Who:
Delfin Ignacio, 45, was killed at around 10 PM on 5/22/14 just east of Port Orchard, Washington, on State Highway 16. He drove a 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 the wrong way down the highway and crashed into a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Anthony Swinsinski, 27, just before the off ramp for Mullenix Road.
How:
Per police reports, troopers received calls about Ignacio due to his erratic westbound highway driving. He then turned and started heading east in the westbound lanes of SH 16, which led to his collision with the Silverado. He was pronounced dead at the scene, while Swinsinski required 10 minutes of extrication and suffered a broken ankle. Police stated alcohol was a factor in the crash, which made it at least the 3rd time Ignacio had driven drunk.
Why:
Once again, alcohol was the root of a wrong-way head-on crash. One out of every 3 deaths on our roads occur due to alcohol, and these kinds of crashes explain why. The history of the drunk driver also points to the clear and present need to reform our drinking laws in the United States. He had been arrested for driving drunk on two separate occasions (2003 and 2009), and yet was still eligible to drive and decided to drive drunk again that night.
The 1998 Escort weighs 2538 lbs and comes with an “acceptable” IIHS frontal score. It was impacted by a 2000 Silverado that weighs 4709 lbs, or 186% of the Escort’s weight. As a result, the Escort automatically faced 86% more force in the collision than it would have colliding with another Escort, placing it at a severe disadvantage in the collision.
Given the likely speeds of the collision (~55 mph), the collision likely imparted at least 646KJ of energy into the Escort. The Escort frontal impact test simulates 184KJ of energy (an Escort impacting another at 40 mph). In other words, the Escort faced 351% of the force it would have experienced in the type of crash the vehicle was rated for. Given these forces, death was a near-certainty.
The Silverado’s frontal test simulates 341KJ of energy (a Silverado impacting another at 40 mph), indicating that its occupant would have faced 102% of the forces the vehicle was rated to safely withstand, given that the Escort imparted 348KJ of energy into the Chevy. Despite the marginal “front” score, this was clearly a survivable collision for the Chevy’s occupant, which was reflected in the survival of the driver with nothing more than a shattered ankle.
Once again, the decision to drink and drive led to a needless death. Fortunately, the individual who had been driving sober and legally did not lose his life in the process. However, the lives of the men involved and those who loved them will be forever altered, as is always the case in these tragedies.
If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.
Britax Advocate ClickTight Review: Now with Higher Height Limits!
I first wrote about the new Britax line of ClickTight convertible car seats earlier in August, when Britax announced that they would extend their ClickTight car seat installation system to the Advocate, the Boulevard, and the Marathon. I started working on getting a copy of one of the seats for review as quickly as possible, and it has arrived!
Britax Advocate ClickTight – What’s the big deal?
The Britax Advocate ClickTight is essentially what you’d get if you combined the high quality elements of the Britax Advocate G4 with the ClickTight technology already present in the Frontier 90 and Pinnacle 90, and threw in some higher height limits and additional features along the way. It’s a convertible car seat, which means you can use it as both a rear-facing infant seat and as a forward-facing car seat for older children.Along with the Britax Boulevard ClickTight and Britax Marathon ClickTight, it’s one of the three newest convertibles from Britax, and is designed to make a safe and secure car seat installation something achievable by every caretaker, every time. Does it live up to its claims? Read on and we’ll take a look together!
Buy the Britax Advocate ClickTight on Sale with Free Shipping at Amazon here.
Britax Advocate ClickTight Limits for Weight and Height
Rear-facing: 5-40 pounds. Your child’s head should not reach past 1″ below the top of the inner shell. This is a big change from the previous seats, where the outer shell used to be used to set the limits for height when rear-facing. I measure the maximum seated height limit at 27″, which rivals the tallest rear-facing seated height limits in the industry today (namely those found in the 4Ever, Size4Me, and NextFit).
Forward-facing: 20-65 pounds, and under 54″ in height. The top harness height is now a very robust 19.5″, which only comes second to the Frontier 90 and Pinnacle 90. The lowest harness harness height is 8.5″ and is adjustable in .85″ increments.
Shoulder height can reach up to 18.65″, and the tips of your child’s ears need to be below the top end of the shell. Your child should be at least 1, and it’s recommended that s/he is at least 2. Of course, research into car safety indicates children should remain rear-facing for as long as possible (the average is 4 years in Sweden, which posts the lowest child fatality rate on Earth), and after rear-facing, the child should remain forward-facing as long as possible.
Dimensions of the Britax Advocate ClickTight
The seat is 20.5″ wide at its widest point and 23.5″ high. The seat weighs a hefty 30.1 pounds, which makes it one of the heaviest seats I’ve reviewed so far. However, that heft also includes a lot of side impact protection in addition to the ClickTight technology.
Using the Britax Advocate ClickTight
If there’s one thing Britax has built its reputation on in the United States, it’s on the provision of car seats that are both safe and simple to install. This isn’t as easy to do as it sounds, but Britax has had oodles of practice with it over the years.
The ClickTight system is designed to make the installation of a convertible car seat a straightforward affair, with a safe, secure installation possible no matter which caretaker is attempting it. You simply turn your ClickTight release so it’s in the open position, thread the vehicle seat belt through the lower rear-facing slots of the seat, connect the seat belt, and click the ClickTight system into the closed position. That’s it! It’s summarized nicely in the Britax graphic below.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: the ClickTight seats make it super-easy to install a Britax car seat with a seat belt. I’d say it’s easier than a LATCH install, and that’s saying something. At the same time, it doesn’t take up any more space than a typical seat belt install, while being substantially easier to do correctly. No more struggling to get a seat weighted down and twisting buckle stalks about…it just works. For me, that reason alone would be enough to consider the Britax Advocate ClickTight.
The seat itself arrives nicely boxed with some protective padding around it, which makes the decision to purchase one online, as I did, far more reassuring. Finding a good recline level for rear or forward-facing is easier, since there is a 7-position recline system present in the base of the seat. There is an automatic level indicator included that makes it easier to tell if an appropriate recline angle is being used when the seat is installed.
There are 14 potential harness heights on the Britax Advocate ClickTight with a top harness height of 19.5″ and a minimum harness slot height of 8.5.” A no-rethread harness is present, which makes adjusting the harness height a much easier affair than it would be otherwise.
It is important to note that the new advocate is significantly heavier than the old one for a few reasons: first, the shell is reinforced throughout with steel, and second, the ClickTight system adds a good amount of weight. The seat also has larger dimensions all around, which means that you’re going to have to make a few compromises when it comes to using this seat as a travel seat or when trying to fit 3 of them across in a vehicle.
Buy the Britax Advocate ClickTight on Sale with Free Shipping at Amazon here.
Why Buy the Britax Advocate ClickTight?
This is the meat and potatoes of this car seat. The Britax Advocate ClickTight is one of several seats in the United States that allow you to rear-face a child for up to 40 pounds. This isn’t as good as it gets anymore, but it’s still decent. Every pound is precious, as the longer you rear-face, the safer your child is. In the US, parents tend to turn their children around into the line of fire at 1. In Sweden, this typically isn’t done until 4. Children in Sweden are far less likely to die in car crashes than children in the US. It makes that much of a difference. This alone is reason enough to buy the Advocate ClickTight.
However, I also love the fact that installation of the Britax Advocate ClickTight is going to be a much simpler affair for virtually every caretaker who might come across the seat. Given how the vast majority of seats used in the United States are not installed correctly, the Britax Advocate ClickTight is an impressive seat because it virtually ensures a correct install by virtue of its design. I love this!
Besides that, there are a ton of safety features built into the seat, which isn’t surprising, given Britax’s history with car seats. They outfitted the Britax Advocate ClickTight with SafeCell Impact Protection. This means that Britax didn’t stop at the federal safety standards when designing the car seat, and instead focused on adding features like an impact absorbing base, a steel frame designed to stabilize the seat during collisions, as well as side impact protection.
The shell, per Britax, is designed to not only reduce crash forces but keep debris away from your child. Similarly, the headrest itself is designed to absorb forces in collisions while keeping the head and neck secure. And of course, the famous Britax external compressing cushions are also present to distribute energy around your child while keeping adjacent passengers safe. Britax takes car seat safety seriously, and it shows in the new Advocate.
What are the main cons of the Advocate ClickTight?
The biggest strike against the Britax Advocate ClickTight is that there are still seats that allow you to ERF significantly longer by weight. Similarly, while the ClickTight system makes it significantly easier to achieve a safe and secure install, it does add significantly to the weight and bulk of the seat. However, the fact that the height limits have been increased to a very significant degree means that virtually all children will be able to reach the weight limits while rear- and forward-facing, which makes the seat very valuable when it comes to keeping children safe.
The 10-year product life for the seat is as good as it gets in the industry for rear- and forward-facing car seats, tying the Graco 4Ever. The new Diono convertibles have 12-year product lives for the booster portions but only 8-year product lives when rear- or forward-facing. I also like that the seat is already certified for aircraft travel.
I recommend the Britax Advocate ClickTight wholeheartedly. You can buy the Britax Advocate ClickTight in a range of colors here. Canadians can buy it here.
If you find my information on best practices in car and car seat safety helpful, you can do your shopping through this Amazon link. Canadians can shop here for Canadian purchases. Have a question or want to discuss best practices? Join us in the forums!
Troy H. Stapelton, in West Chester Township, OH, Killed in Car vs. Pickup Crash
Who:
Troy H. Stapelton, from Ann Court in Fairfield, OH, died on Thursday at around 8:35 AM, 5/29/14, when his 2011-era Toyota Prius was hit in a side impact at Ohio 747 and Port Union Road in West Chester Township, Ohio. He was hit by a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche driven by Terrance R. Strader, 32.
How:
Strader rear-ended a southbound blue Honda Civic driven by Christy Martin, 53, at Mackenzie Court and Ohio 747. She was only mildly injured. Strader then fled the scene, ran a red light at Port Union and Ohio 747, and impacted the Prius in the driver’s side as the Prius tried to turn left from Port Union Rd to Ohio 747. Stapelton died at the scene, while Strader required extrication and was hospitalized. Neither wore a seat belt. Stapelton drove a work vehicle, Universal Transportation Systems. Police stated that, based on vehicle damage, speed was believed to be a factor. Lt. Barry Walker from the West Chester Police Dept. stated “This was a very high-speed collision.” Strader, per news reports, had previously been involved in a major crash two years ago.
Why:
This is another sad case resulting from speeding, which is implicated in 1 out of every 3 auto deaths in the US. It is also a fatality that resulted from a failure to yield at a red light, and a fatality that resulted from someone who committed a hit and run, all in the span of a few minutes. Sadly, it’s also a crash that became more severe because the victim did not wear a seat belt.
The 2011-era Prius weighs ~3064 lbs and has a “good” side score. It comes with head and torso side airbags in the front seats. Its structural subscore was “acceptable.” The 2007 Avalanche, which is based on the Silverado, weighs ~5990 lbs.
Given the likely speeds of the collision (I’ll estimate ~55 mph, or 10 mph above
the 45 mph PSL), the collision likely imparted at least 821KJ of energy into the Prius / Avalanche. The standard side impact test simulates 143KJ of energy (a 3300-lb sled impacting a vehicle at 31 mph). In other words, the Prius faced 574% of the force it would have experienced in the types of crashes cars are side rated for. It is sadly understandable that the victim succumbed to these forces, especially when he was not safely restrained.
I can’t say wearing his seat belt would have saved Stapelton’s life, but it certainly would have improved his chances significantly. Side airbags are supplementary restraint systems; they are designed to help increase ride down time for individuals who are already restrained with seat belts.
What is absolutely certain is that the collision that led to the fatality occurred because an individual repeatedly chose to break the law while behind the wheels of a 3 ton missile.
If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.
3 Across Installations: Which Car Seats Will Fit in a Toyota Prius?
The Toyota Prius is easily the most popular hybrid vehicle in the United States, and is chosen by millions of families around the United States as a safe and efficient way to transport their families. In the hybrid market, it has few competitors; only the now-defunct Honda Insight and Chevrolet Volt are on the map in the small car category, and neither offers the reliability of the Prius, although the Volt certainly equals it in safety.
As a result, it’s no surprise fuel- and environment-conscious families look to the Prius to get their kids from point A to B. However, in order to transport multiple children, you need to know which car seats fit well next to each other and which ones don’t. If you’ve got 3 kids, you also need to keep in mind which seats will fit 3 across in a Toyota Prius. That’s what this guide is designed to help you figure out.
First of all, I always like to begin with the basics of best practices in car seat safety. These suggestions are based on research on the kinds of crash forces children face at different ages and in different kinds of car seats (harnessed seats, booster seats, forward-facing, rear-facing, etc). The research is rather clear: rear-face as long as possible (ideally until 4!), and then forward-face as long as possible (ideally until 6, 7, or 8!), and then booster until a regular belt fits your child (which typically happens between 10 and 12). Keeping your kids in safer configurations for as long as possible increases their odds of surviving collisions of all kinds.
However, for this information to be helpful, you need to know if a particular car seat will fit in your particular vehicle. Here are my experiences fitting a range of seats inside various years of the Toyota Prius. I’ll periodically update each page as I try more seats in more positions.
I have archived the complete 3 across guide for every vehicle here and the complete list of recommended seats here. Canadians can view recommended seats here. 3 across car seat images are courtesy of Wikipedia.
2016, 2017, 2018 Toyota Prius (XW50)
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Peg Perego Flex 120 (x3).
Maxi-Cosi RodiFix (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Diono Radian RXT (x3).
Diono Radian R120 (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Combi Coccoro (x3).
Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.
Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.
Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT, Harmony Youth Booster.
Britax Parkway SGL, Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT.
Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Parkway SGL.
Britax Boulevard / Marathon, Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT.
Tips and Tricks:
The current generation of the Prius is just under 179 inches long and just over 69 inches wide, which means, practically speaking, your 3 across possibilities aren’t going to change from the previous generation. You technically have a shade more front-to-back room, but it isn’t going to make a significant difference in comfort; you’ll still want to use angle adjusters if you’re rear-facing with Radians, for example. You’ll definitely still want to use seat belts with all 3 seats; the back row is too narrow to make LATCH practical or even feasible with 3 seats.
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Toyota Prius (XW30)
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Peg Perego Flex 120 (x3).
Maxi-Cosi RodiFix (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Diono Radian RXT (x3).
Diono Radian R120 (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Combi Coccoro (x3).
Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.
Chicco KeyFit 30, Clek Fllo, Chicco KeyFit 30.
Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT, Harmony Youth Booster.
Britax Parkway SGL, Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT.
Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT, Britax Parkway SGL.
Britax Boulevard / Marathon, Harmony Youth Booster, Diono Radian / RXT.
Tips and Tricks:
The 2010-2015 generation of the Prius is 176 inches long and 69 inches wide, which is 1 inch longer and 1 inch wider than the previous generation. As a result, it will be slightly easier to 3 across in this generation than in the previous, although it will still be a challenge with a number of installations. As usual, when dealing with vehicles this narrow internally, you’ll need to use seat belts from the start; don’t even bother with the LATCH anchors, as they aren’t nearly as efficient with the limited space you’ve got.
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Toyota Prius (XW20)
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Peg Perego Flex 120 (x3).
Maxi-Cosi RodiFix (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Diono Radian RXT (x3).
Diono Radian R120 (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Combi Coccoro (x3).
Clek Fllo, Diono Radian / RXT, Diono Radian / RXT.
Tips and Tricks:
The second generation of the Toyota Prius is 175 inches long and 68 inches wide, which means you’re going to struggle with 3 across installations unless dealing with particularly narrow seats, such as the Fllos, Foonfs, and Radians I mention above. However, there are probably other seats you might be able to squeeze in between those seats with a bit of patience and elbow grease. Remember to use the seat belts instead of LATCH to increase your odds of successful installations.
If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.
Dwayne Borbua, 21, in Springfield, MA, Killed in SUV Crash
Who:
Dwayne Borbua, 21, from Springfield, MA, died shortly past midnight on Thursday, 5/29/14, in Springfield, MA in a single vehicle collision in a 2005-era Volvo XC90. The collision occurred close to St. James Ave. and Page Boulevard.
How:
Per police reports, they responded to a single vehicle collision at the aforementioned scene and discovered the XC90 empty. They then received another call about a disturbance at a local emergency department. There, they met an individual who stated he had found his friend, who had been driving the XC90, in the overturned vehicle, and had taken him in his vehicle to the emergency department. Borbua died shortly after. Police stated they also found narcotics within the XC90 upon returning to the scene, and stated that speed was likely a factor in the collision.
Why:
A few things to take from this unfortunate collision include the importance of driving safely and attentively at the speed limit, the importance of wearing one’s seat belts, and the importance of keeping crash victims within the vehicle of the crash until trained professionals arrive unless there is an imminent need to remove them.
It is unclear why Borbua rolled his vehicle, but it was almost certainly due to speeding, as he did not come into contact with any other vehicles, and the XC90 is equipped with ESC, reducing the odds of rollovers. It is likely that he traveled at a high rate of speed and lost control during a turn. Given the presence of drugs in the vehicle, it is possible that he may have been driving impaired.
Furthermore, it is also likely that he was not wearing his seat belt, as given the safety of the XC90, the visibly deployed airbags, and the structural integrity of the passenger compartment as visible in the images, the vehicle should have been able to protect him in a single vehicle rollover that did not put the vehicle in contact with trees or traffic.
Finally, removing him from the vehicle may have put Borbua at greater risk if he had suffered internal, spinal, or cranial trauma, which was likely due to his being involved in a rollover while unbelted. In such situations, unless the vehicle is on fire or at risk of imminent destruction, the job of witnesses is to call emergency services and provide support to the victim until paramedics arrive.
This is a sad reminder that no vehicle, even one as safe as an XC90, is capable of protecting every individual from every crash, especially when drivers engage in high risk behaviors.
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If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.