Car Seat for 2 Year Old?

Question

My 2 year old grandson is using a booster seat and I have a safety harness for him but his father doesn't want me to use it and I want to do what is best for my grandson and I think that it is safest for him to have a harness. What do other people think?

Answer 1

Way to go grandma!!!! A 2 year old has NO business using a booster seat. The bare minimum for safe booster use is 4 years AND 40lbs. Anything less is flat risking that child's life for the sake of the parent's convenience or lack of knowledge, unfortuantely. And, quite frankly, most 4 year olds are not yet mature enough to use booster seats yet. To use a booster safely, a child must be able to sit upright (without slouching or sleeping and his head falling oveR) for the entire trip, be at least 4 years old and at least 40lbs, and the shoulder belt must go across the shoulder, not the neck. The lap belt must go across the top of the thighs (not the belly). Much better to wait till 5 years old, however, and then only high back boosters. At 2 years old - he belongs in a 5 point harness, but it does need to fit him properly, many seats at Walmart only harness to 40lbs.

So to sit in a booster and use just the seatbelt like an adult (basically a booster just fits the belt to the child,so it's essentially the same), they need to be able to not have the lapbelt cause those injuries, have the head proportionate like an adult, and have a solid spine like an adult. kids under age 5 have higher rates of head injury if they are riding in boosters than kids over age 5 (presumably because younger kids have heavier/larger heads in proportion to their bodies, so they fly forward farther or with greater force, thus incurring greater injury if/when they come in contact with vehicle interior or intrusion?). We also now know the spine is not solid until age 6.

A perfect seat for this situation is the brand new GRaco nautilus. currently only availalbe at Walmart stores, will be in other stores by the end of Feb. $150, harnesses to 65lbs, then becomes a high back booster, then becomes a no back booster. AWESOME seat for the price. Another great option - Evenflo Triumph Advance. Harnesses to 50lbs, lasting most kids to about 4-5 years old. $130 at Walmart/Target.

See the links below and share them with his father, and if he still wants to risk his child that's parental negligence on his part. Also go to http://www.car-seat.org and search for boosters you'll find a ton of info!

Answer 2

recaro

Answer 3

At 2 years old a child DEFINITELY needs to be in an appropriately fitting 5 point harness seat.  Boosters with seatbelt are for children 4 years old AND 40lbs.

See the link below for very useful information.

Answer 4

Definately a car seat with a harness

Answer 5

I agree...............

Generally, the center of the rear seat is the safest place in a car for a child safety seat. This is because most car crashes are frontal collisions. Placing the seat in the middle will provide the most protection from a side collision. Children are safest riding in the back seat until the age of 12, whether or not there is a passenger side air bag in the front seat.

Answer 6

I would do what was safest for him. Although im sure his father knows whats best for him.