9yo in a lap belt

[ccather]

It seems like just yesterday that I was posting here looking for three across fit for the back of my '02 Chevy Malibu. Now, my oldest has outgrown every seat, my littlest is nearly ready to come out of her Radian into a HBB and the middlest is ready to move to a backless booster.

How would you feel about a large 9 yo (closer to a 11 yo in size!) riding in the center position with only a lap belt? What about as a front seat rider with the shoulder belt?

The back seats have shoulder belts only in the two outside spots in the back seat. The center seat only has the traditional lap belt with the sliding adjustment. The younger two in the HBB and Backless booster need the shoulder belts. A new car is on my to-do list, but I want to eek as much out of this car as I can!!

Thoughts?

[hillview]

height and weight?

[ccather]

He's almost 5' (I'm 5' 5" and he comes past my chin) and I haven't weighed him in a while but I'd guess over 80, probably close to 90lbs.

[KrisM]

I wouldn't sit anyone at all with just a lap belt.

Can you move the 4 year old back to a harness and put her in the middle?

[hillview]

oh shoot! Totally missed the only a lap belt -- was thinking a shoulder belt as well. Agree with Kris!

[ccather]

Thanks for your opinions ladies!

The 4 yo (almost 5!) is currently in a Radian in the center. She'll be moving out of that in the next 8 months or so. So I have some time to figure out a plan B which will likely be the new car. I'm just cheap and a little sentimental over my car (it was my grandma's..I inherited it when she passed four years ago.)

Ah well...time to hunker down and find a good three row car that gets good gas mileage!

[KDsMommy]

I'd put the 9 yo in the front before I'd use a lap only belt.

[KrisM]

A Ride Safer vest might work well. It can be used with a lap belt, so long as a tether is also used. We use one in our 2004 Malibu because we can't fit 2 boosters and a harnessed seat in, so we do a booster and a harness and a vest. But, it's not daily.

I'd do the front seat before a lap belt, as well.

Will your youngest outgrow the Radian? When our Malibu was our primary vehicle and the one I drove with 3 kids, my oldest was in a Radian, harnessed, until nearly 7, becauase it fit.

[ccather]

Will your youngest outgrow the Radian? When our Malibu was our primary vehicle and the one I drove with 3 kids, my oldest was in a Radian, harnessed, until nearly 7, becauase it fit.

I expect her to outgrow it by summer next year. All my kids are tall for their age. The older two were out of it before they started K and she's tracking on the same path.