Lap belts and car seats

Lady Haha · 09-03-2009, 11:35 PM

Hi, can anyone tell me if there is a car seat available that can be used with a lap belt? I have just got an 8 seater car and the middle seats and back seats both have a lapbelt in the middle. What do other people use for the lapbelt places? Children are all over the age of four btw. Two are small enough to go in harnessed seats, but are these allowed on lap belts????

Seems to be a waste of seats if I can't use them!

**huggableshelly** · 10-03-2009, 06:22 AM

I use a booster seat for my lap belt seat or my eldest sits there he is 11 and too tall for any form of a booster seat now.

I would put your tallest on the lap belt or one of your own children again pending on age.

**SimplyLucy** · 10-03-2009, 06:27 AM

I have an 8 seater with 2 lapbelts. I always ensure my own children sit in these seats, my 10 yr old without a booster block and my 7 or 9 yr old with.

I used to have concord fix max car seats from 9 months up to about 4 yrs that could be fitted with a lapbelt only.

I now have a Britax freeway that can also be secured with the lapbelt only, if I have one of the little ones with me then I put them in that in the middle seat.

**HomefromHome** · 10-03-2009, 07:07 AM

britax eclipse/eclipse si can be used with a lap belt (9mth to 4 yrs) otherwise only backless booster seats can be used with lapbelts - like everyone else says put your own kids in these or much older kids.

**donnadoo2004200** · 10-03-2009, 08:34 AM

I have Britax Freeway which I use with a lap belt. I dont really like any seat with lap belt though dosent seem so safe as the others. Try not to use the car if I dont have too. Goodluck.

Lady Haha · 10-03-2009, 09:20 AM

Thanks everyone, thats exactly what I wanted to hear!

**huggableshelly** · 10-03-2009, 10:55 AM

yay another happy customer hee hee

**vix84** · 10-03-2009, 02:26 PM

Yep, the britax eclipse/se can be used with a lap belt - but I went to mothercare to get them to fit it and she said she wouldnt advise it as the botom is anchored to the seat, but not at the top.
So I have decided to not use the lap belt seats - I only have 3 at a time luckily - but Im thinking of either getting a 3point belt fitted, or will change my zafira to a newer version in a couple of years if I take on more thatn 3 at a time

**FizzysFriends** · 10-03-2009, 02:29 PM

Can you not fit a top tether?

I personally wouldn't use a booster with a lap belt as I think lap belts are dangerous and certainly wouldn't allow my DD to use one in her CM's car previously.

Lady Haha · 10-03-2009, 08:13 PM

mmmmm, a top tether sounds like a good idea! Just when I moved all the seats round again!!! I had two harnessed seats on the lapbelts, but I spent ten minutes out there today rearranging them all so that boosters are on the lapbelt places! I must admit, I like the top tether idea and now I will move them all back to where they were again!

Do you mean just threading something strong through the back of the seat to hold it to the back of the chair nearer to the top?

And as for not using the car if I didn't need to, I only really really need to use it when I HAVE got that many kids! I could walk with less kids, but then I wouldn't need the extra seats....

TheBTeam · 10-03-2009, 08:39 PM

Just a word of warning be sure to check the fitting instructions for your particular boosters as a lot of them can't be used with lap belts only, they require a full three point harness.

**FizzysFriends** · 10-03-2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by blackandsparkly

mmmmm, a top tether sounds like a good idea! Just when I moved all the seats round again!!! I had two harnessed seats on the lapbelts, but I spent ten minutes out there today rearranging them all so that boosters are on the lapbelt places! I must admit, I like the top tether idea and now I will move them all back to where they were again!

Do you mean just threading something strong through the back of the seat to hold it to the back of the chair nearer to the top?

And as for not using the car if I didn't need to, I only really really need to use it when I HAVE got that many kids! I could walk with less kids, but then I wouldn't need the extra seats....

I meant something like you can get for isofix carseat

like this

http://www.babybyes.com/itemdetl.php/itemprcd/TSX028506