Carseats/tether straps n bolts etc
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Category: Have A Baby?
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Printed Date: 26 August 2025 at 4:21pm
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Topic: Carseats/tether straps n bolts etc
Posted By: High9
Subject: Carseats/tether straps n bolts etc
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:32pm
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Are tether straps and bolts compulsory? In other words do you HAVE to use them? Is it law?
I thought you HAD to use them but lately I have seen a lot of other mums who aren't using them, rear facing or forward facing in carseats... We have been having a lot of trouble with our car and one mechanic has told us our car may be too old to have the bolt installed but another one has said it can be done. 
I know it is the safest thing to do to have it, but lately I am just wondering why all these other families aren't bothering? Do you use your tether strap and bolt? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Lucky apple
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:39pm
| I think it depends on whether your seat has a strap - if it does then you have to have it bolted. |
Posted By: Bexee
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:39pm
| I *think* that if your carseat has them you have to use them. |
Posted By: Lucky apple
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:40pm
| snap Bec! |
Posted By: Bexee
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:43pm
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Tether straps Some child restraints have upper tether straps. This means that they still use the vehicle's safety belts, but also have a strap that must be clipped onto an anchor point in the vehicle. Anchor points are usually on the rear parcel tray, or, in the case of station wagons, on the floor behind the rear seats. If there aren't any anchor points in your vehicle, you have two options: 1. Install an anchor point in your vehicle. You can buy one from most places that sell child restraints and baby supplies. They come with instructions, but if you're not confident your local car mechanic will be able to install the anchor point. 2. Use a child restraint that's designed to work without upper tether straps. |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:46pm
| Our carseat for Daniel doesnt have one so thats why we don't use it but his old car seat does and thats in DH's car and although its a PITA we use it |
Posted By: Jaune
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 7:48pm
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I think that basically the ones that have the tether straps are only safety tested with the tether straps in place so if you're not using them then there is no guarantee that the car seat/capsule would be safe in an accident,..
------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 8:13pm
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Okay thanks heaps!
Kebakat tell me about it, my mums car has the bolts so we've currently installed it in her car, but the person who designed the tether straps etc clearly never had children because it is very hard/pita to get them in and out unless you undo the strap and then reclip it back in! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 8:21pm
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My carseat has a tether strap but it says to only use it for forward facing NOT rear facing - so the other ones you've seen might be like that too? ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: Kelz
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 8:36pm
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Hi all,
Just fyi - we have a new car seat expert coming on board our Ask the Experts panel. Bonnie Smith has been answering our questions up till now and she is handing over the reigns to Laura Hall. Laura was http://www.3news.co.nz/Carseat-message-not-getting-through-to-some/tabid/817/articleID/149772/Default.aspx - recently interviewed on Campbell Live regarding the correct installation of car seats - take a look. Visit our Ask the Experts section to ask her a question (we still have Bonnie's info on the site - just awaiting some details from Laura  )------------- |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 8:38pm
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Might check my instructions again lol, pretty sure it said to use them, but could have been for just forward facing...!
I've seen forward facing ones without them too! Was just talking about it to DP and when the carseat is rear facing it only just fits with the seat all the way forward in the front so no way it's going anywhere. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 8:41pm
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Nope ours is a dual tether for forward and rear facing. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 10:55pm
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If your car seat has one you should be using it. It means that the car seatbelt alone isnt enough in the event of an accident. I personally wouldnt by a carseat without one.
They are a PITA but I dont mind, better to be safe than sorry IMO ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: kellie
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 11:50pm
I agree. Seatbelts often go slack during impact which would render the seat useless. My friend who wasn't aware she needed to tether her sons carseat was in an accident recently and told me the carseat went flying forward (was forward facing) And yep it is the law. The police are actually starting to really crack down on this which is great. I think the fine is $150 ------------- 
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WestiesGirl wrote:Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 10:08am
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That's true, better to be safe than sorry! They are a pita and I always joke that the person who designed it clearly didn't have kids...
Thanks heaps, looks like we'll do a car swap with my mum then! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Renee & Lauren
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 2:32pm
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Nic - go to Plunket careseat hire place and ask them about how to get baby in and out while using a tether strap thing.
Also our carseat doesn't need one rear facing but does front facing. ------------- http://lilyslim.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 3:33pm
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We've worked out a way to get her in and our with out unclipping it, I probably shouldn't complain just find it a bit of a pita!
I was just wondering why people weren't using them, but will still be using ours ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Samandtia
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 3:45pm
| Lil_Nic9, sorry to sound silly...but how do you do it? I do it VERY awkwardly and if there is another way to do it umm less awkward pls share... :) |
Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 4:01pm
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Am I the only person who slackens and retightens to get baby in and out or are they not all like that?
I dont undo the clip I just loosen the strap and do it back up when we put him back in... I actually had my car seat checked last time I went through a random rego/wof check, so they are definately clamping down on it!!!! About time IMHO. -------------   
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 4:10pm
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depends on if it is raining or not tbh if it isn't then I loosen it and then re-tighten it back up
Other wise I do a mixture of getting her out from above or below the strap but it can be tricky and is usually easier to loosen it and re-tighten it. Mel I think it's good too, tbh I couldn't understand why people weren't using them but didn't realise that a. some car seats don't need them for rear facing or forward facing and b. that some car seats don't even have them! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: reneemaree
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 10:49am
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Hey Lil Nic. You can also get carseats that meet NZ safety standards that use the seatbelt as a tether rather than needing a bolt....I don't drive so I have one that I use for babys nana's car. Easy to get in and out of peoples cars...The seatbelt kind of goes around the back and acts as a tether.
Phil and Ted Bebe recline is one of these as are the SKEP range of carseats which can be ordered on line. If you are changing cars frequently they can be a good idea. |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 1:01pm
Yep Mel I do too. I loosen and retighten in most cases. Unless Im in a hurry or its raining  ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 2:20pm
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Chelsea's carseat doesn't require a tether for rear facing but does for forward facing. We had her forward facing for a few months and the seat felt much more secure, but have turned her back to rear facing now and just wedge it up against the front seat so it doesn't move. The tether strap doesn't reach the bolt when it's rear facing otherwise I would use it anyway! ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 4:21pm
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Rachel you can get extensions from Baby Factory for them, a 30cm one is only $18 (got one today for my granddads car)
ReneeMaree, yup our carseat also uses the seat belt round the back too as well as the tetherstrap/bolt. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 7:48pm
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I'm surprised to hear that an anchor point perhaps can't be installed because they seem to be able to be put several places. Someone I know has their anchor point attached to the underside of the seat in their van. Our car's anchor point is up high. -------------  |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 8:47pm
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Yeah I thought it was strange too tbh, he said older cars, ours is a '92. I know if you have an old OLD car, e.g 50s then you don't need to bother with it or something like that.
Maybe he said it jic it can't be done? DP is going to find out sometime this week anyway. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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