Bigger Car Safety Seats For Overweight Kids
Here’s a sign of the times: car seat manufacturers are making bigger models to accomodate heavier kids. According to The Washington Post, over a quarter of a million U.S. children ages 1 to 6 are heavier than the upper limit of a standard car seat designed for their age (up to 40 pounds for a 3-year-old). Although they may be heavy enough to move up to a booster seat, most toddlers are not tall enough nor mature enough to have just the car’s seatbelts for restraint.
Models such as the Britax Regent seat can accomodate children up to 80 pounds but is apparently HUGE. Amazon reviewer Online Mama:
I drive an SUV, and this seat barely fits. It must be positioned behind the driver, because otherwise it obstructs vision and creates a HUGE blind spot. If you are used to Britax seats (all are fairly tall) then this is not too much higher, but it is very broad at the top.
So does that mean family cars have to get bigger too? That would be a double whammy - an “obesity epidemic” AND increased fuel consumption.
Tags: car-safety-seats, car-seats, children, kids, obesity, obesity-epidemic, overweight-children, overweight-kidsRelated Stories
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2 opinions for Bigger Car Safety Seats For Overweight Kids
Paula
Apr 5, 2006 at 12:10 pm
This story is fascinating and upsetting at the same time. I think a lot about obesity in kids - I have a 9-yr-old niece who has been drinking Coke and eating fries since she was a year old, and with a family history of diabetes and heart disease, I don’t feel too positive about her future health. Thanks for posting this.
Lei
Apr 6, 2006 at 8:57 am
Paula: Your niece’s story is sadly not unusual. I still remember seeing a family practically forcing their infant to drink Coke. Not sure what the logic was behind that.
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