Really Dissappointed in my local news re: carseat safety

[HIU8]

This morning there was a carseat safety segment on our local NBC station. they featured a mom of 3 under 3. Her 3 yr old was in a BPB. We, the audience, were told that we needed to turn our child FF at 1 yr and 20 lbs. There was no mention of the new AAP recs or anything on tethering of any kind (TT --nothing mentioned). They stressed that if a carseat is sold at a store then it passes safety guidelines and it does not matter which one you buy as long as your child is in something until 8 yrs old and 80 lbs. I'm in MD and the news is basically for MD, DC and NOVA. I'm attempting to find refernce to this report on their website, but I'm not having any luck. I'm really disappointed in them for airing this segment without even the new AAP guidelines mentioned (even if it isn't a law I though it should be mentioned).

[jjordan]

That stinks!

[arivecchi]

I would write them an e-mail with a link to the FAQs from carseat.org and let them know they were way off base.

[AnnieW625]

IMHO as long as car seat companies keep marking their boxes and websites "carseat can be turned forward facing at 1, and 20 or 22lbs" it doesn't matter what the AAP says. People like instant gratification and if a box says it's safe then it can be done and there should be nothing wrong with it. Even Britax boxes say this. Good for you for getting that information to your local news desk. I'd fax it, and email it, and then follow up with the news desk director in a couple of days if you haven't heard anything back.

[Melaine]

UGH....so frustrating!

[Joolsplus2]

I suppose you are nowhere near Montgomery County, and if you are, they didn't bother to call any of the local experts... My instructor there was absolutely awesome, and she gets on the news a lot. Clearly not enough, however... sigh.

[HIU8]

Yup, Montgomery County. I sent the email off yesterday. I have no acknowledgement yet that they received it or read it.

[lowrioh]

PM me the name of the station and I will send an email too. I usually don't get a chance to watch the local news anymore.

[amldaley]

IMHO as long as car seat companies keep marking their boxes and websites "carseat can be turned forward facing at 1, and 20 or 22lbs" it doesn't matter what the AAP says. People like instant gratification and if a box says it's safe then it can be done and there should be nothing wrong with it. Even Britax boxes say this. Good for you for getting that information to your local news desk. I'd fax it, and email it, and then follow up with the news desk director in a couple of days if you haven't heard anything back.

This is so true. The only manufacturer I have seen that has made any sort of statement for RF against their product is the Combi Zeus which basically says that RF as long as possible is best. (It is a FF only seat).

DH and I had this conversation this morning:

Me: DD's new car seat should be here by Tuesday!
DH: And that's the one that she'll face forward in?
Me: No. Again, she CAN, but we are going to keep her RF for as long as possible. It's safer."
DH: (after a long silence) I think she is ready to FF. She'll like it better.
Me: She has never FF, so she won't know the difference and the point is to keep her as safe as possible.
DH: (in a disappointed tone) Yeah.

[Joolsplus2]

The Zeus (or the new Zeus Turn 360) is a rotating convertible seat...old model went only to 22 pounds rearfacing, new one goes to 33. I think a few other seats have similar warnings in the manual that no one reads :/. The True Fit is great with its 23 pound FF minimum, Dorel (Cosco/Safety 1st) have a 22 pound/34 inch (an average 2 year old) FF minimum... Britax went back in time when they went from 22lbs to 20 FF, sigh, but at least the Frontier has a minimum of 2 and 25 pounds (which means everyone just buys the Nautilus that's 1 and 20, sigh...).

I'm glad your DH sees the light :)