Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 11:50 pm
When I had my first son and It was time to graduate him to a larger car seat I did what any parent does and scoured the Internet for the best seat possible. Reading Consumer Reports and comparing the safety features of the seats available. I even tried with all my might to get the sales rep to point me in the direction of the best seat, which they aren’t allowed to do. I ended up purchasing a Britax Marathon at the time.
One of the things I love and trust about the Britax company is their intense commitment to safety and the fact that they are continuously working on improving the seats they have to include features that make parent misuse less of an issue. Did you know that 90% of car seats are not installed properly? That’s worrisome, and I know that the new safety features Britax keeps coming out with are helping to reduce the errors we can sometimes make.
Last time we reviewed their Britax Boulevard CS they had included their new Click Safe feature that lets you know the child is buckled in properly. When strapping in your child and pulling the tightening strap to make the shoulders and lap restraints snug, there is an audible “CLICK” to let you know they are truly snug and safe. My first Britax didn’t have this feature and having that feature now is a huge help, and I feel better knowing my son is in there correctly.
Their new Britax Advocate CS has this wonderful feature as well as a bevy of safety features that we feel make this seat one of the more superior brands of car seats. The Advocate allows you to keep your child rear-facing up to 35lbs, making it easier to keep your child rear facing for a longer period of time. Despite the AAP recommendations still remain that the child remain rear facing until 1 years old at at least 20 lbs, there is evidence to suggest that the longer a child can stay rear facing the safer they may be in an accident… they are now recommending age 2.
The new Advocate CS also has new patented Side Impact Cushion Technology that greatly lessen the danger to your child as well as the passengers riding along side them in the event of a side impact accident… it reduces the impact crash energy by 50% which is important due to side impact crashes being some of the most dangerous. According to Dr. Laura Jana, a pediatrician and mom of three, cars are not designed to protect children in side impact crashes, so the seat you select should have the best protection available.
On top of all the safety features the Advocate CS has a load of other features that make this seat one of the best in my opinion. We had a chance to check out a sample and were greatly impressed with the ease of use. You are able to manually adjust the strap height and head restraint protection without completely dismantling the seat (like some others I’ve used). I know, because I tried it. I am the worst when it comes to adjusting features like this and I was able to adjust the harness height without any trouble. I sincerely think that all that “un-doing” to adjust seats is dangerous.. the less you have to fiddle with the better. I also never have to untangle the 5-point harness thanks to their Tangle-Free harness.
It’s no secret that we love Britax and when it comes to your child’s safety, this is one place that buying the best is a critical purchase. As with any car seat, I think it’s vital to have your seat checked by a Certified Child Safety Seat Inspector for ultimate safety (and peace of mind). Many cities have a at your local fire department. They may have monthly events where you can visit and have your seats checked or you can sometimes schedule appointments.
Look for your local Child Safety Seat Inspector on SeatCheck.org or at USA.SafeKids.org.