So, I don't like the seatbelts in my grandmother's car either.

[conuly]

I mean I *really* don't like them. They are broken. They do not retract and make a snug fit.

I couldn't convince my mother that we should rent a car for the duration either. She tied knots in the seatbelts instead.

But this led to me thinking of a problem and a conundrum of mine.

The problem is this: Seatbelts do not fit me. They insist on riding up to my neck, which I know is not where they are supposed to be. They do this not because I am short, but, ahem, because I'm well-endowed. It's uncomfortable at the very least. Is there a way around this?

The conundrum is as follows. I'm sure I've seen an ad for a minivan where the middle back seats turn around so all the kids can face each other... maybe. Well, let's assume there is such a thing.

You would, of course, if utilizing the rear-facing seat, use a front-facing carseat with your infant and it'd rear-face by default, right? Now... would it be safer to rear-face your infant or toddler* that way, or to do it the conventional way?

*You should rear-face your young children as long as possible. In the US, you *must* rear-face until 20 pounds AND a year, but longer is better. You should also keep them in a five-point harness until it is outgrown. Don't make me link to the depressing YouTube videos!

Comments

[ncp.livejournal.com]

Well, infant seats can't front-face, aAnd I think part of the rear-facing benefits come from reclining the seat at an angle, which convertible carseats can't do when they are front-facing. SO in either case, I think it's safer to install the carseats in the regular carseat and not swivel them around.

[crymytears.livejournal.com]

Bucket style infant seats cannot forward face. Convertable infant to toddler ones can. you can get almost any seat to angle correctly if you try hard enough.

I've had the same thought process though, only I was thinking more along the line of how many seats are installed incorrectly in those seats that are turned towards the rear of the car - ie, a rear facing seat in a rear facing car - does this turn the seat truly forward facing and killing all the RFing benefits? I'm not smart enough to understand the science behind it.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

There's thingies that we had when we were kids that angled the belt in a sharper angle.

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Seat-Belt-Adjuster/dp/B0000488W5

like this thing :D

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Hm. I always thought rear-facing meant "facing the seat", but now you've made me think. Hm.

Not that I have, or will again have, kids in that age range, but still. Thinking. I have nieces and nephews through Daniel now that are that young! :/

[dragonlight7217.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that if it's rear facing, it helps in a on coming car accident, so I would think that if you swivel the seat to be rear facing you keep the benifits. But I also think that with the angles involved more research should be done befor actually attempting it.