I have a friend who has two boys. They are both in booster seats, and are 3 and 5 years old. They both meet the height and weight requirements for booster seats (for our state anyway.) When she buckles them in, she runs the seatbelt so that it is just a lap belt, as in the shoulder strap is tucked under the armrests of the booster seats. That isn't safe, right? I mean, to me it doesn't seem safe, but then I got to thinking that some vehicles only have a lap belt, so what's the difference?

The problem is the kids are too big for actual car seats but not quite big enough for the vehicle's safety belts to fit correctly across their shoulders when they are in their booster seats (especially the 3 year old, he's quite a bit overweight, but that's a topic for another thread).

I just want to make sure the kids are safe.

They are not safe and your friend is a stunned moron.

A. The three year old shouldn't be in a booster, period. A child under four needs to be in a five point restraint. There are a number of seats on the market that harness to a higher weight limit, if he's over 40 lbs. She needs to look into those.

B. No, you can't fold the shoulder belt behind the kid. It's called a BELT POSITIONING BOOSTER. It's DESIGNED to position the shoulder belt so it falls properly across the shoulder instead of the neck or the face. Lap belts aren't safe, period. But sitting in a lap belt alone is safer than sitting on a booster with a lap belt. They don't work like that.


The really obnoxious thing is that this is IN THE MANUAL. Can she not read?

Hey, I never said she was the brightest crayon in the box. My daughter is 4 and will be in a carseat until she's 8 at the rate she's growing (very slowly.) I refuse to let her ride in a booster yet.

You can't really go to her and say

Yo stupid whore you are going to get your kids fucking killed what the fuck is wrong with you.

My assumption is that she's using a no back booster? While I agree that a 3 yo should not be in a booster, some people are not going to agree and they are not going to spend the money on a harnessed seat with higher weight. I'd help her use the seats she is willing to use correctly.

And it is correct use to put a child that fits the height/weight recommendation, even if it isn't as safe.

The booster is to bring the child up so that the shoulder strap can cross them at the correct angle. If it's a no back booster it came with a strap looking thing. She needs to read the manual that came with the seats on how to use that strap to get the shoulder strap positioned correct. Also tell her to make sure she's pulling her seat belt all the way out to lock it, if it's that kind of belt.

You could gently push her toward a higher weight limit seat, but it may not do any good. Do the best you can with what you have to work with. If you can get her to buy a different seat great.

She'll never buy another seat. She'd rather spend $50 a week on cigarettes then $50 on a higher weight limit car seat (and I found a nice one at Target for $50.)

I just see her getting in a head-on collission and the boys' torsos flying forward, and the seatbelt cutting them in half, because they weren't properly strapped in because they complained about the shoulder strap bugging them and so she'd rather them be unsafe hear them fucking complain

*she'd rather them be unsafe THAN hear them complain.

so, instead of complaining and bitching up a storm about her, buy 2 high back booster seats(not just the base) because they have belt guides on the upper part, so it's virtually impossible for her to fuck up. Hell, even show her how to use it correctly.

Technically she only needs one high-back booster, for the 3 year old. The 5 year old is just a little shit that bitches about the shoulder strap so she lets him get away with not using it. I'm pretty sure that shit doesn't fly with his dad.

I think I'll email her some carseat safety guidelines, title it something like "a reminder to those with kids." Or, better yet, I'll just bulletin it out on MySpace. Then she will read it and I won't sound like a (total) bitch.

Or, instead of doing it passive agressive like..you find a carseat check, make her an appointment, and tell her you'll go with her?

She wouldn't go. She doesn't think she is doing anything wrong, and if I point out that she is, it will end up in a big fight, and then she won't do anything about the situation out of spite. Hence why I'm doing this all "passive-aggresive" like. I've known her for 10 years, I know what works with her. Confrontation doesn't work. Besides, what's wrong with a bulletin reminding people about car seat safety?
If she still doesn't do anything, then I'll just ask her why she didn't buy her kid a high-weight limit carseat (which I'm guessing has something to do with money, which I don't exactly have a lot of right now, and even if I did, it's not my job to buy her kid a carseat when she could get one for free from somewhere, I'm sure.)

Well I sent her a message with New Mexico law, with a link for $30 high-back boosters from Wal-Mart. I said I'd buy the damn things if she'd use them.