# Car Seat Survey- Results Post #36



## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

*Thank you Mommas for your help. Initial results are available for you viewing pleasure. I will post the results of other surveys, those not from MDC, as they become available.*

Hello Mommas,
Please take my survey about Child Safety Restraint Use. I want to make a correlation between economics and car seat use for a research paper.

Thank you.

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228ERLWR29D


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## odenata (Feb 1, 2005)

Just took it.









Two small notes - I have a station wagon, but there wasn't an option for that, so I put car. Also, the booster seat question didn't have an option for what I will do, which is use a booster after my dd outgrows her Regent, around 80 pounds, not at 40.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Done. I didn't like the options for booster usage though, I believe it was the last question. I choose what I felt was the safest option, although I don't consider it best practice.


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## cognito (Nov 30, 2007)

I took the survey but saw som minor flaws. I'm sure it will still give you a good idea for your paper though. Good luck! Maybe you could share some results with us later.
Cosco & Safety 1st are the same company (Dorel). They also make Eddie Bauer.
RFing can be outgrown by height, not only weight. I picked weight on the survey since it was the 'to the max' answer.
Also, many people will not put a child in a booster at 40lbs because extended harnessing is available. Seats that go to 65 or 80 with a harness.
I also feel that under 20k for income is somewhat broad. I have a family of 4 that makes it on 12k. We still have new & properly used seats though.


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## Anastasiya (Jun 13, 2006)

When "should" you turn your child FF - did you intend "What's the correct answer for the minimum requirements?" as in - 1 year AND 20 pounds? Because if so, I chose wrong. I chose when kiddo outgrows the RF seat because that's what should be done for optimum safety....though you only listed outgrowing it in weight, not height.

And as the PP mentioned, I wouldn't move a child into a booster at 40 pounds, though that was the only "right" option, though one very wrong for my family.

Good survey though!


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

I took it as well... just a few comments for my answers...

I don't own my own vehicle, which you didn't have an option for. I had to pick an option so I picked the cost of my Moms vehicle, but depending on how you are using the results it could throw them off because it wasn't at all our household income which purchased that vehicle.

And I agree about the 40 pound thing... there wasn't an accurate answer for what we'll do because after 1 is actually more accurate than AT 40 pounds... since T (and all other kids of ours) will be past 1 year old, but also past 40 pounds, I would think of switching a 40 pounder to a booster just because they hit 40 pounds.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

I was not able to answer the last question.

There is much more than just a minimum weight (the 40lbs referenced) that goes in to determining when a child is ready for a booster. Age, maturity, impulse control, etc. My 48-lb 6-yr old is in a seat that harnesses to 65lbs, and won't go to full-time booster use until such time as he outgrows (height or weight) that seat.

I was not crazy about many of the options in the survey over-all.

The question about turning to forward facing too - 1 and 20lbs is the law in many places, though some it is 1 OR 20 lbs - there isn't a broad "right" answer (legally speaking). I picked "limit of the seat" - but even that is somewhat misleading since there are still 20-lb limit infant restraints out there that are not expired, and that is *NOT* what I mean. I mean I have my 23-month old in a RF convertible seat that has a max rear-facing limit of 35lbs, and he will be turned when he hits THAT maximum.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *odenata* 
Just took it.









Two small notes - I have a station wagon, but there wasn't an option for that, so I put car. Also, the booster seat question didn't have an option for what I will do, which is use a booster after my dd outgrows her Regent, around 80 pounds, not at 40.

Thanks for your input. I am not too familair with booster seats as I have yet to reach that phase. Also boosters are not my focus. Mostly parents with children under 4 who fail to use any type of car seat. I don't think that boosters are adequate for a 4 year old my paper will focus mainly on younger children.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alysmommy2004* 
Done. I didn't like the options for booster usage though, I believe it was the last question. I choose what I felt was the safest option, although I don't consider it best practice.

Mothering.com mommas are not the norm at all, and I like that.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cognito* 
I took the survey but saw som minor flaws. I'm sure it will still give you a good idea for your paper though. Good luck! Maybe you could share some results with us later.
Cosco & Safety 1st are the same company (Dorel). They also make Eddie Bauer.
RFing can be outgrown by height, not only weight. I picked weight on the survey since it was the 'to the max' answer.
Also, many people will not put a child in a booster at 40lbs because extended harnessing is available. Seats that go to 65 or 80 with a harness.
I also feel that under 20k for income is somewhat broad. I have a family of 4 that makes it on 12k. We still have new & properly used seats though.

Yes, rearfacing can be outgrown by height, but many mainstream parents are 20 pounds and switch types. A family of 4 using childseats making under 20K is what I hope to see, that families with money are not the only one that follow the law.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sancta* 
When "should" you turn your child FF - did you intend "What's the correct answer for the minimum requirements?" as in - 1 year AND 20 pounds? Because if so, I chose wrong. I chose when kiddo outgrows the RF seat because that's what should be done for optimum safety....though you only listed outgrowing it in weight, not height.

And as the PP mentioned, I wouldn't move a child into a booster at 40 pounds, though that was the only "right" option, though one very wrong for my family.

Good survey though!

See, I am thinking about my own use and what I would do. I would turn my child around once he was 33 lbs and too large to use his Boulvard in a rear facing postion. Many parents don't know about height limits so I chose to only use weight.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *triscuitsmom* 
I took it as well... just a few comments for my answers...

I don't own my own vehicle, which you didn't have an option for. I had to pick an option so I picked the cost of my Moms vehicle, but depending on how you are using the results it could throw them off because it wasn't at all our household income which purchased that vehicle.

And I agree about the 40 pound thing... there wasn't an accurate answer for what we'll do because after 1 is actually more accurate than AT 40 pounds... since T (and all other kids of ours) will be past 1 year old, but also past 40 pounds, I would think of switching a 40 pounder to a booster just because they hit 40 pounds.









40 pounds is the law in many states. Best pratices are not always the legal requirement


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

You did have some items that were leading.


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## rootzdawta (May 22, 2005)

Took the survey Mama!!


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *asusan* 
you did have some items that were leading.

very.


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

are you able to revise your survey without losing the answers so far? The one about boosters really needs another option.


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
40 pounds is the law in many states. Best pratices are not always the legal requirement

I'm sorry, I must have misread... I though it asked what I would do or what you should do (which if it's worded should do then it is best practice, not what is legal), not what is the legal minimum where you live. At any rate, if that's the case then 40lbs would be it *nods*


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Yeah, the question about booster usage wasn't the best- I did put DS into a booster around 40 lbs (he'd actually outgrown his carseat by height when he was about 38 lbs) and, since he was nearly 5, I put him in a booster. Had he outgrown his harnessed carseat at age 3 or a young 4, I would have gotten him a seat that harnessed longer.

If you're mostly interested in children under 4, then the early questions on the survey should reflect that. I answered for my almost 7yo, as he's the only one currently still in any kind of carseat. If you were only interested in the under 4s, I could have answered based on what I did when my kids were younger, or not answered at all (if you only want to survey parents of kids currently 0-4yo.)

Also, that "have you ever placed an infant seat in the front seat" question- maybe clarify about whether that's been done with a current baby. I think I may have done that once when I had 3 toddlers in the back seat of my Honda Civic, but that vehicle didn't have passenger side airbags, and I wouldn't do that now, in my van, or with information I currently have about child safety. I did things differently when my daughters were babies because I knew much less, plus different kinds of carseats were then available. The "have you EVER" phrasing may not accurately reflect what people are doing today.


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## 3pink1blue (Jun 23, 2008)

OP, i kind of felt by the content of your first post (studying correlation of economics and car seat usage) and then the contents of the survey, that you think low-income people are stupid. Maybe not true but it sure seems that way. Like "have you ever placed a RF bucket seat FF"... um, just because im poor doesn't mean i can't read. I know a lot of parents do stupid crap like that but not all of them are poor.


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## 3pink1blue (Jun 23, 2008)

okay maybe it is cause im poor that im stupid lol. i guess i just realized thats the whole point of the survey, to see if wealthier people make those mistakes. der.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *3pink1blue* 
OP, i kind of felt by the content of your first post (studying correlation of economics and car seat usage) and then the contents of the survey, that you think low-income people are stupid. Maybe not true but it sure seems that way. Like "have you ever placed a RF bucket seat FF"... um, just because im poor doesn't mean i can't read. I know a lot of parents do stupid crap like that but not all of them are poor.

or

I also want to know if people would purchase an expensive car and then purchase a used, expired car seat.

one way that i am conducting research is by looking in the windows of parked cars and observing what I see. No a car is not an idication of wealth, but what I have noticed is that people who drive run down cars are more likely to have expired car seat that that are improperly installed than their new car counterparts.

I would love though to debunk the myth that economics is the motivator in child safety.

After I completed my survey, I realized that I failed to add a question about education. I can't edit the survey as I used the free option.

There are a few flaws, but the information that I have gathered is interesting.

Infact I did have 2 people answer yes to this question:

*Have you ever installed a rear facing infant seat/bucket seat/ baby seat/ in a facing forward so that you could see or reach the baby?

and 4 people answer yes to this question

*Have you ever placed a rear facing car seat in the front seat while the vehicle is in motion?


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## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

I took it, but I was answering based on my own children. If I were answering for when I was in my 20's and I drove my sister's kids around, there would be different answers. However, I did say that I have driven with a child under 4 not in a carseat, because I know that has happened before, unintentionally.

I have a car with LATCH, but I've never had a carseat with LATCH. I got my car when my youngest was about 2.5, and I didn't buy a new carseat, I just stuck with the old one.

I did say I would purchase a carseat from a friend, but that's not accurate. At first I had said no, but then I realized that I did borrow a bucket style carseat from a friend when I felt like my convertible carseat was just not quite right for a newborn.

I don't know if you asked our age, but I think age is a factor in this too. I'm 41 and lived in a time of less stringent safety requirements. My carseats don't have expiration dates on them, I just went out to the garage and checked. My Britax Roundabouts have manufacture dates on them, and I can't find any date on my Graco TurboBooster. I bought it in 2003.

I said I spent $101-$200 on my carseats, averaged out. The Roundabouts were more, the TurboBoosters were less. But I actually have 2 of each, because I bought 2 carseats and 2 boosters so there would be one per car, and we wouldn't have to switch them around if my husband was occasionally driving. We used to have an RV, so we'd leave a carseat in our tow car, and put one in our RV.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Depending on how many responses you've already gotten, you may want to make up a whole new survey with many of the same questions, rather than editing this one.


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## lmonter (Feb 26, 2004)

Questions 21 and 22 kind of got to me because car seats don't *just* have weight limits. Maybe my kids are just absolute freaks, but they *always* outgrow the height limits on carseats long before they'd even think of outgrowing them by weight. Always. Which makes it difficult finding a 5-pt harness for your tall 4yo since most companies/people focus just on the weight.







: If that's the case, I could've kept my oldest in a Graco Snugride until he was almost 2yo (and 32-34 inches tall at 19-22lbs).

And in my state, it's to 7yo for a booster seat, and 8yo in one of the neighboring states. I like my Britax Frontier.








Oh, and it's hard sticking 3 carseats in a single vehicle that gets decent mileage. Especially since I'm a Britax fanatic.







(besides, it's not like we won't need the hip room as the kids get bigger anyway)


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

You got some blank answers from me since I don't own a car. My primary motorised vehicle is public transit (it's so nice that carseats aren't necessay on buses!). Also, I clicked no to the front seat question, but I did put my daughter in the front seat in a UHaul when we moved when she was a baby, but since there was no backseat it wasn't really a choice so much as the only option available.

Also, on the front facing issue, my real reason for turning dd as soon as she was legal was to reduce the amount of screaming distracting the driver, and I know lots of kids who need to be visible to see if they have unbuckled themselves, so it was a combination of factors.


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## Friday13th (Jun 13, 2006)

I also had problems with questions 21 and 22 DS will be turned FF when he outgrows the 35lbs weight limit or is within one inch of the top of the shells of his Uptown and/or True Fit. If he was in, say a Snugride, I'd buy a new seat when he outgrew it, not put him FF. Also I wouldn't put a 40lb. child in a booster, I'd have them in a harness.


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## cognito (Nov 30, 2007)

If your focus is on lower income families, then maybe some examples of ways to get help in getting carseats might be a good place to look too. That way you can illustrate that it is possible. Just an idea. We scrimp & save, but I know sometimes health depts & Safe Kids help provide seats to needy families. Hospitals often have programs for infant seats too.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
and 4 people answer yes to this question

*Have you ever placed a rear facing car seat in the front seat while the vehicle is in motion?

But you have no way of knowing if that was in the front seat with an airbag or without. WITH an airbag, this is incredibly dangerous. WITHOUT one, it's simply bad practice.

Or possibly, it's a pick-up truck, or another vehicle where there is no backseat.


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## mamabearsoblessed (Jan 8, 2003)

took the survey


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

I have older cars that I paid nothing for, with very low miles. Grandma drove very nice sedans. So that might be skewed. Perhaps I should have looked up their original sale price.

And I skipped the booster question. I don't know when DS will outgrow his blvd, so that will influence what I buy next. He's a wee guy, too, so it may be a few years yet, at which point new standards and research may be available.


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## goodheartedmama (Feb 1, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alysmommy2004* 
Done. I didn't like the options for booster usage though, I believe it was the last question. I choose what I felt was the safest option, although I don't consider it best practice.

ditto!


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## Tofu the Geek (Dec 2, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
and 4 people answer yes to this question

*Have you ever placed a rear facing car seat in the front seat while the vehicle is in motion?

and there might be nothing wrong with it, it might be the only option in some vehicles (i.e. 2 seaters, trucks with only one row). I owned a 2 seater vehicle WITHOUT air bags. There was instructions in the vehicle manual on how to properly install a child seat and even an option for a top tether (1989 vehicle). It was the only way to transport a child in this vehicle. As long as their is a way to disable the air bag (i.e. switch or key, NOT sensor), it's what you have to do when you only have a front seat.

So, I'm not sure if the answers to this question mean much, since it's not necessarily an error or lack of knowledge.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Hmm, it occurs to me that "design" might have meant fabric colors not seat features--oops.

And used seat <> expired, esp. with infant seats.


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## Tofu the Geek (Dec 2, 2003)

And on the reasons for buying seat, "weight" was listed. Wasn't sure if you meant the actual weight of the seat (some are darn heavy and not as easy to lug around) or the weight limit of the seat? Height/weight limits was what made my decision.

Also, I read all the questions but I didn't actually take the survey, because I wasn't sure about a couple questions (the one above and the front seat question) and also wasn't sure if you wanted answers from people outside the U.S.


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## studentmidwifemama (Oct 13, 2008)

Hi,
I took your quizz. i think it was question 21 about when to put seat forward facing. I answered 1 year 20 pounds though I believe it is safest to wait longer than that. That answer was not a choice though.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

took the survey but had a problem w/ the booster seat Q. i wont put my child in a booster seat at 40 lbs. but there was no other option.

i am one of those who has put a seat in the front seat (very rarely but necessary when driving our truck and using a seat that does not allow for installation in the back of a truck). sometimes there are just no other options.


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## mimie (Mar 7, 2003)

I took your survey, but I hope you don't mind some gentle research methods feedback...

Your sample here is a very narrow and self-selecting population, especially considering that you posted in the family safety forum.

Many of the questions were leading, or did not contain enough options (i.e. the question about what make of car you drive).

Looking into windows would not be a valid research method for several reasons. First, the people included in your research did not consent to participate. It seems unimportant, but consent is a pretty big ethical consideration in psychosocial research. Second, you have no way for controlling for any factors - age, socioeconomics, geography, etc., so your data wouldn't tell you very much. Third, it's pretty imprecise. Can you really tell just by eyeballing seats whether they are installed incorrectly, or are expired? Can you tell the age and height/weight of the child occupying the seat?

Anyway, I hope you do get some useful data from your survey. I might suggest rewriting your questions to be less leading (maybe even open ended) and doing a survey in person if possible. If you need to stick to online, spread your survey around to other message boards (you may be doing that already) and try to post in areas not specifically dedication to child passenger safety.

Good luck, this is important work you are doing, and I hope you get some useful answers.


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## UberMama (Feb 27, 2007)

Drats, I wanted to take it!


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mimie* 
I took your survey, but I hope you don't mind some gentle research methods feedback...

Your sample here is a very narrow and self-selecting population, especially considering that you posted in the family safety forum.

Many of the questions were leading, or did not contain enough options (i.e. the question about what make of car you drive).

Looking into windows would not be a valid research method for several reasons. First, the people included in your research did not consent to participate. It seems unimportant, but consent is a pretty big ethical consideration in psychosocial research. Second, you have no way for controlling for any factors - age, socioeconomics, geography, etc., so your data wouldn't tell you very much. Third, it's pretty imprecise. Can you really tell just by eyeballing seats whether they are installed incorrectly, or are expired? Can you tell the age and height/weight of the child occupying the seat?

Anyway, I hope you do get some useful data from your survey. I might suggest rewriting your questions to be less leading (maybe even open ended) and doing a survey in person if possible. If you need to stick to online, spread your survey around to other message boards (you may be doing that already) and try to post in areas not specifically dedication to child passenger safety.

Good luck, this is important work you are doing, and I hope you get some useful answers.










I have accumulated a wealth of information from this survey, but this is not enough. I will list 4 or 5 other surveys, one of which is completely open ended. I plan on listing my other surveys on citi-data in various cites. I knew that MDC participants for the most part are well aware of child saftey restraints and use them on a daily basis.

My paper is about Every day objects. To MDC mom child saftey restraints are indeed every day objects, my goal now is to seek out mothers who don't make safety a priority.

Looking in car windows helps. I must also state that I look in car windows when we pull up next toother cars in shopping centers and as we walk into stores. Nothing illegal or that would violate local statutes. I can tell by a simple glance if a car seat is crooked, if the padding is not attached or if the seat is expired.

On a few occasions I have approached the owners of the vehicles. The responses were not positive, but I am sure that over the next few weeks someone will want to talk. My approach line..."Mam, would you like to learn more about child car seat safety?"

Once I find parents who are willing to talk I will gather the required socioeconomics information needed to produce valid results.

Thank you for the advice.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Listed below is the raw data results of my survey. Now I begin the tedious process of looking at indiviudal surveys and compiling information. Fun!!

1. What is your yearly household income?

under $20,000
12 11%
$20,001 - $40,000
27 25%
$40,001 - $60,000
24 22%
$60,001 - $80,000
20 19%
$80,001 - $100,000
14 13%
$100,001 - $150,000
7 7%
$150,001 - $200,000
3 3%
over $200,000
0 0%
Total 107 100%

2. Are you a parent or a guardian?

parent
107 100%
guardian
0 0%
Total 107 100%

3. What brand of child safety restraint(s) do you own?

Britax
44 41%
Chicco
3 3%
Combi
1 1%
Compass
0 0%
Cosco
19 18%
Evenflo
25 23%
Graco
44 41%
Mia Moda
0 0%
Peg Perego
2 2%
Recaro
0 0%
Safe Guard
0 0%
Safety First
10 9%
The First Years
2 2%
Other, please specify.
View Responses
18 17%

4. How many people reside in your household.

2
0 0%
3
39 37%
4
42 40%
5
17 16%
Other, please specify
View Responses
8 8%
Total 106 100%

5. Do you have a car seat for every child in your household as required by local regulations?

yes
106 100%
no
0 0%
Total 106 100%

6. Are your child safety restraints current? Meaning are they within the expiration date stamped on the side of the seat?

yes
104 99%
no
1 1%
Total 105 100%

7. Were your child safety restraints professionally installed?

yes
24 22%
no
79 74%
wow, that service is available?
4 4%
Total 107 100%

8. What influenced or will influence your car seat purchases?

Price
47 44%
Safety
86 80%
Design
29 27%
Size
31 29%
Ease of Installation
32 30%
A friend
7 7%

9. Would you purchase a used child safety restraint from a friend?

yes
36 34%
no
71 66%
Total 107 100%

10. Would you purchse a used childe safety restraint from a stranger?

yes
5 5%
no
102 95%
Total 107 100%

11. How much do you spend on average per child safety restraint?

under $40
3 3%
$40 - $60
13 12%
$61 - $100
14 13%
$101 - $200
40 37%
$201 - $300
36 34%
$300 or more
1 1%
Total 107 100%

12. What type of automobile do you drive as your primary vehicle?

Ford-Chrysler-GMC- Chevrolet- Jeep- Pontiac
57 53%
Honda-Toyota-Nissan-Mazda
43 40%
Acura-Lexus-Infiniti-Volvo-Volkswagon
5 5%
Porsche-Mercedes Benz-BMW
2 2%
Total 107 100%

13. What type of car is your primary vehicle?

Car
40 37%
Van
28 26%
SUV
34 32%
Truck
5 5%
Total 107 100%

14. How much did you pay for your primary vehicle?

Under $5,000
19 18%
$5,000 - $10,000
11 10%
$10,000 - $15,000
15 14%
$15,000 - $20,000
23 21%
$20,000 - $30,000
22 21%
$30,000 - $40,000
10 9%
$40,000 - $50,000
5 5%
$50,000 - $70.000
0 0%
$70,000 or more
2 2%
Total 107 100%

15. Which answer best describes the age of your primary vehicle.

0 to 2 years of age
25 23%
2 to 4 years of age
26 24%
4 to 6 years of age
23 21%
6 to 10 years of age
18 17%
10 years of age or older
15 14%
Total 107 100%

16. Does your vehicle have LATCh?

Yes
68 64%
no
31 29%
I don't know
7 7%
Total 106 100%

17. Did you purchase your primary vehicle new?

yes
40 38%
no
66 62%
Total 106 100%

18. Have you ever installed a rear facing infant seat/bucket seat/ baby seat/ in a facing forward so that you could see or reach the baby?

yes
3 3%
no
104 97%
Total 107 100%

19. Have you ever placed a rear facing car seat in the front seat while the vehicle is in motion?

yes
4 4%
no
102 96%
Total 106 100%

20. Have you ever driven a child under the age of 4 in your primary vehicle that was not restrained in a car seat or booster seat?

Yes
13 12%
no
94 88%
Total 107 100%

21. When should you place a baby in a forward facing car seat?

On the child's first birthday
2 2%
When the child weighs 20lbs
2 2%
Once the child is over the age of 1 and 20lbs
46 43%
Once the child is over the age of 1 and/or 20lbs
9 8%
When the parent thinks that the child is ready to face forward?
0 0%
When the child has exceeded the weight of their rear facing seat?
47 44%
Total 106 100%

22. When should you move your child to a booster seat?

after their first birthday
0 0%
once they reach 40lbs
95 90%
I would never use a booster seat, my child will use the regular seat belt once he/she outgrows their forward facing car seat.
10 10%
Total 105 100%


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 

7. Were your child safety restraints professionally installed?

yes
24 22%
no
79 74%
wow, that service is available?
4 4%
Total 107 100%


Ah, this was the other question that had bothered me (I commented earlier about the booster question), but I couldn't remember. It may be silly, but I don't feel that a seat installed by a tech is any safer than one installed by the average parent. Obviously when 8/10 seats are installed incorrectly, yeah, you could assume that. However, techs aren't just there to install seats, they're there to check them and teach parents how to do it correctly themselves. I have never had my seats checked because I could never get ahold of a tech to do it. The few times I knew of open checks (no appointment needed) the lines were too long and I felt that other people could probably have used the help more than I could. So I read my manuals, triple check everything, and post pics online for my techie friends to evaluate. Maybe not the best method, but I'll take what I can get.


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