95M3CSL

Doug;

I was interested in this now and a while ago as well and did a bunch or research. I got opinions and other behvaiors and products from listers but also I thought that a deep dive into the science and medicine around child car seats was required. Given the accessibility of information and google etc. the internet is now a great tool.

Given the size and age of your child they should be in a belt positioning booster seat. My 6.5 year old is also just 50 or so pounds. He is in a only in a booster currently if I understand your post correctly. Does the booster have a back to it? It should. You should try to keep your child in the recommended position as long as possible. Each "phase" that they graduate to in the car is more dangerous. i.e. forward facing 5 point harness seat is less safe than rear facing harness seat. Forward facing BPB seat is more dangerous than forward facing 5 point harness seat. Booster alone is more dangerous than BPB seat etc. Front seat is more dangerous than rear seat. So as one gets intent on graduating their kid from rear facing to front facing to boosters to front seat you are exposing your kid to more and more risk with that graduation. Recommendation is not to get out of a BPB seat until 7/70 (that is 7 years and 70 pounds). Keep them in the back seat as long as possible. I use the Britax Monarch. Buy the newest product on the market that you can. Don't buy used. Don't use beyond 5 years as fabrics, foam, plastic, and belts degrade etc. If you buy right you might use this for 4 years, and, if you buy the correct BPB seat you can remove the back and just have the booster seat without the back to help boost the child up so that the seat belt fits correctly.

I had a Porsche Junior that came with my car that also used the seat belt device to tell the car computer that a car seat with a child was in the front seat. The computer has to be programmed by the dealer to recognize the belt and buckle combination. This seat is now in the back.

Resources below and attached were valid at the time of access within the past few years. They haven't been re-reviewed to see if links are still active or the information has been updated. A more comprehensive set of word docs and other attachments are also included.

Good luck and stick with rear seat. Also, as important, start out as early as possible with a bike helmet and set the example too.

Have fun!!!!!!

Best Regards,
Marc


Here’s the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) a website that has a lot of information about child safety with regard to seats and travel in vehicles etc. Might as well go read some of the scientific and medical resources and what their recommendations are. The longer you can keep your child in the recommended location and restraint system you have the safer they will be.

http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/div...c.jsp?id=77971

Education resources:

http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/div...c.jsp?id=83350

Click on library of educational materials which will take you to here:

http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/inju...onal_advocacy/

Partners for child passenger safety reports:

http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/inju...onal_advocacy/

Charts and images:

http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/inju...rts_images.php


http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/inju...eats/index.htm

Belt Positioning Booster Seats
Boosts child up providing a higher sitting height, which allows the adult lap and shoulder belt to fit properly
Used Forward Facing Only
 All children who have outgrown child safety seats should be properly restrained in booster seats until they are at least 8 years old, unless they are 4'9" tall.

 Can only be used with the adult lap and shoulder belt. Never with a lap belt only.

 Provides the child a higher sitting height, which allows the adult lap and shoulder belt to fit properly.

 The shoulder belt should cross the chest, resting snugly on the shoulder, and the lap belt should rest low across the upper thighs. Never up high across the stomach.

 Styles include high-back, no back, and base only. A high-back booster provides head support not provided by vehicle seats with low backs or no head restraints.

 The mid-point of the back of the child’s head (ear level) should not be above the vehicle seat back cushion or the back of the high back booster.

*A belt-positioning booster seat should be used until the child can sit with his/her back against the vehicle seat back cushion with knees bent over the seat cushion edge, and feet on the floor, approximately 4'9".


etc,

Ray S

Jon,

I really think this is your solution right here....

TorqueChap

Are these seats still for sale?

gnat

You don't need the whole seat (which as I understand were highly marked up cheap seats. Just install the bar and then pick one of these up:

https://www.porscheshop.co.uk/porsch...eat-skoda.html

Then you can use whatever seat you want.