Father's and Mothers I need your help

Heads up, you can not have the carrier handle in the up position with the baby in the seat. It must be locked in the down position at either end... usually the head. It can't just rest either, it has to be locked.

That is one of the more overlooked safety things.

 

All good advice in here. I would trade for a double cab.
Double cab Tacoma works for our family of four.

 

I did this mod when we found out we were having a kid... the DC mod wasn't one of my favorites though.

 

It was only sucky for the time our youngest was still in the infant carrier. Once I found out that a true upright seat was safer we moved him into the Britax and from that point on we've only got more and more space as their seat requirements get smaller and smaller.

I love my AC

My next truck will be a 4DR though..

 

I know that. It was up just for those photos

My plan is to get a 2015 DC in 2017. Maybe 2016. Or a 4Runner

 

Congratulations, Mitch!

Like most stated, rear facing for newborns. My daughter was rear facing until she turned one and then she went forward facing. It is so much better for both the parents and child - to be able to see your child in your rear view mirror (I've got one of those big attached rear view mirror).

Looks like you got the car seat configuration figured out. I don't have an access cab so I can't offer any advice or fatherly tips but I've always kept my daughter's car seat in the center in my double cab until she graduated to booster seats. Now she likes to sit on the rear passenger side..more secure when she falls asleep I guess. Her heads not slouched in weird positions lol

 

Yeah I don't like how I won't be able to see him when he's in the back. I'm the front I wouldn't have that problem. But I like the fact I can use the front seat as another lock on the seat (when he's in the back)

 

Congrats! Our first is due July 25.

Rear seat space seems to be a problem for me too even with the DC. Any recommendations on an infant seat that will fit well?

 

Slipped my mind that they have a plastic-like mirror that you can attach to the backseat so you can see the reflection of your child during rear facing period.

Something like this:

 

Speaking from a 1st gen extra cab...

...it's actually the safest place for the child.

 

Rear facing in the back middle seat. Then when the kid is too might switch to forward facing. Usually that's around 2 years old. Never ever up front

 

Yeah. Can't do that since I don't have headrest in the rear

 

My wife is a car seat fanatic when it comes down to safety. We have a Chico Key Fit 30 for our 6 week old and a Diono Rainer for our two year old. The Diono is, according to my wife the safest car seat out there AND it's great for the Tacoma because with the angle adjuster for rear facing you don't have to have the front seats all the way forward. You can also have the seat touching the car seat according to Diono which most seats out there will NOT let you do.

Most car seat manufactures recommend that you rear face until 40+ lbs because it's WAAYYYYY safer. Our two year old is small for his age (22 lbs) and has no problems with being rear facing. I'm 6' and I could have him sit behind me no problem with the Diono Rainer.

 

I haven't had the need to install a car seat for quite a few years; but it shouldn't move at all when you try to wiggle the seat. I remember getting both knees in the seat while pulling the belt tight to install the seat into the car. As all have noted above, rear facing as long as possible. I'd try to get the seat in the center if possible and I think they have those mirrors that mount in various locations, not just over the head rest. Congrats! - you life will never be the same.

 

Read into state laws. There should be an easily accessible website explaining the rules. Here in Georgia all newborns and infants face REAR until TWO years old. Car seats and children under 55 pounds or <5 feet tall must always be in the backseats. A child can only sit in front seat if a younger child is already using back seat. Booster seats are not allowed until child is 36" tall and 45lbs. These are not suggestions here. It is the law. There is no gray area. Cops and troopers will ticket you on site and charge you with negligence if seats are not buckled in properly. When mounting seat, really put your body weight into the seat to get it snug. If it is not snug , you did it wrong. Undo it all and start over.

When kiddo is buckled in, be sure the built in levels are lined up correctly. If seat is wedged in at an awkward angle. ( like someone else posted in an access cab), you risk snapping your kid's neck and can be charged. Lastly: be sure the chest piece is always on the chest, not the belly. There was an accident in our neighborhood last month.

A drunk mom hit a truck head on. Her infant and toddler kids were in booster seats. Neither kid was big enough for boosters, neither seat was correctly mounted and neither child was correctly buckled. One kid suffered major head trauma and was on a ventilator. The other kid broke her jaw, arm and both legs. The mom broke her legs too and is going to jail for a long time.

Parenthood is the most traumatic thing I've ever experienced. This might come off as being over zealous. I wish it were so. I was in an accident when I was a toddler. My dad is a high ranking state trooper. He specializes in accident reconstruction. He always forced me to look at evidence photos from fatality accidents to scare me into driving safe and following the rules. He inspects our car seats every time we visit. After working infant and child fatalities for decades, they don't take child safety lightly.

 

Don't buy the biggest one with the most protection. My dad says they're a waste and actually a hindrance in rescue/recovery/extraction situations.

 

I had an 05 acsess cab, when we had our first kid. That lasted about 10 months
too much of a pain to store the kid behind the seat. I end up buying a 94 previa altrac, my favorite of all toyotas i've owned, had the van for 4.5 years, great rig with little ones. I'm running a double cab short bed now, much easier.

 

I bought my dc specifically for our growing family. My first is almost 4, and so big he meets all the requirements for a graduated booster. He transitioned well. We're shopping for an infant seat that will fit behind me. I measured the distance from the back of my seat to the rear seat and used that to narrow down potential infant seats.

 

Ok, where do I start:

I am a 21 year retired LEO,
Still are nationally certified car seat instructor of 11 years.
In fact it's my retirement gig now.

I sold my 1990 SR5 truck because we couldn't put a car seat in the extended cab portion. We bought a 2012 DCSB.

I have two children in car seats very easily in the backseat.

Points: keep rear facing as long as possible to the limit of the child safety seat or at least two years old, children are 5 times safer rear facing than forward.

Think of how diproportionately large their heads are to there body, thier spine, neck and pelvis cannot support the energy transferred to them in a crash.

When they are rear facing it doesn't matter that thier legs are bunched up touching the seat back, think how limber they were in the womb.

Rear facing in the front? Well do you trust that idiot light to make sure the airbag is off in a crash? I don't! I've put my duffle bag on the front seat dash displays airbag off and on some bumps and some corners the light flickers because the weight transfers, don't risk the life of your child, keep them rear facing in rear seat.

Next, the 'Latch' stands for lower anchors and tethers for children are rated for only 48lbs, which means when the combined weight of child and seat reach 48 lbs you have to instal the seat with a seat belt.

Next, all seats sold in the US are tested at 35mph and meet the exact same crash thresholds by NHTSA.

Higher end seats can be safer, offer higher limits to keep children in the internal 5 point harness longer and have more ease of use features.

Next, infant seats that have a carry handle used to only be used with the carry handle in the down position but now newer models tell you in the owners manual that they can be in many different positions safely, ultimately read the manual!!!

I know in my 2012, that there are only two,latch positions in the rear seating positions the two inboard lower anchors cannot be used in the center position, I haven't seen the 2015 but don't think they have changed.

Please call me if you need advice or help
575-494-6864.

 

This.

Disregard everything else in this whole post and just read this one. Fire paramedic for over 15 years and also a certified car seat tech and everything that he said is true. Also, someone else posted that having a bigger, stronger car seat is harder to get out in an accident. That's not true. I've extricated plenty of big and little people. We have tools. A car seat that is intact is better than one that isn't as the whole seat can be removed to act as a splinting device if need be. Purchase the seat you can afford and follow the instructions. Most importantly, drive safe.