In Which Location To Research Infant Car Seat In Front Seat Online
Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children outgrow their infant car seats, they can move to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in both forward-facing and rear-facing models, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not advised to place car seats in front of airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: If there is a crash the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause harm or even death to the infant.
Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child better than a forward-facing seat which offers only a small amount of head and neck protection. The headrest stops your child from sliding off the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness holds the chest clip above the shoulders.
It's important to keep it in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they hit the rear of the vehicle seat. This occurs when a child's feet fly upwards and get caught against the rear of the seat, which puts immense pressure on the leg bones. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of.
There are also several programs in the United States for parents who meet the criteria to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great way to get your child into a secure car seat before they get out of it and use it in a safe manner for a long time.
The majority of new infant car seats come with an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is particularly beneficial for families with young children since you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even when you change vehicles.
Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it using the help of a tape. This area can be tested with many things, such as the blade of a key, or the length of the wireless earbuds. Check the instructions on your car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can alter the angle of the car seat to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
Newborns and preemies often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy chairs, strollers, swings and other children's equipment. In a crash, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are set just below the shoulders of the child, and then come up over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps should be tight enough to hold the excess fabric together. This is called the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats may hinder this, so make sure to take them off prior to placing your child in their seat.
The chest clip is designed to break in an accident, but it could be compressed on the throat of a child in the event that it's too high or when the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.
In infant car seats cheap of a crash, rear-facing infants are more likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps must be able to cradle the child's neck and head. This is why it's very important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the baby's ears or go through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they could move up to the child's nose.
Make sure the shoulder straps are in the slots at or above the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Newborns may require a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them to ensure their shoulders are in this slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to assist with this, and you can always check the instructions included with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
While some parents might be tempted to flip their infant car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do it. The rear-facing position is safer than the forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will press against the seat and their spine and neck will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and can cause serious injury.
Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have an integrated angle indicator so you can ensure that the seat is correctly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is on the seat flat, and that the straps are on their shoulders rather than under their arms. To determine whether the harness is tight it is best to squeeze a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. It is also essential to examine the crotch buckle strap to be sure that it is at a level with the armpits, not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to use it properly.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children remain rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to view your child easily through the rearview mirror without having to bend. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk all the way around your vehicle every time you want to take your child into or out of their car seat.
If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be placed on either side, as long as it's not front of the airbag on the passenger-side. If you need to decide between installing the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight and height must use a booster seat until the seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when they are at a minimum of 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 help to position the lap and shoulder belt correctly. They can also limit the distance that a child's skull moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head motion is the most significant cause.
If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt can travel up to the abdomen of a child and cause major injuries in the event of a crash. This can be avoided by using a booster equipped with lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from climbing over arm rests or sliding up on a child's stomach.
Many boosters have small handles and armrests or guide slots that help put the lapbelt flat on a child's top legs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and remains on the hipbones of a child's strength, rather than moving upwards into their abdomen area during the event of a crash.
Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that secures the seatbelt when a child is sitting in them. This will help to keep the lap belt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This will prevent the seatbelt from being pulled over a child’s face. This can lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well neck strain.