When you are Traveling with Houdini of car seats you need some solutions.
Whether it is a trip to Grandma’s, or just running the hundreds of errands around town, driving can be stressful – and dangerous if you are traveling with your very own escape artist.
You might relate to this situation: You are driving on the freeway, thinking of your long list of “to dos” wondering how you are ever going to get everything done, when suddenly your hair is yanked hard, bringing tears to your eyes. As you desperately try to find a place to pull over, you realize that once again, darling little Harry has escaped his car seat and is gleefully bouncing around the van unbuckling every child in the car. Sound familiar?
“Help my child won’t stay buckled!” is one of the most common concerns we hear from parents. The reasons for unbuckling can range from delight in a new skill, boredom, or wanting mom’s attention to more serious issues such as behavioral or developmental delays. So what do you do?
Here are some suggestions from the Child Passenger Safety experts at Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah and other technicians across the country. Maybe one will work for you.
Remember, while using Duct Tape is tempting, it is never a recommended solution.
Add on products that may look as if they would work is never recommended by the child seat manufacturer. In fact, it is described in detail by each manufacturer in their instructions or user guides. Using any product not specifically approved by a manufacturer is not allowed. Use of such products voids the warranty and may impact the car seat’s ability to perform properly in a crash.
This article was adapted from an article by Marilyn Morris in Utah posted by Primary Children’s Hospital on December 13, 2012.
SR4K note: If the child is unbuckling the vehicle seat belt a Buckle Boss Buckle Guard may be helpful.
