Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children get older, they can move out of their infant car seats they can transition to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in rear-facing and forward-facing versions however, they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed on top of a car seat that has airbags because the force of the deployed airbag could be fatal for children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether an infant car seat may be placed on top of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is very simple: If a crash happens and the child is in the front seat, they could have their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a baby.

This is why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. In the event of a crash the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This is the best protection for the infant.

A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's neck and head better than a front-facing car seat that only offers little protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling out of the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness holds the chest clip above the shoulders.

It's important to remember that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the front seat. This happens when children's feet fly up and trap them against the seat's back and put a great deal of stress on the bones of the leg. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.

There are several programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a discount or at no cost to parents who qualify. This is a great chance to ensure that your child is in a secure car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for many years.

The base of most newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is particularly beneficial for traveling with young kids since it allows you to keep the seat in place and ready for use even when you change vehicles.

Find the middle of the seat and measure with a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key or the length of earbuds that are wireless are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to test for this space. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

In lightweight baby car seat car seats, bouncers, swings, strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies could be in a dangerous position with their chests pressed against their chins. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the harness straps that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. Check that the straps are set just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then come up over their shoulders. Adjust them to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to be able to squeeze any fabric that is not tight enough This is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to remove them prior to buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash but it can cause a child's throat to collapse when it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip should not be located in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash, children who are rear-facing will likely slide up the seat. The harness straps should be capable of supporting the head and neck of the child. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low they may slide over the baby's ears or slide through their neck opening, and if they're too loose they can move towards the baby's nose.

Ensure the shoulder straps are in the slots that are above or below the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included in the car seat) to lift them up to ensure their shoulders are in this slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors that help with this and you should always refer to the instructions that came with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat newborn insert seat to face forward, due to their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do so. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, as the child's spine and neck are protected in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards by the vehicle and could cause serious injury.

A lot of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in to help you ensure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are on their shoulders instead of under their arms. To determine whether the harness is tight it is best car seats for newborns uk to squeeze a small amount of material at your child's shoulder. It is also important to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is in line with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through the manual for your infant car seat so you know the proper way to use it for your child.

Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.

If you own a car with only one back seat, install the infant car seat - recommended site, in the middle so that you can easily view your child's reflection in your rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side can make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be installed on either side so that it is not in the airbag's front on the passenger-side. However, if you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat rear facing car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seats due to their weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats can assist in positioning the shoulder and lap belts properly. They also limit the amount that a neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the chance of injury. Head movement is the primary reason behind motor vehicle crashes that are the top killers of children ages 4-8.

If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt may slide up to the abdomen of a child and cause severe injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster to stop the lap belt from sliding onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles, or guide slots that allow you to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on a child's strong hip bones instead of being pushed up into their soft stomach area during a crash.

Certain booster seats feature the seatbelt locking mechanism which locks the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This will help to stop the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This may also help prevent the seat belt from being pulled over the face of a child. This could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction as and neck strain.