Why do Euro infant car seats only have 3 pt harnesses?

Thanks!

I just sat there the other day and looked side by side at the Cabrio and the Snugride and the Cabrio just seemed like a much more solid and safe carseat to me. The deep side wings were awesome - there is a nice adjustment that you can make for a newborn or older child to adjust the seat angle IN the seat.
The padding was nice and ample. Everything was easy to use!

Yeah there was no base but it was amazingly easy to install (HAD to try it out just for fun!)
Yeah there was only a 3 pt harness and no chest clip and a handle that stays up when in the car (all totally differet than the US seats) - but it still seemed like a better seat that whats on the market here in the states.

But anyway, thanks for your thoughts on the topic! Good stuff ot think about and consider.

Out of curiosity - what Euro seat did you have? :)

Ok, got some more information.

Like another posted said, the chest clips (not sure what they really are called) are not allowed, at least not in Sweden. This is becuase in the case of a wreck or fire, when seconds count, that extra step may add time to getting the child out of the seat, so it's seen as being in the way, basically. (That's what I was told in an email today).

Since it's not allowed, none of the car seats I've seen on pictures features them, so most seats look like they have 3point harnesses. Just got it verified that in Sweden, only 5 point harnesses are used. Again, all car seats up until at least 3 years old are RF, so you wouldn't have to worry about the 5point harness in FF and the whole head/neck pressure in an accident.

I'm waiting for clarification from Britax in Sweden to why the infant seat Tot-A-Lot has a Y-harness (isn't this like a 3point harness?), when all other seats up until 3-4 yrs of age have a 5point harness. (and this was the guy too that told me that all seats nowadays in Sweden have 5pt harnesses only until they can sit FF, when the car's seatbelt is used instead.) So I'm a bit confused over that. Considering it's Friday night there now I may not hear back until Monday.

One thing I have noticed though with my own DD is that when she's in her snug ride, I tend to put pants on her despite the heat. Why? Because the pieces of her seat belt that come up from the seat and goes over her thighs (does that make sense?) kind of cuts into her legs if she's only in a onesie! At least it seems that way, and the only way they wouldn't do that is if I would loosen the belt, which obviously, I shouldn't! Now, DD is chunky, but she's about 24.5 inches tall and 15 Ibs, and technically should fit in her seat for another 1.5 inches or 7 Ibs! So maybe by having the Y-belt instead, that eliminates the belt "cutting" into the legs when they are that young? Just a theory based on my own experience.....

I'll let you know what Britax says about the Y-harness.