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Here’s an eye-opener for you:
- The impact suffered by an unrestrained child in a car crash at 60km/h is the same as falling from a fourth floor window onto concrete.
- Each year hundreds of children are killed or injured needlessly because they are either unrestrained or not restrained correctly.
- Most car crashes happen within 10 km of home
Source: Royal Children’s Hospital Safety Centre
Car safety features are all about keeping the passengers safe. So besides having a safe car and driving safely (more on that in future posts), it’s all about seatbelts and child restraints.
Approximately 100 children are killed in car crashes in Australia each year. Too many. And as mentioned in my previous post around another 400 are injured. Again, too many.
Today I want to share a review of the carseat brand of our family’s choice. We have purchased three different Safe-n-Sound car seats by Britax and even hired the Safe-n-Sound capsule for our little premmie in the early months.
I Googled the bejebus out of car seats when looking for the right ones for our kids and time and again, Safe-n-Sound was the answer. I asked on Twitter and Facebook. In fact an endorsement by a fellow blogger Clairey Hewitt was the last vote I needed before we bought CrashGirl the Safe and Sound Hi Liner.
Clairey is the queen of carseats and has also reviewed the Diamond AHR (probably better than anyone ever could!).
My review of the Safe-n-Sound Diamond AHR Air Cushion convertible car seat by Britax
Britax have given me the new Diamond AHR car seat for 0-4 years. CrashGirl is already in the Hi-Liner convertible booster and CrashBoy is 3 and is using her old MaxiRider, so we’re just going to crash test the Diamond and then lovingly pass it on to family expecting their first baby (so exciting!).
It’s convertible in that you can use it rear-facing (up to about 12 month, which is recommended as it is the safest position for your child). You can then turn it around to forward-facing until approx 4 years, or until their shoulders are above the second height marker. CrashBoy is 3 1/4 and average height, and although I think he might slouching a bit, you can see he still has quite a long way to go before reaching that second marker (hidden under the headrest in the photo below).
I’m going to focus on the reasons why I think the Diamond AHR is so good.
The headrest must be in the position where the top of the shoulder slots are nearest to the child’s shoulders, but not more than 25mm below the child’s shoulders.
Safe-n-Sound has Active Head Restraint with SICT (Side Impact Control Techonology). This enables you to adjust the height of the headrest and to do so without re-harnessing the seat (ie when you have to release the harness at the back and pull the straps through the back of the seat and move to the higher slots).
Firstly, being able to adjust the height of the headrest means that the SICT is at the right height to protect your child’s head from excessive movement in a crash, and the deep wings are at the right height to reduce the likelihood them hitting their head on the car interior. The ‘Air Cushion’ (1) absorbs side impact crash energy by dispelling air at a controlled rate. Very clever.
Secondly, being able to adjust the headrest without re-harnessing means that you are less likely to be using the harness at the incorrect height, and you are not fiddling around with the harness and risk re-installing it incorrectly.
Both wins in my book!
Some nice to haves are:
The buckle holders (2) on the side of the seat. One of the biggest annoyances with car seat are twisted straps. I like how this both neatly keeps the straps out of the way when you put your child in the seat and also keeps the straps straight, rather than picking up a twisted mess of straps off the seat and inadvertently buckling them up twisted.
Another trick to stop twisted straps is to always hold the two straps over the plam of one hand (3) when you tighten the straps. Don’t just pull on the adjusting strap as this is often when a small twist in the belt can then get pulled through the metal buckle tabs.
There is also a nice protective pad (4) around the seat buckle to stop any hot metal parts from touching delicate young skin in summer.
The lack of a cupholder is a bit of a shame. We often do long trips to the farm and the kids like to have their snacks on one side and a drink in the other. Obviously not necessary when they are babies, but toddlers like to be independent don’t they?!?!?
The most important reason to choose Safe-n-Sound:
However, all functions and practicalities aside, the main reasons a Safe-n-Sound car seat is a good pick is beacause . . .
Safe-n-Sound manufacturing processes are the most stringent in Australia
They exceed Australian standards. For example they test their buckles by opening and closing them 50,000 times which is 45,000 times more than the standard required. They’re also the only manufacturer that can confirm their seats are crash tested in extreme tempuratures, both of which occur in Australia.
Safe-n-Sound indeed.
Disclosure: Britax gave me a Diamond AHR car seat for the purposes of this review. My opinions are my own.
Giveaway
I’m really pleased that I can give one of you the chance to win a Safe-n-Sound Diamond AHR car seat, RRP $659. A very generous offer from Britax don’t you agree?
This post is part of my Crash Safe campaign, my own initiative to raise awareness of car, driver and passenger safety. I’d love your help in spreading the word, so . . .
To enter:
- You must be a registered member of the Crash Test Community and have completed your Crash Test Mummy profile
- You must be an Australian resident aged over 18 years old.
- Leave a comment below answering this question: If you could buy or invent anything to keep your child(ren) safe, what would it be and why?
- For a chance to leave a second answer, share this Crash Safe campaign post via Facebook publicly. I can only verify public shares sorry. Here’s how to do that:
- If you are leaving a second comment, please let me know your Facebook name or page in the comment so I can verify your entry, thanks :)
Even if you don’t want to leave a second comment, any shares via FB, Twitter etc are greatly appreciated, thank you :)
The giveaway ends Friday 28th of December, 8pm AEDT.
Terms and Conditions:
- The name of the promotion is: Safe-n-Sound Diamond AHR Giveaway
- The promoter is Mango on behalf of Britax.
- The prize is one Diamond AHR Air Cushion convertible car seat. Accessories that do not come as standard with the car seat are not included as part of the giveaway.
- The methods of entry are as stated in points 1-5 above.
- The maximum number of entries per person is 2.
- Employees, immediate family members, retailers, suppliers, associated companies and agencies are not eligible to enter.
- The giveaway will close on Friday 28th of December 2012 at 8pm AEDT. Comments submitted after this time will not be considered for the giveaway.
- This is a game of skill. The winner will be awarded based on the strength of their answer(s) to the question in point 4 above.
- The prize will be sent to the winner by Mango.
- All entrants will be notified of the results by email.
- The results of the giveaway will be published on this site on Tuesday 1st of January 2013
- Prizes are not redeemable for cash and are non-transferable
- If for any reason beyond the Promoter’s control the agreed prize is not available a product of equal or greater value will be provided.
- The Promoter is not responsible for prizes once they have been dispatched to the winner.
If you like winning things you can head over to Three ‘Lil Princesses who hold a weekly Giveaway Link Up for Australian residents :)
Hosted by Three Lil Princesses
What a great car seat – I hate twisted straps too. The buckle holders sound great. My invention: I’d invent a car seat cooler (in fact – I bags the patent on this idea right now!). I thought about this last week when my children got into a hot car and burned themselves on the hot buckles. Even the window protectors and towel I put on their seats was not enough to stop those buckles from heating. The seat itself was burning too. Soooo, I thought of a cooling cover you could put over a car seat – it would have refrigerated cooling cells all over (or pockets to insert ice packs). Surely this would help lots of families with young children through a hot summer? I think so!
I would love to be able to buy a sound barrier for the car!! You know those times when they’re over excited or fighting and just so darn noisy that it can get distracting for the driver? Imagine being able to push a button and have a barrier slide up and block all the commotion! Ahh the sweet sound of silence.
I am kicking myself for not doing adequate research into a car seat for once Diva was out of her capsule. My decision was definitley clouded by the new mummy fog, and as a result, I *hate* the one we are currently using. This car seat sounds like it address so many of my present concerns. Love it.
My invention relates to an incident with my SIL and her gorgeous 2.5 yo and 4 month old… locking the keys in the car with the kids on a hot, hot, hot day. I can only imagine the panic, the distress and the horror. I recently saw a bluetooth bracelet that vibrates when your phone is writing, and flashes the name of the called on the face… I thought that was pretty cool. But I’d like to take it one step further. All new cars have bluetooth as a standard feature, and older cars can get a Blue Ant (or similar)… so why not enable the bluetooth bracelet to unlock the car remotely? A fashion accessory that is amazingly functional. The perfect invention for keeping kids safe in the car, especially in our boiling Aussie Summer!
Bec | Bird with a chip’s last post..Beyond Things
Thanks for the very kind words and link Laney. This is a great project that you are working on, most parents seem to work on the “it won’t happen to me, I am a good driver” process. But it does happen, all the time.
I have bought too many car seats in my time and have added them to the grandparents cars etc and I have spare seats in our cars for extra children. We even have a car with built in booster seats that we choose not to use as they just don’t offer the same protection in a car accident. My eldest is very close to the age of not legally requiring a booster seat, but she will be remaining in it anyway for some time yet. (I might let her out of it on her 13th birthday!!)
(PS I don’t think I need to win another one!)
Claireyhewitt’s last post..Playing in a new yard.
Thanks Clairey. My two will be staying in their seats as long as possible too. I know now that I turned them both around earlier than I should have. They easily could have stayed rear facing another few months.
I’d love to be able to get a window shade that doesnt stick to the window, or slip over like a sock. The sock ones get gross on the outside part, and the stick on ones always seem to fall off, or not cover the window well enough. So something that hooked over the top of the door without covering the outside, and had clips/suction cups on the sides to stretch out to cover the entire window and stay in place. You can then still open the windows for a breeze if wanted.
I’d also love a visor maybe between/above the front seats to stop the sun coming straight in the front windscreen into DS’s eyes – he hates that!
It would be an invisible and soft as a cloud air bag that would go off as needed..
My cherubs are far too precious to me, I would have this airbag surround our entire car as well to keep us all safe!
A good thing to have, although it’s not a safety thing, is a screen, like the ones in limousines in movies, that slides across so I could have discussions with Hubby without constant input from the kiddies!
If I could invent anything, well it would be a bubble wrap suit that covered my hectic toddler from head to toe. In fact I’m already in the early stages but unfortunately I’m finding it difficult to make it breathable. Cut a hole you say? Alas, if I left one square inch of him uncovered that is the exact spot he would injure. Now you might think I’m a helicopter parent but I concur, just the mother of evil kinevil’s immaculate conception. I’m not even kidding, he’s new game is stage diving of the couch toward the dining table, it’s hilarious apparently. My floors are lain with cushions and I keep telling him no, but the second I turn my head… There he goes again.
Did I mention he’s only 15 months? Oh dear!
Thanks :)
Cassandra Joyce’s last post..I live to let you shine.
Master five is about to enter prep in January and we’re worried about school yard bullying. I’d like to invent a “taste of your own medicine” device so any time someone hassles him verbally, the device hassles them back. Any time he gets hit or tripped or harmed then the device does it back to the instigator. Sounds a bit odd as I type it out but we’re trying to teach him about retaliation and when it is and isn’t a good idea. It’s hard, isn’t it?
It’s a big wide world out there. Not until I had children did I truely understand how they mean more than the world to you. How a parent will (and certainly should) do anything possible to keep them safe. They have to still grow up, to learn, to explore, to challenge their little mind. That first bump as they learn to roll over, crawl, walk and the dreaded ride the bike with oh womanly tumbles. . . So when it come to inventing something to keep them safe. LOVE. Can I wrap my love around my two princesses, I have so much I am sure it will go around one million times, and that oh so cushiony love will always be there when they need it, sometimes a pinch, other times a huge chunk. But hopefully always keep them safe. As to how this invention is going to work. Hmmm I guess that is for another day, another question, another time.
We’ve always used Safe n Sound as well, and found them to be great.
I wish there had been a giveaway like this around when my boys were younger! :)
xx
Tracey @ Bliss Amongst Chaos’s last post..Awards, Awards And More Awards!
Apart from the amazing car seat you’re giving away, I’d love to invent a warning device that goes off when children are crossing roads or behind a reversing car. Don’t know how how it would work but too many kids being killed on our roads!
This is a great project Laney, safety is so important and something I feel really strongly about. I’m not entering your co,petition as we don’t need a seat, but I’ll share anyway as sure I have friends who’ll want to enter xx
Catherine Rodie Blagg’s last post..Brrrrr
Thanks Catherine. I really appreciate you sharing the message and giveaway :)
I’d like to invent an all in one cream that protects them from THE WORLD. You apply it and they can’t be burned, bitten, grazed, stung, hit, kicked, or any nasties. Nada. The Child Protection Cream creates an impenetrable barrier, keeping our children safe!
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Shared here on facebook : https://www.facebook.com/crashtestmummies/posts/509233712428462#!/kylie.embury/posts/122516147911907
Oh how I’d love to develop a “conscience app” for my teen and tween (and toddler when his time comes!) It would activate when they are on the cusp of making a decision like “will I wear my rash vest when out in the sun ALL day at the pool?” and up pops the “What would Mum say?” app! Arghhh – my 13 year old was burnt for the first time on Monday, and badly, after choosing not to wear his rash vest on an all day excursion to the pool. He had two days off school it was THAT bad :(
Something I have had a go at “inventing” for car safety is a cover for the car seat for when the seat belt is plugged in with a car seat. After having passengers (Nanna and my daughter’s school friends) unknowingly unplug the seatbelt holding our car seat in when trying to undo their own, I decided to cover the buckle with a stubby holder with the bottom cut out. It makes the person reaching trying to undo their belt stop and think, and realise they are trying to open the wrong buckle, and also allows it to be easily undone when needed. I also plan to use similar to cover the actual car seat buckle for when Carter (18 months) decides he might like to try to open it himself! I know there are products on the market, but my “invention” is cheap and easy and serves our purposes, and is also easy to get off in an emergency.
*That first line should say “…a cover for the seat belt socket for when used with a car seat”
(I hope that makes sense)
Ha! Unlike everyone else I know I’m NOT a good driver!
I’d invent a permanent tracking device for the occassions when one gets lost at the shopping mall…and definetly for when they are teenagers!
Tara’s last post..Media Monday – Toys To Avoid This Christmas Part 3 – Stuff That Opposes Your Values
After the event in the US with the recent shooting, I’d dress my daughter in bullet proof invisible armour and bubble wrap so that she won’t get hurt by other. The thing is, I can’t be too protective or else she won’t experience life or learn from hurtful experiences like everyone else… so I would invent a device that would record and advise when her guardian angel is with her, and have this device be alerted when danger is near.
Rebecca S’s last post..Plumbing Advice and Quoting
I shared your video Crash Test Mummy on facebook. It is the right message about buying safety rather than cost-effective. We had a car accident this year where a four wheel drive rammed into the back of our car and nothing prepares you for the horrific sound of metal and windows shattering or the whiplash! My daughter was in her safe and sound car seat which protected her from the whiplash that she could have gotten. We need a new car seat next year for baby number 2 on the way, so this competition would give us the next seat to keep our second child safe. Thank you for the campaign! Is there a wand that I can wave over every driver to ensure that they drive safely at all times????
Rebecca S’s last post..Plumbing Advice and Quoting
if i could buy anything to keep my child(ren) safe, that should be Diamond AHR car seat because it has all the quality that i need for my children’s protection and safety.
Great prize!!
I would love a carseat that my kids couldn’t possibly slip their arms through so that the seatbelt is more of a lap sash. My kids are absolute houdinis at this! We travel so much and we have 126kms of gravel before we even hit the main bitumen road, so safety is paramount for me. I’ve seen homemade things that attach over the straps to prevent their arms getting out, but my kids would get these off no worries. It would need to be an inbuilt feature.
Thank you :)
After greeting my 21 month old after her nap and finding her with a split chin. No idea how she did this. I wish we could invent s protective bubble for our sweet children.
I would invent a protective bubble for my kids so that NOTHING could hurt them. It would even be in their mouths so they could never get food poisoning! (Yes, I am helicopter parent gone mad.)
Thanks for such a great giveaway!!! I would love to invent some kind of clothing that keeps my Children safe and ill free all the time!! Crazy I know. But which Mother can stand a child in pain x
Love this review !!!! Hate twisted seat belts Grrrrr !!!! hahahaha
I think I would invent forever lasting sunscreen protection hehehe – you could never forget as it would last forever :)
Some great ideas ladies , I love the gps for children when you look the other way and they are gone – Beep Beep Beep GPS tracker is on the case hehehehe
Definitely rubber around door edges. My nephew has managed to jam his fingers in my kitchen cupboards on more than once and it has resulted in tears for ages! Perhaps some soft rubber or foam inserts that still allow the doors to close, look attractive, are cheap to fit and safe on little fingers would be a good invention.
Shared on facebook – Rachel Kapsalakis
If I could invent anything to keep my child safe it would be a car seat that cocoons the child in an accident, obviously it would need to have air holes for the child to breath but something that wraps around the child that would ultimately prevent injuries or worse. I am a careful driver, follow the road rules etc but it’s seeing things like the news report the other night of the crazy road rager I feel like my child’s safety in te car is out of my control as I cannot control what other drivers do and think! I have to admit it scares the hell out of me when people tailgate etc as you just don’t know how competent a driver they are! I have a 12 month old who is still rear facing as she is petite and I have another bub due beginning of next year! I just want what is best for them!
I would love to invent a pack with a dvd and literature about extended rear facing, especially when there are seats like this one that make it easier to do that. When I was a first time mum I only learnt about the benefits of rear facing car seats through a friend that posted a scary Utube link on her facebook and so id love to invent something so that everyone has an opportunity for awareness.
I would invent water taps that have a (difficult) child lock option. Would need one option so that they can’t be turned on at all and another so that it can be turned on and off but water temperature cannot be changed. Will save not only water wastage but also possibility for them to change the water temperature when in the shower/bath and burning themselves along with risk of them filling up sinks/baths without you noticing.
I would make an Australian Standard Approved Extended Rear Facing Seat for my baby so that he can safely rear face until at least 4 years of age :)
Ok so… you never mentioned how out there this invention could be, and I have a pretty out there imagination!
If I could invent an item that would keep my baby safe it would be a force field (perhaps in the future – very far future). It would be able to detect on-coming physical harm, pathogens (to prevent sickness), it would be able to sense danger and shield them from it. This portable machine, would be light weight and come in an assortment of colours to suit boys and girls, can be worn by 0months to old age (cos he will always be my baby!) It would come with a remote control (for parents to control) and built in mp3 player. :)
On a more realistic answer: I would buy a car seat chair that is super safe, and meets Australian standards etc. My little 4 month old is soon to move up from his capsule and i will buy whats best for him! If it comes with a massive tank??? so that other cars will get out of my way and any one who hits me wont cause even a dent well then…thats a bonus!
Shared + left a comment under the same name :)
If I could invent anything it would be an alert( similar to the seatbelt alert in cars) on carseats to tell people when the restraint is not fitted correctly. To try make the misuse of child restraint NIL.
If I could buy anything it would be an updated carseat regularly to ensure I have the best safety for my 4 year old and 1 year old.
(Comment 2)
If I had the money, the first thing I would buy is the highest ANCAP rated vehicle that money could buy. I would then go and purchase the highest rated CREP seats for my two children (and continue to update whenever new results come out). I would love to be able to do this but funds definitely do not stretch that far in our house. Oh well, a girl can dream…
(Adding Facebook link for share)
(Take 3)
https://www.facebook.com/krista.wallis.3
I would buy my child (son or daughter!) the latest pool and river safety gear for safe holiday fun
I’d love something to protect my babies/toddlers head when she’s learning to sit up and now walking. Ive lost count of the number of times she has fallen backwards and hit her head. Kind of like an airbag for their heads!
This is living in fantasy land a little, but some kind of app/device which constantly monitored what you were doing with your baby/child and gave you suggestions, recommendations and alerts when it detected a risky situation. Sort of like a GPS for you and your child. Obviously, it would have to be highly precise so as not to annoy you every 5 seconds or so, but for newish parents it could be handy.
if i could get one thing it would be a protection shield that would come up when my kid was in danger, be it an intruder with a gun or a drunk driver
I have a 5 year old and a 2.5 year old who aren’t satisfied until they’ve beaten or harassed the life out of each other. My invention (for my own sanity mostly!) would be an inbuilt deterrent that stops them when they’re about to go too far.
Thinking about pulling your sisters hair? Turn and walk away!
Going to steal his toys and hide them in your room? Turn and walk away!
Imagine being able to stop it before it happens. Mums everywhere rejoice!
Hmm.. If I could invent absolutely anything, without limits, it would be a device that attached to every vehicle on the road to monitor each drivers concentration and suitability to drive. Maybe it would begin with a breathaliser and drug swab for the ignition, and would have a computer scanning the face and body as the driver was operating the vehicle. If it sensed fatigue, innatention, anger, or even medical conditions like dropping blood sugar or an impending seizure, heart attack or stroke, it would firstly sound a warning to the driver, then perhaps even send a message to emergency services if the driver continued to drive. In a worse case scenario, it could bring the car safely to the side of the road. A bit ‘big brother-ish’, and something from a futuristic nanny state movie.. but imagine how many innocent lives could be saved?
I had a little bit of trouble signing into my Crash Test account, but I’m pretty sure I have one. I couldn’t work out how/where to update my profile though.
I would microchip my children so that whenever they are about to make an impulsive decision they would hear my voice questioning just what they are doing. Not sure which tone to use for the recording – tossing up between a whine or a shriek. Failing technology being able to deliver on this idea, once they turn 18 I will be buying them only cars which meet the highest safety rating as I have learnt the hard way that a safe car can potentially save lives. Thankfully I have 14 years to save the money for this.
I was thinking I’d like undetectable but impenetrable body armour for my kids, but then I realised that skinning your knees and stubbing your toes is part of growing up. So now I am that my kids should be fitted with a danger alert siren. When they go to do something dangerous, it will beep and remind them to think about what they are about to do so they learn, but also alert their mother that they are up to no good. Win Win!
I would invent guaranteed ‘clear foresight’ for other road users. When you read about the state of some people on the road who believe they are invincible it makes me cringe!
Having a clear thinking voice inside their heads would be great- ‘Pull over before answering your phone’, ‘You’ve been drinking, so find another way home’, ‘speed kills’…. And of course, guaranteed compliance!
Great car seat. Will be buying this for my number 2 little one if I don’t win :)
My two inventions- aircon/ fan for car seats (as my little one still gets warm in summer even with the car aircon on!)
My second invention- an alarm that goes off if your little one wiggles their shoulders out of their straps. Hard to do if it’s fitted correctly but sometimes possible and if you’re focusing on the road, you don’t know that the straps aren’t fitted correctly!
Used to have a recurring nightmare of my children falling off a jetty into swirling waters…after they had swimming lessons, nightmare stopped!
My invention would be clothes that become inflatable after hitting water!
Invisible shoes which would protect little feet but still give them a natural feel :-)
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