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View Full Version : No LATCH for Booster?



kickidee
11-08-2003, 09:47 AM
Hi! Maybe this is a stupid question, but why don't you continue to use the LATCH system on a booster seat? My 4 1/2 yr old is about to outgrow the harness part of his convertible Evenflo Chase seat, and I was told that for the booster, you undo the LATCH. It seems like it would be so much sturdier to leave it on. Can someone explain this to me? Also, I was also told that the Chase did not test real safe as a booster? Any advice someone could give would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!

Joolsplus2
11-08-2003, 12:46 PM
It tests fine as a booster...the issue is just that the belt guides aren't very open and tend not to let the belt move freely. It is recommended that you NOT use them unless it is absolutely necessary to keep the belt in position. I have these boosters for my 42 and 46 inch tall children, and we do NOT use the belt guides, and they fit perfectly and work well...but it depends to some extent on your cars "belt geometry", so it's best to moniter it closely at first.

I've read of some bad testing results where a LATCHED booster allowed the dummy to fly forward, down and off the booster, and the seatbelt consequently rides too high on the abdomen and could cause serious injuries. I believe that is why even seats that used to allow the LATCH in booster mode, no longer do. They want the seat to stay WITH the child in the crash, posititioning the belt properly throughout the crash. Even without being LATCHED down, the booster is fairly non-tippy and doesn't move around a great deal, but it is good practice to buckle it when it's not in use, so it doesn't become a projectile in a crash (even those of us who know this rule well are bad about following it, though :( )

And finally, harnessing as long as possible is safest, so I would wait until she's consistently at or just above 40 pounds...sometimes kids can be 38-40 for months and months, and they are safer if they are harnessed up to 40.99999 pounds..so don't rush her out of the harness too soon, is my advice (unless her shoulders are above the top harness slots, then she needs the seat as a booster no matter what her weight)

Hope that helps a little bit,
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx