Before even deciding if we are going on this trip, we have
to find out if we can. Our son, Caleb, is only 8 months old and will be just
over a year when we leave for our trip. He will need to ride in a car seat.
Almost everywhere you look on the web you will find parents who believe riding
in a car seat in an RV is a death trap. They say that RVs are unsafe for babies
for many reasons. Here are the top 3 reasons why other parents say you should
not use a car seat in an RV:
1.
Safe use for car seats requires a chassis-bolted
seat belt in a forward-facing seat.
2.
RV seats are not crash tested.
3.
Any loose items can become deadly projectiles in
a crash.
Basically if we love our kid and don’t want to risk his
death, we should cancel our trip. I really don’t want to believe this is true.
There must be same way for us to make a safe trip with a baby in an RV.
My first step will be to break down the three problems
above.
Problem 1: Car seat needs to be chassis-bolted (bolted to
the frame of the car) in a forward facing seat.
We really have two problems to solve. First you need an RV
with a seat in the forward facing position. Many RVs have seats that are
forward facing, but what do you do if you only have seats facing the side? You
can do one of two things: either place the child in the side-facing seat (not
approved by car seat manufactures) or place them in the front passenger seat
with the air bags turned off. This is really important. If you cannot turn the
front passenger airbags off then it is much safer to place your child in the
side-facing seat in the back, even if it is not chassis-bolted.
The real problem here is having the seat belts bolted to the
frame of the car. Before purchasing or renting an RV, take a look at the seat
belts. On the RVs where the seat belts are bolted to the frame of the car you
should see the belt connected to metal usually where the seat buckle is. Even
on the couch you should see the seats connected to metal. For safety reasons
most newer RVs do have chassis-bolted seat belts, but it is always a good idea
to check for yourself.
Problem 2: RV seats are not crash tested.
Almost all class B RVs are crash tested because they are
seats in a van. If this is a big concern then you may want to check out some of
the class B RVs like Roadtrek, where all the seats are crash tested for safety.
Problem 3: Flying Missiles in a Crash
Seriously? If you are in a crash, your car and anything in
it may cause you damage. So will driving in a car filled with luggage and
travel gear. Just make sure things are not going to fly around while driving.
Most RVs have great locking mechanisms to make sure the cabinet doors do not
fly open. Are you really going to let the chance of an accident where your car
gets smashed to pieces stop you from going on an RV trip? I’m not. That being
said, if this is really a big concern for you then you can get a class B RV.
Since they are built from a van it will be less likely to be smashed to pieces in
an accident.
Okay, so since we don’t have an RV yet, we are going to try
to find one with the safest seating possible for our baby. So what is that? The
only truly safe way to transport your child in an RV is in a rear
forward-facing seat with chassis-bolted belt, in an RV where all the seats have
been crash tested, and in an RV that is least likely to be ripped to shreds in
an accident. In my opinion, the only safe RVs for babies are class B RVs or 5th
wheels that can be towed by the family car where everyone can be buckled in
safely.
Here’s a quick summary of where to put a child in a car seat
in an RV in order of safety. Keep in mind the only two safe ways are the first
two.
- Rear Forward-Facing Seat with Chassis-Bolted Belt
- Front Passenger Seat with Airbags Off
- Rear Forward-Facing Seat with Lap Belt
- Rear Side-Facing Seat with Chassis-Bolted Belt
- Rear Side-Facing Seat with Lap Belt
Car Seat
Safety Tips:
Car Seat/Child Safety Laws By State:
California Car Seat Laws from DMV.ORG:
As of
January 1, 2012, all children younger than eight years old, or under four feet
and nine inches in height, must be secured in a car seat or booster. In
addition, all kids younger than eight, must be secured in the back seat.
When a Child May Ride in Front:
Children may
ride in the front seat of a vehicle, but only when:
· There
is no rear seat or the rear seats are either side-facing jump seats or
rear-facing seats.
· The
child passenger restraint system cannot be installed properly in the rear seat.
· All
rear seats are already occupied by children under the age of 12 years.
· A
medical reason requires the child to ride in the front seat.
Some
vehicles, usually those with no backseats, come with an airbag-off switch for
this purpose.
