Car seat question

emack

We got our Britax convertibles installed by the DC police department this past week and one car had the seat installed as I was expecting but the other car was different. I'm concerned and wanted to get your opinions.

I had been told to put the seat in the middle whenever possible. I had also been told that seatbelts were preferable to LATCH because LATCH only takes up to 50 pounds of pressure, whereas a seatbelt can take up to 500. My one car doesn't have LATCH and the department automatically installed with the belt in the middle as I was expecting. IN the other car, they put it on the side with LATCH (no LATCH in the middle) and told DH that was the best option.

What have you been told? I'm uncomfortable with the seat on the side... 

special382

LATCH is preferrable to the seatbelt up to either your carseat's LATCH weight limit or your car's LATCH weight limit (whichever is lower).

 Having them on the side is okay.

Artslvr

I would trust what they say as they've probably done this a million times.  In our Ford F150 Supercab, when we had one kid, the seat went in the middle using seat belts.  In our Hyundai Elantra it could only go on the side because rear facing it hit the back of the driver's seat (I'm tall) and LATCH was only for the side. 

Nothing wrong with having it on the side, truly.  We have two kids, so DD #2 has always been on the side - when you have more than one kid, you don't really have a choice.

barkers4jmm

We have Britax Blvds in 2 cars, both are behind the passenger seat.  One with LATCH, the other not.  You have to do what works with the specific car. 

tracy042206

A note on the side versus center.  I read a study somewhere that said the difference between injuries in children whether they are on the sides or center is so small that it isn't statistically significant.  And like pp said - when you have more than one there really isn't an option.  I also though LATCH was preferred but these are just my thoughts, I don't install seats or have any other qualifications.

katiek414

We had our car seat inspected at the Fairfax Government Center last Saturday and had the same question.  They went for the middle seat of my husband's car (LATCH) and passenger side of my car (also LATCH).  They said it just depends on the make and model.  As PP stated, they also told me that during an accident... the rate of injury between middle seat and any side seat isn't statistically significant.