IIHS news release on boosters

[JBaxter]

On the Today show this morning

http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr100108.html

Not-recommended boosters: Boosters the Institute doesn't recommend are the highback Compass B505, Compass B510, Cosco/Dorel Traveler, and Evenflo Big Kid Confidence; backless Safety Angel Ride Ryte; combination Cosco/Dorel Alpha Omega, Cosco/Dorel (Eddie Bauer) Summit, Cosco Highback Booster, Dorel/Safety 1st (Eddie Bauer) Prospect, Evenflo Chase Comfort Touch, Evenflo Generations, Graco CarGo Zephyr, and Safety 1st/Dorel Intera. At least 2 of these models have been discontinued, hopefully replaced by better designs. Booster makers sometimes reuse names and even model numbers for new seats, so manufacture dates and model numbers are important.

Best bets and good bets: The 10 best-bet boosters are the most likely to position not only lap belts but also shoulder portions correctly on many children in many vehicles. Best bets include 3 backless seats: Combi Kobuk, Fisher-Price Safe Voyage, and Graco TurboBooster. These may require plastic clips to correctly position shoulder belts. Six highbacks are best bets: Britax Monarch, Britax Parkway, Fisher-Price Safe Voyage, LaRoche Bros. Teddy Bear, Recaro Young Style, and Volvo booster cushion. Another best bet is the combination seat Safeguard Go when it's used as a backless booster. Combination seats convert to boosters by removing their built-in harnesses. At least 5 of the best-bet boosters have been discontinued but still are sold.

The 5 good bets provide acceptable belt fit in almost as many vehicle belt configurations. They are highbacks Combi Kobuk, Graco TurboBooster, and Safety Angel Ride Ryte, and combinations Recaro Young Sport and Safety 1st/Dorel Apex 65, when used as highbacks.

[jkelsey]

here's some more info:
http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/default.html

Best Bets:
http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/best_bets.html

Good Bets:
http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/good_bets.html

NOT Recommended:
http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/not_recommended.html

[SnuggleBuggles]

I know the B510 came up on another report last year but checked mine out for how it fit our car and ds1 and it seems ok. We have been using the Nautilus for our daily use though. Of course then I heard that there are safety concerns using that as a 5pt harness with a big kid. I'm starting to get miffed that I have no truly safe carseat! I did my homework on these things prior to purchase.

Beth

[Joolsplus2]

:thumbsup: If it fits your kid properly, even if it's on the not-recommended list, it's fine. But that looks like the old list, the new one includes seats we love like the Frontier and Dakota... http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4411.pdf

[WatchingThemGrow]

A friend just sent this out to our playgroup. She mentioned how the ones she bought for her 3.75yo girls were good ones. I (hopefully gracefully) mentioned in a reply to the group that the crash test dummies used for fitting them were the size of an average 6yo. Hope that won't anger her.

[Joolsplus2]

Oh, and here's a video, starring (sort of) CPSDarren himself (founder of www.car-seat.org, he doesn't post here anymore, though)... http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/34521238#34521238

[lorinick]

Thanks Julie for the Today Show clip. I missed that one this morning. Way to go to Darren.

[DrSally]

I'm just watching the segment now (on tivo). The FR is mentioned as recommended. When Meredith Viera talked about possibly having a 3 yo in a booster, I was appalled. Beth or Jools, what is this about safety concerns using that as a 5pt harness with a big kid? I've never heard of that. I was planning on keeping DS in 5-pt (FR) as long as possible.

[Joolsplus2]

Hmmm...not sure. Maybe the bad-looking Transport Canada crash tests? Or the Swedes insistence that harnessing kids FF is bad (based on some testing number we don't use in English speaking countries and which no one can seem to translate to English to prove how 'bad' it is that this number is elevated in harnessed FF kids). I have no qualms using a harnessed seat to the limits if it installs well and is top tethered and the harness is properly tightened. Though I find my kids are perfectly booster-ready at about age 6-7 and 45-50 pounds.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm just watching the segment now (on tivo). The FR is mentioned as recommended. When Meredith Viera talked about possibly having a 3 yo in a booster, I was appalled. Beth or Jools, what is this about safety concerns using that as a 5pt harness with a big kid? I've never heard of that. I was planning on keeping DS in 5-pt (FR) as long as possible.

Neck excursion? Was that it? Melissa mentioned it a while back and when I asked for more details it seemed that the Frontier has some feature that makes it safer than my Nautilus. That's what I got out of it all. At this point my head is spinning on how to keep him safest in the car. ASAIK the Nautilus doesn't make a fantastic booster, though I could have imagined reading that. My dh will be appalled at the idea of buying yet another carseat. Budget is small for one and I dislike the Turbobooster so I don't know what we'll do. I'm going to double check the fit of the B510 before making any decisions.

Beth

[AnnieW625]

When Meredith Viera talked about possibly having a 3 yo in a booster, I was appalled.

That's very common here in my neck of the woods (I have seen 3 yr. olds in low back boosters, but most 3/4/5 yr. olds are in high back belted boosters), and honestly before I had kids and my co worker still had her 5 yr. old son harnessed in his Eddie Bauer All in One I thought that was a little out of the ordinary. Granted it had been almost 20 yrs. since my little sister was 3 and in a low back booster. I still thought that was the norm. Meredith has teenagers I believe so a lot has changed since her kids were little and she probably didn't realize that. Then around my daughter's second birthday I happened to ask a California Highway Patrol officer at a work event about booster seats and assuming I'd get one for DD at 3 and he said oh no she's a long way from that:). Maybe six months later I found myself back here and now know what's preferred. We'll most likely start the high back booster training at 5 and then she'll be in the Frontier high back until #2 is ready for them (DD and #2 will be just over 4 yrs. apart, so if all goes well until DD is 7).

[Joolsplus2]

Highback boosters are typically labeled for 30lbs/38 inches/3 yo, and some boosters are 30lbs and age 1. Seriously. So yeah, it sucks she said anything about 3 yo's in boosters, but it's pretty common out in the real world :/.

[Joolsplus2]

Neck excursion? Was that it? Melissa mentioned it a while back and when I asked for more details it seemed that the Frontier has some feature that makes it safer than my Nautilus. That's what I got out of it all. At this point my head is spinning on how to keep him safest in the car. ASAIK the Nautilus doesn't make a fantastic booster, though I could have imagined reading that. My dh will be appalled at the idea of buying yet another carseat. Budget is small for one and I dislike the Turbobooster so I don't know what we'll do. I'm going to double check the fit of the B510 before making any decisions.

Beth

Yeah, true, the Frontier has that rip stitch tether to reduce neck forces. I wouldn't worry too much about using the nautilus vs. it, though, the Canadian crash tests were quite good with the Nautilus :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Yeah, true, the Frontier has that rip stitch tether to reduce neck forces. I wouldn't worry too much about using the nautilus vs. it, though, the Canadian crash tests were quite good with the Nautilus :)

Stil nervous as all get out but I am not sure what the safest option is. The B510 hasn't been used in a while but I really think it fit him and the car ok. I think I am going to double check that and possibly move to it.

Beth

[westgre]

I'm going to keep using our B510. DD loves it and it fits her well.

[clc053103]

I am also a lover of the B510. DS is a big guy and it fits across his thighs well. the original post had last year's info, this year it's not on the "not recc" list, but not on the recc either- but if you know the seat fits your child properly, and is easy to use, then it's a go!

[Joolsplus2]

I'm just glad that Compass is working for so many people, I know I recommended it every 12 minutes there for a year or two :)