THIRD SEAT IN SUVS-Car seat techies!!!! or anyone who might know

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

What are your studies showing about the thrid seat in the larger SUVs. Our Lexus LX 450 has a third seat in the back that we can put in if we want...we never have but suspect this time next year we will needing it.

Are you all familiar with the safety of this area...is rear facing still the recommendation there as long as possible or would forward facing after the year/20lbs actually be safer there in that seat.

It seems so close to the back of the car that it worries me some. I wondered if installing a "hitch" in the back can make it effected less in a rear end collision.

What are your thoughts.
And as always thank you all for everything you all do!!!!!

Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[murphydog77]

Hi Neve. I'm not all that familiar with 3rd row safety, so I'll let Darren (CPSDarren) hopefully answer your questions with his site: http://www.suvsafety.info/thirdrow.html . He also has lots of good info. at http://www.suvsafety.info that you might want to peruse.

Rear-end collisions still statistically tend to be less intense than frontal crashes, so I would still use a rear-facing seat in the 3rd row. The only time I wouldn't is if the car seat could rebound into the back glass. I don't think a hitch would do much for protection since it's installed under the bumper. If anything, it will bruise up your legs as you load cargo into the back (BTDT, lol!).

Heather, CPS Tech
http://www.carseatsite.com

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Thank you Heather!!!!!

Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties