infant car seat for travel Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children outgrow their infant car seats they can move into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags on the vehicle seat, since the force of the airbag could be fatal to babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: If a crash occurs, the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a child.
This is the reason why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. In a crash the back of the seat will rest against the back of your vehicle seat. This provides the best security for the infant.
A rear-facing car seat protects your child's head and neck better than a front-facing seat that only offers the most basic protection. The headrest prevents your child from slipping out of the shoulder straps during an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip above the shoulders.
It's important to note that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the back of the front seat. This occurs when a child's feet fly upwards and get caught against the rear of the seat, which puts immense stress on the bones of the legs. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.
There are numerous programs in the United States for qualifying parents to receive free or discounted infant car seats. This is a great way to ensure your child is placed in a safe seat before they get out of it and use it safely for many years.
The majority of newer infant car seats come with a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially beneficial for families with small children, as you can keep the car seat installed and ready for use even when switching vehicles.
Before you take your child's seat check if the car seat back will touch the car seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring it using a tape measure. This space is a test that can be done with a variety of objects, including the blade of a key, or the length of the wireless earbuds. Check the instructions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
Preemies and newborns frequently are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other equipment for children. In a crash, they may be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the straps on the harness that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are positioned just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then they will be able to rise over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps should be snug enough to allow you to pinch any excess fabric together - this is called the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats can hinder this, so make sure to remove them prior to buckling your child in their seat.
The chest clip is made to protect against a fall, but it can compress the neck of the child if it's too low or if they are not tight enough. The chest clip should not be in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps must be able to support the child's head and neck. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the baby's ears, or go through their neck opening, and if they're too loose, they can slide up to the child's nose.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are in the slots over the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Newborns might need an infant insert (often provided with the car seat) to raise their shoulders until they reach this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors that aid in this process and you should always refer to the instructions included with your seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents might be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat, however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will be pressed against the seat, and their neck and spine will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.
Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure that the seat is properly installed. Also, you should ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are on their shoulders rather than under their arms. You can pinch a small amount of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is tight enough. It is also essential to check the strap around the crotch to make sure that it is at a level with the armpits, not at the waist. You should also review the manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to properly use it.
Most manufacturers suggest that children remain rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they are two years old.
If you own a car that has only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so you are able to easily see your child through your rearview mirror without needing to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side also makes it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.
If you own a car with two back seats, you can install the infant car seat on either side so you don't place it behind the passenger side airbag. If you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who outgrow their infant car seat by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt is properly fitted. This can only happen if they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements).
Booster seats assist in positioning the shoulder belt and lap properly. Booster seats also help reduce the distance that a neck moves in a collision, reducing the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle crashes which are the most frequent deaths of children aged 4-8.
If a booster is not used correctly the lap belt could be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.
A lot of boosters have handles that are small or armrests, or guide slots to place the lap belt low and flat on a child's top legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt starts and remains on the child's strong hipbones, rather than moving up into their soft abdomen region during an accident.
Some booster seats have a seatbelt locking mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This will help to prevent the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This may also help keep the belt from being pulled across the face of a child, which could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction, as and neck strain.