# ISO car seat vs. booster safety stats



## kylesmama (Apr 25, 2005)

I know I have seen a site with safety ratings of car seats vs. boosters & the % & stats on the safety of keeping kids facing backwards, etc...I am unable to find it now...does anyone have the link they could please post?

at what age is a boy typically 65 lbs? my son is 35 lbs now & just turned 3.

I am in need of another car seat as my babe is ready for a bigger one. I know I will get another Brittax - love my current one that is good up to 65 lbs - but not sure if I should get another of those - a Boulevard - or a high back booster for my 3 yo ds. They both would have the side impact flaps. He meets the size requirements for the booster. I ultimately don't want a carseat collection - but I want the safest option. I can't find the stats to help me make an informed decision. If I go with the 2nd convertable carseat I assume I will have to make another purchase when ds is 65 lbs.

I would get the Britax Parkway Booster Car Seat with Side Impact Protection which is good up to 80 lbs - I guess the biggest difference is that it uses a lap belt...that doesn't sound as safe to me...

thanks in advance!
Heather


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## zmom (Jun 29, 2005)

I just went through this with my daughter who just turned 3. We ended up getting a Sunshine Kids Radian 80 and a Britax Regent. Both of them are 5 point harness to 80 pounds but the Radian has a little bit higher shoulder harness so will last for a little longer height-wise.

In the end, i felt like it was worth it to spend the money to get the 5 point harness instead of the booster seat because I don't think that BPB are as safe as the 5 point harness. The Radian is our second carseat and also folds for travel which is great.

They just arrived a few days ago so we've yet to install them but they look great!


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## LilyGrace (Jun 10, 2007)

I'd go with the 5pt harness again if I were you. I have this site in my favs which shows the way different boosters act in a side and front crash. It's enough to reinforce my decision to still have my 5.5yo in a 5pt harness. There's also the reasoning that in a crash, I'm not relying on just the seat belt - the tether and harness also help keep my son safe.

Have you cross posted this in the Family Safety forum or at Car-safety.org ? They could probably answer your questions more indepth.


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## MovingMomma (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm confused. You're buying a new seat for your son, who is 3 y/o, 35 lbs, and in a boulevard that goes to 65 lbs? Why not just leave him in that and get another one (if you like it) for the baby?


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## angie3096 (Apr 4, 2007)

Your three year old definitely needs to stay in a 5 point harness. A high back booster that uses only the car's seatbelt is not a safe option for him at age 3.
So am I understanding correctly that you want to pass the blvd. to the baby and get a bigger seat for your son? If you want to stay with Britax (great choice, BTW), what you want is a Regent! All the other Britax seats are about the same size or smaller than a Blvd, and since he's 35 pounds, there's no use buying a convertible unless you have a space issue in your car. But with only 2 kids, a Regent should be fine.
I'm not sure what site you are talking about but this one may help:
http://www.cpsafety.com/
or maybe this one
http://www.car-safety.org/
And here's some more crash test footage for you, comparing booster vs. 5 point:
Booster first:
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...xicosirodi.mpg
And now harness:
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...cosipriori.mpg


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

I would recommend the Regent as well, since he has outgrown the rear-facing limits you don't need a convertible. A Regent will keep him in a 5-pt. harness until 80 lbs. My 4.5 yr. old is in a Regent (actually a Husky since it's last year's) in my car and a Cosco Apex (which harnesses to 65 lbs.) in his dad's car. At 4.5 I will let him ride in a high-back booster in other peoples' cars on occasion, but I don't like it. I would absolutely not even consider letting a 3.5 yr. old ride in a booster seat.


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kylesmama* 
I know I have seen a site with safety ratings of car seats vs. boosters & the % & stats on the safety of keeping kids facing backwards, etc...I am unable to find it now...does anyone have the link they could please post?

at what age is a boy typically 65 lbs? my son is 35 lbs now & just turned 3.

I am in need of another car seat as my babe is ready for a bigger one. I know I will get another Brittax - love my current one that is good up to 65 lbs - but not sure if I should get another of those - a Boulevard - or a high back booster for my 3 yo ds. They both would have the side impact flaps. He meets the size requirements for the booster. I ultimately don't want a carseat collection - but I want the safest option. I can't find the stats to help me make an informed decision. If I go with the 2nd convertable carseat I assume I will have to make another purchase when ds is 65 lbs.

I would get the Britax Parkway Booster Car Seat with Side Impact Protection which is good up to 80 lbs - I guess the biggest difference is that it uses a lap belt...that doesn't sound as safe to me...

thanks in advance!
Heather

Even if a 3 yo meets the *size* requirements for the parkway, however it's just not a good idea to put a 3, or even a 4 year old in a booster because they are usually not mature enough to stay in position ALL the time (especially if he sleeps in the car). Also, a five point harness spreads crash forces out over not only MORE spots on the body, but STRONGER spots on the body.
Anyway, if I'm not mistaken--many places have laws that have a minimum age requirement of 4 before they can be boosted anyway.

Keep him harnessed.
The boulevard can generally be used to between the ages of 4 and 6 and a Regent isn't usually outgrown until age 8 or so. If you got a regent now & put your little one in the BV you could easily keep them like that for 4 years (or more) before moving the little one into the regent and the big one into a booster.
You'd be able to use the Regent the full 6 years before it expires & both kids could be harnessed until they are 6 (or more, possibly, if you so desire)--an age that is much more reliable for sitting propperly in a seatbelt & an age that has a LOT more bone calcification to withstand a crash better.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Another vote for the regent or boulevard. No WAY I'd put a 3 yr old in a booster.

-Angela


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## kylesmama (Apr 25, 2005)

thank you all so so so much! I am glad I asked on here b/c I would've gotten the wrong thing. I agree the 5 pt harness (Regent) is a much better option than the lap belt boosters. The videos said it all! I didn't even see the Regent option before. I looked & saw the side impact protection & thought that would be the best option off hand.

I think I will buy the Britax Regent for my ds & use our Wizard for dd. Unless anyone thinks that a Boulevard would be safer than a Regent for my ds (due to the side impact protection)...I assume the 5 pt harness is the biggest factor.

Thank you all so much again!
Heather


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

Great!
I debate myself frequently about the regent vs. something with SIP. I can't decide either.
I'm waiting to see the new Recaro Como/Signo that goes to 70lb and has SIP. The comos should be available VERY soon, but the Signos not until Sept at the soonest. If they fit an older child the way the Regent does it'll be no contest, but who knows, maybe it will be more like a BV.

What are the SIP crash test ratings on your vehicle. Maybe that should play into your decision. My car has excellent SIP ratings, so maybe I should just go for a Regent knowing that I can keep my kid harnessed.
Hmmm. Just thinking out loud.


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