Using an overseas baby car seat to prolong rear facing for my DD in the car

[mummygeorgie]

It's hard to say whether our standards are lower, they're definitely different

It does suck that our seats don't rear-face longer (although saying that, there would be a trade-off with needing bigger cars really - in the US, for example, I'm pretty sure the avg 'family' car is bigger cos their seats are HUGE, we certainly wouldn't be able to fit 3 carseats in a Ford Focus like I can here), and that we can only use a 5-pt harness up to 18kg, and boosters up to 26kg. BUT the actual standards on our seats themselves are higher, if that makes any sense (which is why you can't use a seat here that doesn't meet Aust. standards, even if it *seems* safer, I guess we are not the experts!)

One would think manufacturers would work out something better, but there ya go.

[melbel69]

it is not quite true to say that we are the only ones who use tether straps. the US is slowly introducing them and Europe follow a different but equal standard of using ISOFIX points whic are actually in the framework of the car between the vertical and horizontal cushions of the rear seat. they are also phasing a combination of both the isofix points and tether straps to make their standards the absolute rolls royce of safety. Cars made in Europe that are sold here usually still have the iosfix points available in them as they are part of the framework moulding process but we just dont make/import the carseat frames to use them.

But it is also true GIGI that if you choose to use an overseas seat it will invlaidate your insurance and if you are pulled over by the police and they notice it is not to Australian standards you can be fined and forced to remove it.

[missymoo84]

I have been in an accident that was pretty bad and wrote my VR off, the boys were both in forward facing car seats and they were both fine. I don't know why you would need to keep a child in a rear facing seat until more than 18 kg as my boys are both 16kg and are 3 and 4.

[bilbylove]

Originally Posted by missymoo84

I have been in an accident that was pretty bad and wrote my VR off, the boys were both in forward facing car seats and they were both fine. I don't know why you would need to keep a child in a rear facing seat until more than 18 kg as my boys are both 16kg and are 3 and 4.

i just said i wanted to keep her rearfacing until 4
don't think i said anything about kgs

my reasons for rearfacing are in the youtube link i posted a few posts down - i'm worried about potential head and neck injuries

I'm really glad your boys were ok, hope you were/are too, sorry to hear about your car write off.

[Bek]

as everyone else has said, carseats need to meet Aus standards to be used in Australia.

the limit for most seats for rear-facing is 12kg, and that's when my boys were turned. Can't remember the exact ages, but it was older than 2 1/2 and less than 3 when they got to that milestone.
So long as their shoulders aren't above the height of the top slot for the harness straps, then they're not too big to be rearfacing. they bend their legs up and around as necessary, and Ben always said he was comfy (if you can believe what a 2yr old says) chances of having broken legs in a crash due to being rearfacing would be pretty minimal I would think, the forces would be going in different directions I think.
We use a safe-n-sound seat, not sure if it's roomier than the turn-a-tot or not.

yes, it would be great if standards were revised to allow for rearfacing for longer. rear-facing is definitely the safest as far as neck/head injuries - for adults as well as babies/children. (just slightly impractical to drive a car while rear-facing *giggle*) I'm all for protecting my kids for as long as possible.
hth

[Candice]

I was always of the understanding that once they were long enough that their legs could touch the car seat (not the child seats the actual CAR seat) or that their in anyway extended beyond the seat that it was no longer safe in rearfacing, and hense the reason they are turned around, the benifits of rearfacing no longer outweighed the risks... again this is just my understanding...

[Shannon]

From my experiences with the turn a tot that my SIL had, it is a very small carseat. Gigi, I am sure that if you look at some other models that you will find them roomier for your darling girl. I'm not too sure what will fit in your car though, not much fit even in my 4wd or carnival, as I am 6ft tall and need the drivers seat right back to drive.

[~Gullygirl~]

wow rear facing until four?? What are the benefits of this? Do you have any international links with pics, I am baffled trying to even picture it. I do understand that rear facing is safer in general, but was unaware that this was a practice common anywhere past infancy.

[Big Green Frog]

Originally Posted by ~Gullygirl~

wow rear facing until four?? What are the benefits of this? Do you have any international links with pics, I am baffled trying to even picture it. I do understand that rear facing is safer in general, but was unaware that this was a practice common anywhere past infancy.

Rear-facing*-*Child Restraint Safety

there are pics of older kids rear facing in the you tube link on the previous page

here you go

YouTube - The Importance of Rear-Facing

[~*Bron*~]

those impacts with the dummies are enough for me to change at least josie back again. perhaps xanthia (as she's the size of a 3 year old) but depends on if her shoulders are low enough.