seat

[amyruk]

Thank you everyone.