latch system + seat belt?

[otb]

hi everyone,

for vehicles with the LATCH system, can you install the infant car seat using BOTH the latch system and the seatbelt? just wondering if this can be done for added safety. if not, is it generally safer to install the infant car seat using the seat belt instead of the LATCH system? from what i read on the internet, it seems like the only reason for the LATCH system is for easier car seat installation, not increased safety. thank you all in advance for your help.

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	LATCH LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. It is a system mandated by the Federal government in an effort to standardize and simplify the installation of child restraints without using the vehicle's seat belt system. New vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on and after September 1, 2002 will be equipped with the LATCH system. Cars, minivans, and light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions, and a top tether anchor (with the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing child safety seats will also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.

[Jewels]

You don't use both LATCH and a seat belt to install a carseat because they aren't tested for use like that. Since they are not tested to be used with both LATCH and a seat belt we don't really know what would happen in a accident. So if you would use both you would basically be testing the seat yourself with your child in it being the crash test dummy

LATCH wasn't meant to be safer then a seatbelt install but easier to use which isn't always the case. Whichever way you can get the best and tightest install is the one that you should go with.

	LATCH LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. It is a system mandated by the Federal government in an effort to standardize and simplify the installation of child restraints without using the vehicle's seat belt system. New vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on and after September 1, 2002 will be equipped with the LATCH system. Cars, minivans, and light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions, and a top tether anchor (with the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing child safety seats will also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.