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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be upset with exH about car seat?

62 replies

Minstrelsaremarvellous · 19/03/2012 16:36

I've just found out that ExH is using a booster seat (no back/sides or head support) for our 4yr old DD. I have her in a proper car seat and I'm really safety conscious about things like this. He has got 2 other children and so has probably put her in the booster to get all the kids in his car but he drives a massive Volvo 4x4. Not sure how to handle it. I'm assuming it's legal?

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 20/03/2012 09:35

now I'm confusing myself! - from the above link they no longer make booster seats that are only group 2 or 3 but you can get group 2 or group 3 booster cushions (the spares I have are group 2 and suitable from 15kgs). The integrated booster in the volvo car is suitable from 15kgs too.

Seona1973 · 20/03/2012 09:36

if the airbag is on wth a child in the front then the seat should be moved as far back from the dashboard as possible

Liz79 · 20/03/2012 09:43

Right, but for interests of child behind, seat should be forwards so they can't kick it? Think there some safety aspect to tjat?

5madthings · 20/03/2012 10:08

god its a minefield isnt it?!

i would always turn the airbag off with a child in the front, i think that is what is recomended even for a forward facing seat? and the bit about moving the seat as far bag as possible is something i just found, no idea with kids int he back, just tell them not to kick the seat?

its the maxi cosi rodi that we have as well and its plenty big enough for my 7yr old.

most boosters are from 15kg but that is with a back, the info i found on removing the back or using one without a back is that child should be 22kg, by 9yr old is almost that, he is a skinny thing tho!

Liz79 · 20/03/2012 10:12

I think its that child in back shouldn't be able to reach front seat. If they can kick it its too close. Same principle as front child being far away from dash board I suppose.

Do airbags make adults safer but children less so?

5madthings · 20/03/2012 10:15

i guess in that case have it far enough so the child behind cant reach so put the child with the shortest legs behind front passenger and the move the seat as far back as you can without them being able to kick it, compromise?

and i think the airbags arent safe for children in the front no, i may do some more googling but the links i found say even with just booster seat etc turn off the airbag.

Amateurish · 20/03/2012 10:21

YABU, he is entitled to make his own parenting choices. I presume that he is doing this so that he can fit three kids in the back of his car, which is normally not possible with three full size child seats.

Your example of letting your daughter snort drugs is not a fair one, since that is of course very illegal.

jocie · 20/03/2012 10:49

how old are the other children?
as has been said before yes its legal but its not the safest although its better than nothing.
Is she in the middle? Are there car seats either side of her? If so then as someone else said there will be some form of side p[rotection. if the shouldre strap soesnt sit right there is a product you can buy that has passed safety standards i'll just see if i can find it and link to it.
think this is it, halfords used to sell it but can't find it on their website, you might be able to get it cheaper than this if you search around
autosafe seatbelt adjuster
it was on dragons den and has been Crash tested to ECE R44 03 and verified by the VCA

lagoonhaze · 20/03/2012 10:52

I have to allow ex partner to make many choices I'm not comfortable with but things like car safety is something I won't budge on.

technodad · 20/03/2012 11:07

The explosive force of an airbag expanding will damage a child. Since a child is at less risk of coming into contact with the dashboard (because their body is shorter) there should be no need to have the airbag switched on anyway. Definitely switch it off for all young kids, or better still put them in the back if you can.

Putting a child on a booster seat between two high backed seats may not be good either because the high backs are likely to actually crush the child in the middle in a side impact case. The rear backed chairs are designed to spread the side impact load round the occupant so the load doesn't go through their body, so it would likely transmit the load to the person in the middle seat. However when you are travelling with 3 kids, you have to make compromises. Even the big people carriers with the two extra seats in the boot area are not ideal because those seats reside in the rear crumple zone area.

Pick your least favourite child to go in the middle!

Liz79 · 20/03/2012 11:32

We are still on the fence about dc3 & things like this put me off. I did get ny friends baby in-between my Kids fine but was pita & hurt my fingers. I found it hard making comprises when ds came along, previously we did whatever was best for dd, without fail.now we have to consider ds too & do what's best all round, which isn't always what we would have done for dd alone.

BeckyBrandonNeeBloomwood · 20/03/2012 12:55

I would go mental. Although booster cushions by themselves are legal (as long as the child is the appropriate weight) but frankly, they offer no actual protection in an accident. All they do is 'boost' the child up to the correct height so that the adult seat belt fits them correctly and therfore isnt pressing on internal organs that may be crushed in an accident.

I cannot bear them and they have been trying to remove them from the market for a few years.

Just show him something like

sorry but he sounds like an ignorant twat

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