The Under-Appreciated Benefits Of Infant Car Seat In Front Seat
Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children grow out of their car seats for infants, they can move into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags on a vehicle seat, as the impact of the airbag could be fatal for children and babies.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: When there is a crash the child's head may be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a baby.
Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The back of the seat rests against the back of the vehicle seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing one which offers only a small amount of head and neck protection. The headrest also stops the child from falling off the shoulder straps during the event of a crash and the harness holds the chest clip above the shoulders of your child.
It's important to remember that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the back of the front vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet rise and become caught against the back of the seat, which puts immense pressure on the bones of the leg. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.
There are numerous programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a discounted price or free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great way to ensure your child is placed in a secure car seat before they get out of it and use it in a safe way for many years.
The base of many newer infant car seat models is designed to be removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially useful when traveling with children since you can keep the car seat installed and ready to use even when you change vehicles.
Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure with the help of a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of earbuds with wireless technology, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Check the instructions for the car seat and the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine whether the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
In infant car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies can be in a dangerous position with their chests pressed against their chins. In the event of a collision the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the shoulder straps begin a little below and then come upwards over the shoulders of the child and ensure that you tighten them. The straps should be tight enough to squeeze the fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other bulky outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them prior to putting your child in their seat.
The chest clip is made for a crash, but it could compress a neck of the child if it's too low or if they are loose. 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 who are rear-facing will likely slide up the seat. The harness straps should be sufficient to support the head and neck of the child. It is essential to put the straps over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they can slip over the baby's ears or go through the neck opening and if they're too loose they can move towards the baby's nose.
Make sure that the straps for your child's shoulders are securely fitted and in the slots above or on the shoulders of your child. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them so that their shoulders can reach this slot. Some infant car seats come with angle indicators or adjustors to help you with this. You can also check the instructions that come in your seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat but there is no need to do this. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash the baby's body will be pressed against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children can suffer serious injuries because their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.
Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure that the seat is installed correctly. pushchairsandprams.uk need to ensure that your child's head is level against the seat, and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. To determine whether the harness is too tight you should be able to squeeze a small amount of material on the shoulder of your child. Check the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. You should also read the manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to use it correctly.
Most manufacturers recommend that kids remain rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a car that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to see your child easily through the rearview mirror, without having to bend. Installing the car seat on the driver's side will also make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.
If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be installed on either side as that it is not in the airbag's front on the passenger's side. However, if you have to decide whether to install 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 have outgrown their infant car seat due to their weight and height will require a booster until the seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt correctly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the chance of injury. Head movement is the main reason behind motor vehicle crashes that are the top deaths of children aged 4-8.
If the booster is not used correctly the lap portion of the belt may slide up to the abdomen of a child and cause severe injuries in the event of a crash. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.
Many boosters are designed with small handles, armrests or guide slots that allow you to position the lap belt low and flat across a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and stays on a child's strong hip bones instead of moving up into their soft stomach area during an accident.
Certain booster seats are equipped with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the seat belt locked in place while children are sitting in it, and this can help in preventing the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This may also help stop the belt from being pulled over the face of a child. This could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.