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Original poster

Booster seats and airbags? Compatible or not?

27 replies

Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 15:39

I'm currently looking at getting a couple of booster seats for dd - probably the Britax Kid as her permanent one and a Britax Horizon as a stand-by in the car for friends.
The Britax site however states that, on no account should car seats be used on seats where there is an airbag here - this has confused me as I thought it was just the rear facing ones where this was a no no - I was hoping to be able to stick dd in the front seat on occasion when ferrying friends around. Is it just them being over-cautious or is this a generally accepted thing?

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Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 15:40

oops, precise page didn't link - see under 'safety' on Britax website.

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followthestarlover · 05/12/2005 15:41

I think that if you have rear seats with seatblets then it is at least advised (if not law) to put kids in the back. You should only have them in the front if there are no restraints in the back... regardless of airbags!
If you do have her in the front you need to make sure the seat is pushed back as far as it will go

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 05/12/2005 15:41

I think the exact advice is that the safest place for children is in the back. If your child must travel in the front with an airbag, the seat should be positioned as far back from the dashboard as possible. Rear facing seats are a complete no no with an airbag.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 05/12/2005 15:44

They don't have to travel in the rear by law though.

Hulababy · 05/12/2005 15:46

I have just cancelled a car order because of the booster seat with airbag issue. I wasn't willing to take the risk.

The recommendation is to have the passenger seat as far back as it can go.

Can you turn the airbag off?

Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 15:46

I've checked the letter of the law and am happy that it's OK (if not ideal) - it was just the fact that Britax say "Don?t, under any circumstances, use any child car seat on a passenger seat fitted with an airbag" that momentarily threw me.

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Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 15:49

I understand about not taking any chances and the best place being in the back but what is the actual issue with booster seats and airbags? Surely a child on a booster cushion in the front seat is the same as an adult - what is the increased risk for the child?

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DoesntChristmasDragOn · 05/12/2005 15:50

I only allow DSs in the front for short journeys - eg shen ferrying friends It's not an option I would consider for regular use or long trips.

If the seat is way back, the child will be as far away from the airbag as it's possible to be. They're designed for an average adult's height and weight so could seriously injure a child. I would say Britax are being a little over cautious but probably rightly so..

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 05/12/2005 15:51

I think the weight/strength of a child plays a part in the safety too - they just don't match an adult to cope with the force of the bag.

followthestarlover · 05/12/2005 15:51

bear in mind the things explode at 200mph or something"

Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 15:56

Must admit I'm a bit nervous about allowing dd in the front seat - I did promise to pick up her friend from nursery on Weds though and one of them will therefore need to go in the front (ds is still in his stage 1 seat). I'm sure our parents didn't worry like this and their cars weren't half as safe even without the seatbelts and airbags etc

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NannyL · 05/12/2005 20:08

Ok, in my old boses car on the passenger sun viser thing was a note

"Children under 12 can be killed by an air bag"

That enough for me NEVER to let ANY child who is less than adult size use a seat with an airbag EVER!

As for cancelling you seat, the Britax kids is one of the safest seats you can get for older children, so id definitely go for it and NOT let any child sit in the front regardless!

elastamum · 05/12/2005 20:33

The force of an airbag going off is designed to restrain a fairly heavy adult. In some US built cars the assumption is that they may not be wearing a seatbelt. If a child is hit by one of these it can do them serious harm. Some cars have a switch to turn off passenger airbags if a child is in the set and My dh's car has a weight sensor in the seat which adjusts the force of the airbag according to the passenger weight. It still is not reccomended for children under six and definately not with a booster. I would make them sit in the back. They are much safer there

NotQuiteCockney · 05/12/2005 20:36

Some small adults are killed by airbags. The issue isn't booster seats and airbags, it's airbags and kids.

I don't think having a child in the front seat once in a while is a problem, but if you can disable your airbag, you should do it.

Hulababy · 05/12/2005 20:42

Something to do with airbags on Fifth Gear at the moment. They really go go off with a big explosion.

PantomimEDAMe · 05/12/2005 20:45

Disable the airbag. Airbags are designed for adult men and can harm or kill children. There are actually cases of women being hurt by airbags too (because of different height and weight).

Weatherwax · 05/12/2005 21:18

Isn't the law changing next year? I wouldn't put any child in the front whether the law say I could or not.

LIZS · 05/12/2005 21:20

iirc the law change doesn't rule out a child over 3 in the front seat.

Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 21:22

Right .....does anyone know whether you can disable the airbag in a Ford Focus (new edition)? Where's that manual?

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Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 21:34

Oh bum ....getting worried now. It's seems a real no no to put children in the front where there is an airbag fitted (can't disable ours it seems).
I have to transport 2 3yos and my baby ds on a very shprt local journey. Would it be safer just to have one of them in the middle with only the lap belt (no room for a second car seat)?
How do others get 3 in the back?

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NannyL · 05/12/2005 21:52

Can you REALLY not get the air bag disabled (even permenantly?) surely a garage can take the expolisve stuff out so it cant go off ever!

thats what i would do!
(im assuming you cant fit 3 child seats across the back) I would be very wary of using a lap belt on ANYone even more so a young child, due to the damage they can do to internally in a crash!

NannyL · 05/12/2005 21:53

Sorry just read that you cant get 3 seats in the back! (nor can i get 3 in my clio, tho if it was 2 or 3 inches wider i could!)

Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 22:19

I'm buying the booster cushion tomorrow so will experiment with 3 seats in the back then - it may be possible to squeeze dd's big car seat in the middle and secure it with the lap belt (instructions say this can be done) leaving space either side for the booster and stage 1 seat which require diagonal belts as well. We'll see.....

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PantomimEDAMe · 05/12/2005 22:48

Garage should be able to deactivate the airbag (no idea how costly this would be, mind).

Original poster
Roobietherednosedreindeer · 05/12/2005 22:54

I think they could install an on/off switch according to the Ford website which would be even better. Read somewhere though that insurers get a bit funny about this though....

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