which is more important: 5-point or side impact protection?

[lucysmom]

My daughter is 43 lbs and 44 inches tall. She's currently in a Britax Marathon, which fits fine with the straps in the top slot.

I wanted to get another seat for traveling, and since she's big enough for a booster, I got a Britax Parkway.

I started researching and now I'm wondering just how important the side-impact protection is. In the Marathon, she's in the center, so I feel like she's well protected from side-impact. But seeing her today trying out both seats, I feel like she's almost exposed in the Marathon -- it seems like she's sitting so high up and when she's in the Parkway she seems enfolded and protected. The other thing is that the Parkway doesn't fit well in the center, and really needs to be on the side. So she's got side impact protection, but she's closer to the door than she would be in the Marathon without side protection.

SO, what's better? To have the 5-point harness, or side protection with a booster? I've made myself thoroughly confused. Thanks for any advice!

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Britax Parkway - Click for more info The new Parkway Booster from Britax builds on their company's reputation as the maker of some of the safest seats on the market today. It's one of the only boosters to offer True Side Impact Protection - the EPS foam-padded headrest and side "wings" aren't just great for naps, they're engineered to provide vital protection to your child in the event of a side-impact crash. (Side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 6-14, making this an issue of major importance for booster seats.)

[MnMadhouse]

Statistically, you are more likely to be in a frontal crash and a 5pt harness is safer no matter what for EVERYONE..adults included. The side impact protection is important, but if you have side curtain airbags or if they are in the middle, it doesn't play AS big of a roll. IT just depends on what you are comfortable putting her in. For me, the 5pt harness was never questioned. I do not have side curtain airbags, but STATISTICALLY, frontal crashes are more frequent, with 2nd being side impact crashes.

[lucysmom]

I realized this morning as I looked at dd in the rearview mirror that the tops of her ears were just shy of the top of the Marathon. Eeek. So. Back to the store today, this time with dd in tow.

Ended up with a Safeguard Go. I'm not thrilled with the lack of side impact protection, but she will be center, and i like the 5-pt harness, tether, LATCH, and EPS in head rest.

Any thoughts? Any concerns that this wouldn't be a good solution?

Thanks --

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

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	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.

	SafeGuard - Click for more info Indiana Mills and Manufacturing (IMMI) is SafeGuard’s parent company, and has been in the business of developing and manufacturing quality safety systems for every facet of the transportation industry for over 40 years, covering everything from the heavy truck and agricultural industries to child seating. IMMI has a world-renowned reputation for creating and promoting the highest rated safety harnesses and restraint systems available today, from integrated child seats in production vehicles to campaigning for increased use of safety harnesses on public transportation systems. Based in Westfield, Indiana, SafeGuard has been creating and testing essential components used across the child safety seat industry through their state of the art crash testing facilities since 1961. The SafeGuard and SafeGuard Go are IMMI’s first direct foray into the child safety seat market, and the results are simply outstanding. No other car seats or boosters are designed with as much attention to structural integrity, ease of installation, and total child safety. This seat has been subjected to the most thorough and extensive testing “ever conducted in the industry”: virtual prototyping with computer models; rigorous front, side, and rear impact crash testing; and environmental testing in a range of climates and road types.

[MnMadhouse]

Not my favorite seat to use as a primary seat. There is no side impact protection for the body and if you ever need to use it in another vehicle, and they dont' have a tether anchor, you are out of luck. Also, it turns into a Backless booster which, again, doesn't off that SIP and if you don't have a headrest in the center location, you can't use a backless booster there. It is a GREAT seat to travel with b/c of how small it compacts...so pros and cons, just like any other seat. For about $20-$30 more, you could have gotten the Graco Nautilus that will harness to 65lbs and booster to 100lbs from WalMart

If it works for you, fits your child and your vehicle, then it is the right seat for you

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Click for more info Graco, an industry leader in juvenile products, knows that your child's safety is of the utmost importance to you. Graco designs its products with your child's safety in mind, while at the same time ensuring that you get optimum value for your money. In both regards, the new Nautilus 3-in-1 MultiUse Car Seat fits the bill perfectly. The Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat is designed for both versatility and safety, offering right-size comfort and protection as your child grows. Nautilus is a harness seat, a high-back booster and a backless booster. Because it adapts as your child grows, from age 1 to age 10, you can buy one Nautilus instead of a toddler seat, booster seat and backless booster. That's one seat instead of three--a fantastic investment that doesn't compromise on safety. Nautilus is the last car seat you'll ever need to buy! You get three products for the price of one!

[Papooses]

Sorry if I missed this (I'm under the weather & taking midterms) ... but what is your child's age? The Safeguard Go is more of a "niche" seat for travel purposes. It is one of few that doesn't quite fit the following statement:

Generally speaking, comparing 5 point harness carseats to boosters with SIP is sort of a null issue for kids at certain ages/sizes because 5 points keep a child more contained in all crash types comared to any booster. Harnesses inherently offer more side impact protection than a booster because during a crash, 1 should tends to twist out of position, increasing head excursion AKA. forward movement (this may lead to impacting the vehicle interior which the cause of most injury).

Boosters are vitally important for those children who no longer fit harnesses, but each "graduation" in seat type is actually a demotion in safety (unless the child no longer fits the harness as per its instructions).

If I haven't thoroughly confused anyone yet () I'll add to this that "SIP" is a Britax term. Many other seats offer the same protection without such a label. Some companies have a different label for it.

If your new Go can be used in the center & kiddo likes it then awesome She'll be very well protected for now. However, my concern with the Go is that it becomes only a backless booster after the harness is outgrown. This is fine if your vehicle has headrest + shoulder belt in the center and/or you have rear side curtain airbags, but all highback boosters provide more side impact protection even without any headwings.

Then again, lateral crashes (side impacts) are much less likely than frontal crashes. Correctly used harnesses are safer in all crash types because the child is more contained & the crash forces are spread out across a broader area of the body compared to a booster.

So, after all this rambling, what I'm getting around to is that it sounds like you've got kiddo very well protected for now Simply put, you may just want to save towards a more dedicated booster to use once kiddo outgrows the Go harness (or if the retailer is willing to exchange, you could consider other options that keep kids harnessed longer than the Go)

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	SafeGuard - Click for more info Indiana Mills and Manufacturing (IMMI) is SafeGuard’s parent company, and has been in the business of developing and manufacturing quality safety systems for every facet of the transportation industry for over 40 years, covering everything from the heavy truck and agricultural industries to child seating. IMMI has a world-renowned reputation for creating and promoting the highest rated safety harnesses and restraint systems available today, from integrated child seats in production vehicles to campaigning for increased use of safety harnesses on public transportation systems. Based in Westfield, Indiana, SafeGuard has been creating and testing essential components used across the child safety seat industry through their state of the art crash testing facilities since 1961. The SafeGuard and SafeGuard Go are IMMI’s first direct foray into the child safety seat market, and the results are simply outstanding. No other car seats or boosters are designed with as much attention to structural integrity, ease of installation, and total child safety. This seat has been subjected to the most thorough and extensive testing “ever conducted in the industry”: virtual prototyping with computer models; rigorous front, side, and rear impact crash testing; and environmental testing in a range of climates and road types.