Question Re: Harness Adjustment in Forward Facing Seat

[randomkid]

DD has a Regal Ride in my Mom's car. She is forward facing in this seat. We noticed the harness is now right at shoulder height, but the next slot up is almost by her ears. Should we leave the harness where it is or go ahead and move it up? Just seems like it would be so high if we move it right now. However, I know when FF, the harness is suppposed to be above shoulder level. I don't have this issue in my seat since we have a Blvd.

Thanks,

Edited to correct some info.

[Joolsplus2]

If you are in doubt, move it up. It's better for it to be even quite high above the shoulders then for it to ever even look like it's below her shoulders...so if she's *at* the slots now, keep them there for a couple more weeks, and as soon as she's above the current slots, then move them up, no matter how high they look (it's ok they hold a kid 'back', not 'down', so even higher up does the job... back in the olden days, like 8 years ago, you *always* had to use the top slots when FF, no matter how high they were, they were the only ones that wouldn't rip out of the seat in a crash!!!)

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[randomkid]

Thank you - the description of holding the kid back, not down, will now make it easier to make the move!

For educational purposes, why is the harness supposed to be below the shoulders when RF, but not when FF. What is the problem with below the shoulders when FF? Trust me, I need this info as my Dad will need the explanation (he worries about everything when it comes to DD-lol!). He's going to be concerned about the harness being so high.

[aunt83me02]

I thought for FF in the Regal Ride you *have* to use the top slots. I have a 2002 Touriva and that's the case with it.

I used the tall top slots as an excuse to keep my nephews rearfacing to age 3, because the top slots came out so high at 1yr & 20lbs (my sisters/mothers of the nephews) gave me a hard time about them being RF in my car when then were FF in their cars at 13-14 months.


Marie
CPS Tech

[randomkid]

Good question. DD would still be RF, but my parents had a hard time getting her in and out of the seat in their car. She stayed RF until she was 2yo, though. She's still RF in my van and will be until she reaches the weight limit.

[tjham]

http://www.chop.edu/traumalink/pcps/popups/harness_arrow.html

This picture shows high harness straps. The mom is a Safekids Instructor. They look awful high to me but apparently are safe. After seeing this, I felt better about occasionally (but rarely) using the same seat for my 2 grandchildren with different torso heights.

[niccig]

Here's a crude explanation - someone else could probably word it better.

RF - you want the straps below the shoulder so that the child does NOT ramp up the back of the seat - that would be the hold them down.

FF- the straps are above the shoulder so they hold the child back. If there were below the shoulder the child would be thrown further forward as their shoulders and head would all move forward.

HTH

[randomkid]

Thank you. Now it seems so obvious! These days I just don't have time to actually think about things myself. Sometimes, it's just easier to ask, KWIM?