I'm starting to look at infant car seats. I had assumed the car seat would go in the center of the backseat since that seems safest in the event of side impact. However, I now realized that most (or all) cars don't have the LATCH thingys in the center seat. So what do you all do? Do you put the car seats in the side seat to use the LATCH, or do you install it in the middle with a seat belt? Or is there another option I just don't yet know about?
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Read your car manual to see if you can "borrow" the latch from the side seats. If not, just install the base with a seat belt install in the middle.
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We couldn't get a good seatbelt install, so we put the seat behind the passenger.
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@T.H.O.U.: I did read that borrowing from the sides is an option but that my car doesn't allow it. I will check with the manual though. So you think that using the center seat with seat belt is safer than side seat with latch?
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@ShootingStar: I worry about a good seatbelt install too. However, I've never tried it so I have no clue. I just like the idea of an easy peasy latch.
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We installed behind the passenger side using LATCH. It was mainly because we drive a small car and I have long legs. I can't drive comfortably with a rear-facing seat behind me. I've also done a seatbelt install before and it was very secure.
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@agold: The safest carseat is one that's installed properly. Our seat was SO easy with latch, and just impossible with the center seatbelt. So that made it a no-brainer for us. You should go to a baby store and try out the install on the seats. We did this a few weeks ago when we got DS a new seat. We weren't just which harness to booster we wanted and after installing both, one was the clear choice, even though it was more expensive.
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@agold: Yes, I would try for a seatbelt install in the middle first. The middle is the safest spot in the vehicle. The good news is you only have to get a good install once and then leave it alone!
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Are you commuting at all with the baby? If so, I believe the rec is to put the seat behind the driver. The reasoning is that you are a lot less likely to forget your child back there since you tend to glance in the door behind the passenger upon exiting.
I think there are benefits to each position depending on your situation and car. Don't panic about the middle being the only safe spot.
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We installed it in the center using the seatbelt. It was more difficult than LATCH but just as secure.
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Our first infant seat didn't have a base; we installed it exclusively with seatbelts. I was comfortable with it - once the belt "locks", I almost think it's more secure than the LATCH!
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@looch: Oh gees. I didn't even think about forgetting about the baby. That happened near where I live a handful of years ago when a dad forgot he took the baby.
And the car I currently have is great in accidents - I know from first hand experience being t-boned on my driver side in one. There was zero cabin intrusion. But still. I had always for some reason thought middle was safest.@krispi: @PinkElephant: Thanks for letting me know you felt so secure with installing it with seat belts.
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I've always read that if you had to choose between the passenger side and the driver side, you should always choose the driver side because you will protect it more instinctually during a crash.
I've also read that a seatbelt install is just as secure as a LATCH install, provided that they are both installed correctly and tightly.
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I went to a baby car seat installation place and they told me the safest spot is the middle (in the event of a t-bone crash), and the latch and the base with the seat belt are equally safe, so given that you can get a tight fit with the seat belt, I would do that in the middle.
Google car seat installations in your city. They are in a lot of places and will ensure its correct and super secure.
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Yes, the seatbelt install is just as safe, in fact, at a certain weight, you can't use latch and need to use the seatbelt anyway.
And the car I currently have is great in accidents - I know from first hand experience being t-boned on my driver side in one. There was zero cabin intrusion. But still. I had always for some reason thought middle was safest.Reply
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