Combination car seats are seats that harness children up to 40 lbs. Once children reach the weight limit, the harness must no longer be used. At this point the seat converts to a belt positioning booster seat. Here is a summary of some of the top recommended combination child passenger restraints.
It is imperative that parents make sure the harness straps are not twisted when securing the child in the seat. Twisted straps will put more pressure on the child rather than distributing the child's weight more evenly. The harness should be positioned securely over the middle of the child's shoulders and not positioned dangerously on the edge of the shoulder. The harness should come up over the hips rather than the belly. In a crash the result of a twisted, improperly positioned harness can be skin burns, abrasions, internal injuries, and even ejection from the restraint.
The chest clip serves the purpose of keeping the harness positioned appropriately at all times. The position of the clip will affect how the harness restrains the child's body. The chest clip is properly positioned when it rests at arm pit level. It should never be positioned near the neck or over the belly. Proper placement will help to prevent choking hazards and damage to internal organs in a crash.
If you are unsure about which is which, check the label on the side of the seat and it should list the weight it is designed for. An infant seat designed for babies only should read up to 22 pounds, while the other should read up to 40 pounds. The larger convertible size can be placed forward or rear facing for both uses. When choosing the style of car seats, most types, whether expensive or not, usually work fine.
Evenflo manufactured the Generations seat to suit 40 lbs. harnessed and as a belt positioning booster to 100 lbs. The top harnessing slots are 16.5 inches. Ease of use features include an adjustable head rest, 2 crotch strap positions, shoulder belt guide, knob harness adjuster, and harness strap covers. Additional comfort aspects include a pivoting arm rest and a cup holder. The Evenflo Generations comes in at mid-price range, retailing for around $100. It converts to a good quality belt positioning booster.
Many well-meaning parents will bundle their child in a warm winter coat before placing her in the car seat. However, bulky clothing placed under the harness can cause coat compression, leaving enough slack in the harness that will result in serious injury. In some cases, children have been ejected from their car seat leaving their coat behind. Warm polar fleece is a safe option to bulky clothing. Alternatively, securing the child in the harness and slipping the coat on backwards over top the harness is a much safer option.
Combination child restraints are seats that function as a harnessing car seat and then convert to a belt positioning booster. Parents should use the harness to the highest weight limit detailed in the manual or when their shoulders reach the top most harness slots. Only at this point, should they switch the child to the belt positioning booster mode. However, recent studies have been critical of the safety of the seat when used as a belt positioning booster seat (IIHS 2008). Parents should thoroughly research their combination car seat to learn of the potential dangers.
Finding the best looking seat is not the main issue. The main thing to be concerned with is protecting the cargo it carries. Always be vigilant in buckling your infant in every time you get in the car. Never take a child out of a car seat until she has reached the appropriate age and size. The biggest cause in child injury due to car seats today is the improper use of them. Read all instructions thoroughly and follow every direction to the letter.
It is imperative that parents make sure the harness straps are not twisted when securing the child in the seat. Twisted straps will put more pressure on the child rather than distributing the child's weight more evenly. The harness should be positioned securely over the middle of the child's shoulders and not positioned dangerously on the edge of the shoulder. The harness should come up over the hips rather than the belly. In a crash the result of a twisted, improperly positioned harness can be skin burns, abrasions, internal injuries, and even ejection from the restraint.
The chest clip serves the purpose of keeping the harness positioned appropriately at all times. The position of the clip will affect how the harness restrains the child's body. The chest clip is properly positioned when it rests at arm pit level. It should never be positioned near the neck or over the belly. Proper placement will help to prevent choking hazards and damage to internal organs in a crash.
If you are unsure about which is which, check the label on the side of the seat and it should list the weight it is designed for. An infant seat designed for babies only should read up to 22 pounds, while the other should read up to 40 pounds. The larger convertible size can be placed forward or rear facing for both uses. When choosing the style of car seats, most types, whether expensive or not, usually work fine.
Evenflo manufactured the Generations seat to suit 40 lbs. harnessed and as a belt positioning booster to 100 lbs. The top harnessing slots are 16.5 inches. Ease of use features include an adjustable head rest, 2 crotch strap positions, shoulder belt guide, knob harness adjuster, and harness strap covers. Additional comfort aspects include a pivoting arm rest and a cup holder. The Evenflo Generations comes in at mid-price range, retailing for around $100. It converts to a good quality belt positioning booster.
Many well-meaning parents will bundle their child in a warm winter coat before placing her in the car seat. However, bulky clothing placed under the harness can cause coat compression, leaving enough slack in the harness that will result in serious injury. In some cases, children have been ejected from their car seat leaving their coat behind. Warm polar fleece is a safe option to bulky clothing. Alternatively, securing the child in the harness and slipping the coat on backwards over top the harness is a much safer option.
Combination child restraints are seats that function as a harnessing car seat and then convert to a belt positioning booster. Parents should use the harness to the highest weight limit detailed in the manual or when their shoulders reach the top most harness slots. Only at this point, should they switch the child to the belt positioning booster mode. However, recent studies have been critical of the safety of the seat when used as a belt positioning booster seat (IIHS 2008). Parents should thoroughly research their combination car seat to learn of the potential dangers.
Finding the best looking seat is not the main issue. The main thing to be concerned with is protecting the cargo it carries. Always be vigilant in buckling your infant in every time you get in the car. Never take a child out of a car seat until she has reached the appropriate age and size. The biggest cause in child injury due to car seats today is the improper use of them. Read all instructions thoroughly and follow every direction to the letter.
About the Author:
Rochelle Normski has been working with babies and infants for over 15 years and has informative articles on toddler Car Seat Cover and learn more Shopping Carts Covers.
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