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They argue against car seat requirements by pointing out that they don't work as well for older kids, but it's precisely the lack of requirements that result in
by abracadaniel 4y ago
They argue against car seat requirements by pointing out that they don't work as well for older kids, but it's precisely the lack of requirements that result in booster seats not performing as well. No one makes any that standout as better, because they aren't required to. Likely, you aren't going to get better performance without using a 5 point harness, but the market for something like that would be far to small to maintain, so we don't get a choice. I'm not arguing that we should require 5 point harnesses for 8 year olds, but I am pointing out that we didn't have the option to buy infant car seats, as effective as they are now, before requirements were put in place.
- germinalphrase 4y agoAutomakers could simple install three additional carseat anchors in the rear seats.
- pwinnski 4y agoIt's not an issue of lacking anchors, in my experience. It's that there doesn't exist (AFAIK) a car wide enough to accommodate three carseats side-by-side. Carseats are very wide.
- fps 4y agoThe average slim carseat is 17" wide. Not just any car seat, but a slim one. It's a whole category of seats. That means 3 side-by-side car seats require 51" of rear hip and rear shoulder room, which is really very doable. In modern cars, your choices include a Subaru Impreza, a Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, BMW 3 series, Audi a4.. I could go on, but basically every manufacturer's smallest car. Yes, you can't fit 3 of Graco's convertable car seat/stroller/play place/activity centers into a typical sedan, but if you plan ahead you can do it easily.
- pwinnski 4y agoOkay, this is a new category of product that didn't exist when I first shopped for carseats. I suppose now the primary issue is that one might have to plan ahead and buy slim carseats from the beginning, since as I recall it, the process was: buy a baby seat, turn it around, then buy a bigger seat passing the baby seat down for the next one, turn that one around, then buy a second bigger seat, and... that's the point of issue unless one planned ahead--or plans to buy all-new seats.
- D13Fd 4y agoI’ve heard that car seats expire anyway if you are following the rules. It is true that you will probably need to plan ahead and buy slim car seats. But even if you don’t, three car seats is still far less expensive than many other child things. Three car seats is less than half as expensive as daycare for a single child for a single month, in my area at least.
- D13Fd 4y agoExactly this. It may be that it’s like this in the US but these are harder to find in other countries.