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Original poster

New! EU wants to forbid forward facing car seats

301 replies

MissHH · 25/06/2008 07:03

Read more here:

kidsincars.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-european-research-children-should.html

What do you think? I can clearly understand why looking at that report.

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 02/07/2008 12:39

PP i'm not sure i explained very well. What if you have a car where the seats face backwards - not forwards. In that case should you use a ff seat so the baby is actually facing backwards or a rf seat so the baby is facing forwards.

MrsAki · 02/07/2008 14:40

MissHH: I have tried ... My daughter's name is Eiris, if that makes it any clearer. And I am apparently pushy.

nappyaddict · 02/07/2008 15:53

one other thing that i have been thinking about is if you forbid forward facing seats what happens if you can't fit 3 rear facing seats in back of your car but you have 3 children under 4?

Original poster
MissHH · 02/07/2008 16:42

MrsAki: I noticed shortly after I posted the link here, that you already where there

OP posts:
Pixiepants · 02/07/2008 18:05

nappyaddict, I can't find any info. on car seats which face backwards,apart from front captain seats which have to face forward when being driven, (esp. the driver .) Could you let me know which car you mean?

I still think a car seat should be only used for it's intended direction, but I'm not a trained expert or anything. RF seats only offer protection when fitted in a FF seat.

Also, is it possible to fit 3 FF Group 1 seats in the back of a 5 seater car? I genuinely don't know, but am wondering if some of the problems that you foresee with RF seats might arise with FF seats anyway?

Amphibimum · 02/07/2008 18:57

sorry, long thread.

i drive a vw caravelle atm, the 2 seats behind the front seats are able to FF or RF. they have built in child seats. if i have them in these facing backwards, is this equivalent to these proper RF uptoage4 seats? anyone know?

Amphibimum · 02/07/2008 18:58

ooh nappyaddict is asking the same thing...

MrsAki · 02/07/2008 20:30

I have no idea Amphibimum and nappyaddict. I think you will have to ask a car seat manufacturer. I will see if I can find something out from any of my contacts but I can't promise anything.

Original poster
MissHH · 02/07/2008 21:46

Amphibimum : No, that it's not the same. Or at least that is what I have learnt.

MrsAki: Does this help anything at all?

OP posts:
Pixiepants · 02/07/2008 22:39

Had a meeting with our road safety officer today, who agreed the seats were well fitted and was impressed with the safety implications of them. He has agreed to mention Group 1 RF seats in his presentations to anti-natel groups. This is a great group to target with this info. as any interested parents would then have time to do their own research, and if they decide to get a RF seat they could budget for it in advance.

nappyaddict · 03/07/2008 00:02

The cmer I may be using in a few months has a volvo estate with rear facing seats in the back and I don't know whether a ff or rf seat would be safer in this case. If anyone can find this out for me I would be really greatful/grateful (never know which one it is!!)

Amphibimum · 03/07/2008 14:48

how are we going to find out nappyaddict? the little diagram on the seats themselves in my car tell you to turn them round and face forward but isnt that just following govt guidelines on what to advise? outdated guidelines apparently. i cant see how the seat facing backwards wouldnt be pretty much the same thing as the child seat facing backwards on a forward facing seat. iyswim. we need crash experts to tell us imo. maufacturers are just going to give the official line , if they even know.

MrsAki · 03/07/2008 20:02

Thanks MissHH for the link. I don't think it is very enlightening though... I can't really make head or tail about what they mean. But I have send an email to SIS and VTI (Swedish standards institute and a research centre who does crash tests in Sweden). I have not had replies yet but will let you know if and when I do.

swallowsandamazons · 03/07/2008 20:20

Nappyaddict, I am led to believe that the seats in the load space of a volvo are only to be used by children of 6 and over

swallowsandamazons · 03/07/2008 20:22

6 years and over

nappyaddict · 03/07/2008 22:45

swallowsandamazons - how did you find that out? i couldn't find anything by googling.

swallowsandamazons · 04/07/2008 20:24

The man at volvo.

nappyaddict · 05/07/2008 01:42

Do the ones in volovos have 3 points belts or lap belts? A man at mercedes told me their rearmost seats have standard 3-point belts so they see no reason why you shouldn't use a child seat in them. They said they're suitable for anyone up to about 5' 6" in height - after that they lack headroom. They didn't see any reason why you shouldn't put very young kids in there except that you can't see them. A mirror stuck to the inside of the rear window would cure that problem. They said with the right child seats you can fit three across the back seat and two in the boot.

CJMommy · 05/07/2008 14:43

Has anyone used the Britax First Class SI seats that you can use rear-facing up until 29lbs. I've had a look at them today but would like some opinion before buying as I will actually need to buy 2 seats (one for my mum's car too). Reckon inthis my DS (at current centile) could stay in this RF until he was 2 - 2.5.
Also the Concord Ultimax, I believe is the same. Has anyone used them?

nappyaddict · 05/07/2008 17:27

CJM - can you not just take the car seat out your car to put it in your mums?

CJMommy · 05/07/2008 19:55

No. My job is community based and lots of driving around / home visiting and can be unpredictable at times so if I get stuck out on a job when DS needs picking up from nursery, my mum will get him.

Original poster
MissHH · 05/07/2008 20:20

Pushing up for you CJ

OP posts:
Pixiepants · 06/07/2008 12:15

Bumping too as I don't know anyone with one I'm 'fraid.

Pixiepants · 06/07/2008 12:31

CJMummy, there is someone I know with one and I've given them a shout so hopefully they'll be along soon.

nappyaddict · 06/07/2008 13:07

btw nearly all infant car seats go up to 29 lbs. the britax one isn't particularly special in that aspect. the only difference is that you can turn it round aswell.