kaiser@jaws.DEC (Pete Kaiser 225-5441 HLO2-1/N10) (02/24/85)
I don't know of any comparison in the DEGREE of safety between front seat and
rear seat for the child seat. (Lots of seats. :-) But here's my understanding
of the rules, in order of importance:
1. Always use the child seat. ALWAYS!
2. Face it backwards. (It's worth noting that this is also the safest
position for the adults, too, but it's not socially acceptable, so
cars aren't made this way. No cute jokes about the driver.)
3. Put it in the rear seat. (Also safer for adults.)
4. Make it snug.
The Century is difficult to adjust. Grin and bear it.
---Pete
Kaiser%JAWS.DEC@decwrl.arpa, Kaiser%BELKER.DEC@decwrl.arpa
{allegra|decvax|ihnp4|ucbvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-jaws!kaiser
DEC, 77 Reed Road (HLO2-1/N10), Hudson MA 01749 617/568-5441mcal@ihuxb.UUCP (Mike Clifford) (02/27/85)
> I don't know of any comparison in the DEGREE of safety between front seat and > rear seat for the child seat. (Lots of seats. :-) But here's my understanding > of the rules, in order of importance: > > 1. Always use the child seat. ALWAYS! Absolutely! It drives my wife and I crazy when we see people holding their children in their laps. Don't they realize that in an accident the child will be crushed between the adult and the dashboard (or, if the adult has a seat belt on, that the child will be impossible to hold)?? > 2. Face it backwards. (It's worth noting that this is also the safest > position for the adults, too, but it's not socially acceptable, so > cars aren't made this way. No cute jokes about the driver.) I don't believe that it is ALWAYS the safest for the child seat to be facing backward. The manufacturer instructs the user to face the seat forward after a child reaches a certain weight (20lbs. for the Century 200). I assume that the seat (when used facing forward) is better able to handle the stronger forces that result from the increased weight of the child. > 3. Put it in the rear seat. (Also safer for adults.) The child is equally safe in either front or back as long as the child seat is used properly. Perhaps it is shielded from flying glass better when in the rear, but when the driver and the child are the only occupants, the child should sit up front with the adult driver. > 4. Make it snug. Absolutely. > > The Century is difficult to adjust. Grin and bear it. But, in the case of the Century 200 (or 4200), the one-snap design of the padded torso restraint is very convenient. > > ---Pete > Mike Clifford
lps@iham1.UUCP (L P Stoa) (02/28/85)
>> I don't know of any comparison in the DEGREE of safety between >> front seat and rear seat for the child seat. (Lots of seats. :-) >> But here's my understanding of the rules, in order of importance: >> >> 1. Always use the child seat. ALWAYS! > > Absolutely! It drives my wife and I crazy when we see people > holding their children in their laps. Don't they realize that > in an accident the child will be crushed between the adult > and the dashboard (or, if the adult has a seat belt on, that > the child will be impossible to hold)?? Agreed >> 2. Face it backwards. (It's worth noting that this is also the safest >> position for the adults, too, but it's not socially acceptable, so >> cars aren't made this way. No cute jokes about the driver.) > > I don't believe that it is ALWAYS the safest for the child > seat to be facing backward. The manufacturer instructs the > user to face the seat forward after a child reaches a certain > weight (20lbs. for the Century 200). I assume that the seat > (when used facing forward) is better able to handle the > stronger forces that result from the increased weight of the > child. Personnally, I think it just more comfortable for the child to face forward especially when they have grown so big that their feet extend beyond the child seat. However, it is safer to have them face backward since they are protected faceward by the back of the seat and the child seat protects the other areas of their body. >> 3. Put it in the rear seat. (Also safer for adults.) > > The child is equally safe in either front or back as > long as the child seat is used properly. Perhaps it is > shielded from flying glass better when in the rear, but > when the driver and the child are the only occupants, > the child should sit up front with the adult driver. The middle of the back seat is the safest part of the car in an accident. The front seat places the child close to the side of the car and closer to injury if the car is broadsided. The back seat is usually non-movable in most vehicles which gives an extra margin of safety as opposed to the front seat. >> 4. Make it snug. > > Absolutely. Agreed. >> ---Pete > ---Mike Clifford Larry Stoa