Wow, I’m quite shocked to learn that anywhere has laws insisting on car seats for kids older than 4 years old. That seems crazy to me! A much more sensible law would that cars must have adjustable upper-mount-points (as many do nowadays, at least somewhat) for seat belts such that the chest strap can be correctly positioned to fit a typical 4 year old, and have car seats be for 3 or under only.
Our 8yo only recently got tall enough that the shoulder belt doesn’t run across their neck, so it doesn’t seem shocking to me?
All that’s legally required is something that brings them up or the belt down to be the right height for them, which does not have to be a large or heavy device.
I have strong memories of not wanting to wear seatbelts as a child because the strap was uncomfortable on my neck; I would often put the shoulder belt behind me to avoid it, which is obviously pretty unsafe. I had one babysitter who used a device that attached to the seatbelt mount and changed the angle of the belt to go over my shoulder instead, which was literally just a triangle of fabric. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Seatbelt-Adjuster-Triangle-Positioner-Protective/dp/B078K5N2BQ Costs $10, small, easy to move. I suspect these don’t count for legal purposes, though.
I suspect these don’t count for legal purposes, though.
At least MA requires that kids under 8yo: “be fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint”. And defines that as “a specifically designed seating system which meets the United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, as established in 49 C.F.R. 571.213, which is either permanently affixed to a motor vehicle or is affixed to such vehicle by a safety belt or a universal attachment system.”
The positioner you linked doesn’t say it meets federal standards, so it probably doesn’t? Compare to, say this inflatable booster that says it “exceeds all US federal car safety standards & European regulations (FMVSS213 & R44/04)” or this belt positioning folding flat seat that says “Meets or exceeds NHTSA standard FMVSS 213 in the USA and is regulated for use in every state.”.
The very fact that you are shocked undercuts the proposed mechanism—if people don’t know about the mandates, the mandates can’t be the thing that affects people’s decisionmaking.
Wow, I’m quite shocked to learn that anywhere has laws insisting on car seats for kids older than 4 years old. That seems crazy to me! A much more sensible law would that cars must have adjustable upper-mount-points (as many do nowadays, at least somewhat) for seat belts such that the chest strap can be correctly positioned to fit a typical 4 year old, and have car seats be for 3 or under only.
Our 8yo only recently got tall enough that the shoulder belt doesn’t run across their neck, so it doesn’t seem shocking to me?
All that’s legally required is something that brings them up or the belt down to be the right height for them, which does not have to be a large or heavy device.
I have strong memories of not wanting to wear seatbelts as a child because the strap was uncomfortable on my neck; I would often put the shoulder belt behind me to avoid it, which is obviously pretty unsafe. I had one babysitter who used a device that attached to the seatbelt mount and changed the angle of the belt to go over my shoulder instead, which was literally just a triangle of fabric. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Seatbelt-Adjuster-Triangle-Positioner-Protective/dp/B078K5N2BQ Costs $10, small, easy to move. I suspect these don’t count for legal purposes, though.
At least MA requires that kids under 8yo: “be fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint”. And defines that as “a specifically designed seating system which meets the United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, as established in 49 C.F.R. 571.213, which is either permanently affixed to a motor vehicle or is affixed to such vehicle by a safety belt or a universal attachment system.”
The positioner you linked doesn’t say it meets federal standards, so it probably doesn’t? Compare to, say this inflatable booster that says it “exceeds all US federal car safety standards & European regulations (FMVSS213 & R44/04)” or this belt positioning folding flat seat that says “Meets or exceeds NHTSA standard FMVSS 213 in the USA and is regulated for use in every state.”.
Julia linked me to http://ridesafer.net/ridesafer/ which does say that it meets federal requirements, though is much more expensive
For what it’s worth, I own one of these and I like it.
The very fact that you are shocked undercuts the proposed mechanism—if people don’t know about the mandates, the mandates can’t be the thing that affects people’s decisionmaking.
Only if Nathan is currently trying to decide whether to have a third kid!
Or ever decided that in the past—if he’s shocked now he never knew that information.
Sure! But your comment really only makes sense if you have a reason to think Nathan already has one, or likely, two kids?
Yeah, no kids yet. Hoping to start one soon. Have not yet researched much in the way of ‘parent stuff’.