[Detour]

Over the past few months, I have received lots of emails, PM's and posts regarding the use of accessory child harnesses in vehicles. It's quite clear that there is a lot of conflicting and out of date information out there, and as such, a lot of confusion. So I'm going to try to make some sense of it all, and hopefully help you make an informed choice when considering your options for travelling with your little ones.

By far the most common question I receive and see is "when should I use a child harness?" The only real answer to this question is - "when you have no other option".

Experts in their fields, Dr Julie Brown, Derek Wainohu, Peter Aquilina, Basuki Suratno, Dr Paul Kelly and Prof. Lynne E. Bilston, recently co-published a report detailing the study of the effectiveness of child harnesses. They found that no benefit could be garnered from using a child harness in place of a vehicle lap sash seatbelt, and in most cases, their use actually creates a more potentially dangerous situation. To quote the report's conclusion;

...results from this study suggest that in frontal impact
at least, accessory child safety harness systems provide no better
protection than lap–shoulder belt systems. When accessory child
safety harness systems are misused the level of protection provided
is seriously degraded.

Why are accessory child harnesses a problem?

Child harnesses are very difficult to fit correctly. Coupled with this is the fact that they need to be re-fitted each and every time they are used. In a study performed by the Price of Wales Medical Research Institute, it was found that up to 100% of harnesses used with booster seats were fitted incorrectly.

Even if the harness is fitted correctly, the very design of the harness pulls the lap belt upwards, putting it in the extremely undesirable position across the child's abdominal soft tissue area. This is the most dangerous situation for a restrained child to be in. In the event of an frontal accident, the child would 'submarine' under the lap belt, and cause extremely serious internal injuries, and in some instances, death. For some seats which include clips or special anti-submarining designs, this effect is less apparent, but still does not produce any benefit over the use of a vehicle lap sash seatbelt.

So, as the above referenced report poses - why use a harness when they a) offer no benefit over using the vehicle lap sash belt, and b) significantly reduce the level of safety when fitted incorrectly (which is the vast majority of the time)? The simple answer is there is no reason.

So what is the current scientific community's view?

Many members of the industry are of the opinion that an accessory child harness should not be used with a booster seat unless the only available position in the rear of the vehicle has a lap-only belt. I also strongly recommend that an accessory child harness is not used without a booster, at all. I have researched this configuration, and it's quite disturbing. There is a possibility that their usage may be restricted in / removed from the Australian Standard AS/NZS 1754, which is currently being revised.

Accessory Child Harness with no booster seat - submarining.

Why are we told harnesses are the safe option?

There is a very real problem in the industry, where out of date, often misleading information is being provided to retailers and consumers. It is important to understand that retailers can only pass on information they have received. Manufacturers of harnesses are still marketing them as a safe option, for example, one leading booster seat currently on the market includes literature stating a child harness should be used "to improve the child's safety, stability and comfort during travel". It is my personal opinion that this kind of marketing is completely profit-driven, and completely neglects the current data. In that regard, retailers cannot really be blamed for passing on 'incorrect' information.

What if I have to use a harness?

If you have to use one, that is, if you have 3 across the back and your middle seat has a lap-only belt, there are a few things you can do to increase the level of safety.

• If you can, reconfigure the order or the restraints so that a capsule or carseat with in-built harness is using the middle seat.
• If that is not an option, use the harness in conjunction with a booster seat. Try to get a booster that features a crotch-clip or anti-submarining design.
• Ensure the lap belt is low on your child's pelvis each and every time you fit them.

Summary.

If you have a vehicle lap sash seatbelt available, use it in preference to an accessory child harness.
The only time an accessory child harness should be used is when you have a child in a position in the vehicle where only a vehicle lap belt is available.
If retailers try to promote the use of accessory child harnesses to you, point them to this post, or send them a link to the report linked above.

I hope this has made things a little clearer for people. If a mod would like to sticky this thread, that would be fantastic. I'm open to any discussion, fact checking or any other queries people have, but I can assure you the above is a true and accurate representation of the current understanding of the usage of accessory child harnesses.

[lsolaBella]

Very nice summary of the situtation


Link to research

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/artic...001457509001766

This post has been edited by lsolaBella: 07/01/2013, 06:09 PM

[LittleDCJ]

Thankyou, that was very informative.

Can I just ask where your knowledge comes from and what your position is? It's much easier to say 'X' from Y reviewed this rather than a 'random' EB member writing about it.

This post has been edited by LittleDCJ: 03/11/2009, 09:53 AM

[Detour]

I have worked in the child restraint industry for 10 years, and am involved in the development and testing of child restraints.

I'd like to note that I am brand-neutral, which I hope can be seen in my posts. I also haven't advertised my firm, as I am here without their knowledge or approval. I am simply trying to provide people with up to date information. You can also see in my posts that I provide source material for all of my claims and opinions where possible.

I am also a father, so I have a personal vested interest in improving our industry.

I don't want to deceive anyone here, so I am being as up front as I can be without jeopardizing myself or my employer. If my participation here is seen as, or becomes unethical, I welcome users and mods to call me on it and take necessary action.



This post has been edited by Detour: 03/11/2009, 10:07 AM

[sebela]

The issue for me is getting a child to actually stay in their restraint without a harness. I would never use a harness without a booster with good anti submarining prevention (preferably center clip and side arms) as it quite clearly isn't safe. But I have a child that is not yet 3.5 yrs and is 19kgs, intellectually I don't think she is ready to be trusted in a seat belt. As it happens I have decided to leave her in her 5 point harness seats until 20kgs, but 20kgs is looming as my kids grow like a weeds in summer and I have to figure out what to do next.

In a Hi-liner or MaxiriderII or Pegasus, all of which I own, or similar booster with a harness I can make sure it's properly fitted and too tight to escape. Using those boosters with a seat belt I just can't ensure she actually stays in it. Also boosters shaped like the maxi rider & pegasus are clearly designed purely with harness use in mind, if you use them with a seatbelt it has to come either over the top of the wings and cut into the neck or over the side of the wings and be a long way out from the body (and it seems very likely to move a lot in a crash).

I have started trialling her in the Hi-Liner with a seatbelt only on short trips where we are alone and she is the only child I have to watch in the mirror but honestly I don't think it's going to be a good solution. This is what you get for marrying a man that is 6'7".

[meegs2230]

Appreciate this post, very informative.

Since you work in the industry what are your thoughts on the Infa Secure press-stud strap thing that stops my 2yo getting his arms out of the 5pt harness? Does it compromise safety? And is he almost to tall for this seat? If too big for seat, what seat would you do? 17kg, 2yo, 96cm.

[Detour]

The belt wraps and products of their kind don't compromise the safety of the restraint. They're actually pretty handy for more active kids

As for the size and fit of the seat, your little one's shoulders should not be more than 25mm higher than the top shoulder harness slots. If he's past that point, you really should consider moving him into a booster seat. I've seen some boosters (whose names escape me right now) that expand both upwards and outwards (as in the width of the seat). Something like that may be worth looking at.

Most boosters are rated between 14kg and 26kg, so at 17kg your little fellow is well within the bracket.

Sebela - I have some ideas for you but I'm just running out the door. I'll post when I get home / tomorrow morning

[TheStick]

Thank you so much for the time you have put into this very informative post. I hope the mods will sticky it so That I don't have to keep pasting the link into future posts on this question!

[meegs2230]

Sebela - I have some ideas for you but I'm just running out the door. I'll post when I get home / tomorrow morning

Thanks for the tips. I will also be watching this re: response to Sebela... I would prefer a dedicated booster (like Hi Liner, Hipod Barcelona or Infa Vario Kid = top 3 in ratings) as to a convertible booster for same reasons, shape and how adult seat belt fits through them seems better as they don't have those wings and the height is adjustable. Perhaps this is why they scored higher than any convertible booster. Don't know if I would trust my 2yo in an adult seat belt but have never tried him in it. I'm sure most would say too young to trust him in it... anyone have any suggestions? Don't want H harness at all now.

[sebela]

Just popping back in to add - although I have a Hi-Liner, Maxi-Rider and a pair of pegasus I am happy to buy a new seat (or multiple as the case may be, for the Grandparent cars *sigh*). However, it seems to me that while a H-harness might not offer any benefit in a crash, it wasn't actually worse when correctly fitted right? And presumably the dummy didn't climb out of it before the crash. Or lean over with their head on their knees before the crash. So presumably it may be better simply because it keeps the child completely within the restraint at all times....

Also a traditional Hstrap is also far easier to use and adjust than a protecta harness, I hated every minute I used our protecta harness and had already decided to find some other solution for #2 and #3 as I know I was the only one that actually made sure it was properly adjusted every single time I put DD1 in the car, given it was so fiddly and difficult to do. Even DH, who is quite good about these things, didn't get that every single time it was taken off it got skewed and would not even back out on it's own the way a standard one will.

This post has been edited by sebela: 03/11/2009, 08:22 PM