Yes, Power Wheels have seat belts. However, some come with decorative seat belts that don’t offer much safety to your child. You can upgrade Power Wheels seat belts to 4-point harness seat belts, especially when you have kids below three years.
It is common for parents to wonder, “Do Power Wheels have seat belts?” before making a buying decision. Most of them come with seat belts that run over kids’ abdomen when they put them on.
A parent with a toddler may feel more comfortable with a 4-point harness that holds the child against a seat if the car tips over.
This article will explore Power Wheels’ safety and how you can upgrade your power wheels seat belts. Overall, it is possible to do an upgrade, and it will take you less than 30 minutes to install the harness on Power Wheels seats.
Looking for Power Wheels with Seat Belts?
How Safe Are Power Wheels?
Fisher-Price places a lot of urgency on keeping power wheels safe because, at one point, the company paid a fine of 1.1 million because of poor safety features. Since then, Fisher-Price ensures that they have several safety features on the toy vehicles.
Although the seat belts are not adequate on their own, each vehicle has additional features to keep the car from crashing or tipping. The large traction wheels ensure that the toy cars are steady and balanced at all times.
Even in rough terrains, it is hard for Power Wheels to topple over.
Another safety features the speed lockout, which prevents kids from driving toy cars at the highest speed. Most Power Wheels go at a maximum speed of 6MPH, and some have a low-speed level of 1.7MPH.
You can make sure your little one goes at the lowest rate, which is hard for them to get hurt.
Overall, Power Wheels are safe, but there is no harm in wanting to have comprehensive seat belts that will keep kids in their seats at all times. Also, it teaches kids the importance of wearing a seat belt from a young age.
How to Upgrade Power Wheels Seat Belts
Sometimes, the Power Wheels you want to buy for your child don’t come with seat belts, but that is okay. You can do a DIY project and install a new harness that will keep your kids safe at all times.
Brands like ML Toys have terrific seat belts that you can add to your child’s toy vehicle for extra safety. A 4-point harness is the best option for children below 3-years.
It would be best if you chose more extended harnesses for children who are taller and older.
Most upgraded seat belts come with all the necessary accessories for installing bolts to secure seat belts. Therefore, the most work you will have to do is to cut out new holes for the upper straps.
You can use the existing holes for the lower seat belt parts.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to upgrade Power Wheels seat belts if you don’t like what the manufacturer has on your model. You will need a screwdriver and a small saw to make the extra holes.
Step 1: Remove the Seats
Start by removing the seats from the toy car and placing them on a clean work surface. You can clean the seats if they are too dirty. Use a screwdriver to take out the screws that hold the seat in place.
You need to remove the existing seat belts before you start preparing the seat for the new ones. Check at the seat to see how the seat belts are secured, and pull out the seat belt after removing the obstruction.
Step 2: Add Slots at the Back of the Seats
A 4-point harness has anchor points right above the shoulders and at the sides of the thighs. You will have two openings at the sides of the seat.
If there are no slits that fit your seat belt, you will need to make some. Models that don’t have seat belts have an indentation where the seat belts are in other models.
Start with the slits at the sitting area’s sides, then create corresponding openings at the shoulder level. The slits should be aligned if you want your seat belt to fit in a balanced position.
Ensure the openings you create are only wide enough for a seat belt strap to pass through, meaning they should be thin.
Overall, the shoulder openings should be directly above the ones at the base of the seats. Ensure they are higher than your child’s shoulders so that your child is comfortable wearing the harness.
Step 3: Install the Seat Belt Straps
Start by arranging the seat belt on the seat to visualize how it should look when you are done. Also, you will install the seat belts facing the right side up if you lay them on the seats before installing the straps.
Start by threading one strap through the opening and securing it with a bolt or whatever securing accessories the manufacturer provides you. Repeat the process on the remaining three straps before starting on the second seat.
After installing the straps, you need to adjust the lengths to ensure that the harness fits snugly against your child. Tag the seat belt to ensure it will withstand the impact when a child activates emergency breaks.
Step 4: Reinstall Sits and Play
You should reinstall the seats back to the toy vehicle and ask one of your little ones to drive the toy. Ask the child to wear the harness and try to fit a figure under it to ensure that it works well without hurting the child.
There should be enough space for you to wiggle your finger under the straps.
Ask your child to step on emergency brakes and see how much your child jerks around when the car stops. You’ll notice that your little one won’t hit their forehead on the dashboard, and they stay close to the seat.
Power Wheels Safety Guideline
Fisher-Price provides several safety guidelines to ensure that kids are safe when using Power Wheels for fun. The cars do not go fast, but any parent knows that active kids can get into all sorts of trouble even in a safe environment.
Taking extra precautions ensures that your little one is always safe when using Power Wheels.
Supervision
Fisher-Price guidelines recommend that children should only drive toy vehicles under the supervision of an adult. You can sit at the pouch and watch your kids move around the yard.
Take time to teach younger kids to drive when walking alongside the vehicle before letting them go at it all alone. Overall, never let your kids use Power Wheels without adult supervision.
Safe Location
Kids should not drive on roads or anywhere where there is high traffic. Ensure your kids stay in safe areas like the yard, driveway, or take them to the kid’s park.
Other areas to keep kids away are water masses, including swimming pools and stairs. The ideal location should be a flat surface with a few obstacles if any.
Avoid Overloading
Parents must adhere to the weight limit and capacity recommendations. Power Wheels have a feature that shuts some models down when the weight limit is exceeded.
However, placing three kids in a 2-seater is terrible, even if the total weight is below the maximum weight load.
Keep an eye on your child when they are in the toy car. Children may think it is harmless and squeeze in the car to let an extra child ride along.
Teach your kids to take turns when driving to prevent the possibility of children exceeding the toy vehicle’s capacity.
Avoid Slopes
Even though Power Wheels are steady, they can tip over when a child drives through a slope at high speeds. You should keep an eye on your child if you have steep slopes on your compound.
Better yet, add a fence at the hill to prevent children from going there when driving toy cars.
Are Power Wheels Worth the Cost?
Power Wheels are the best brand of electric cars, and they are worth the price tag. Most Power Wheels have a price tag of $250-$400, and most of them can last for several years.
Even when the toy vehicle doesn’t come with seat belts, you are still getting the best electric car brand.
Remember that installing seat belts or upgrading the existing ones will set you back a few dollars, and you can’t put a price on your child’s safety. The design of power wheels ensures that your child doesn’t have accidents.
However, you can never be too careful, and upgrading seat belts can alleviate your fear for your child’s safety.
Conclusion
Do Power Wheels have seat belts? Some of them do, and some of them do not. Some vehicles have seat belts that don’t provide much safety when your child has a crash.
You can always upgrade the safety belts to a 4-point harness when you have a small child. Small children don’t have complete muscle coordination, and they are bound to make more mistakes than older kids.
If you find a Power Wheels model that doesn’t come with seat belts, you should buy it and do a DIY installation. It will take less than an hour to add new safety belts to the seats of Power Wheels.
The process is simple, and parents without much knowledge of power wheels can still do it.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
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