Why Infant Car Seat In Front Seat Is Your Next Big Obsession
Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children outgrow their car seats as infants, they can transition into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing models however, they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
Car seats should never be placed on top of a car seat with airbags, since the force of the airbag can be fatal for infants and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: When an accident occurs the child's head could be hit by an airbag if in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a child.
Infant car seats are designed to be rearward-facing. rear facing infant car seat 's back rests against the rear of the car seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your infant.
A rear-facing car seat protects your child's neck and head better than a front-facing seat that offers only little protection. The headrest also stops the child from falling off the shoulder straps during an accident, and the harness keeps the chest clip high above your child's shoulders.
It is important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when a kid's feet rise and trap them against the back of the seat which causes a lot of pressure on the bones of the legs. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of.
There are numerous programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a discounted price or for free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in a safe seat before they outgrow it and use it safely for many years.
The base of many newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is especially useful for traveling with young kids since you can keep the car seat in place and ready for use even if you change vehicles.
Before you buckle your child in make sure that the car seat back will touch the car seat's back by finding the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape measure. This area 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. After that, you should check the car seat's instructions and vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
In baby car seats, bouncers, swings strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies could get into a dangerous situation with their chests pressed against their chins. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by straps of the harness that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps for your shoulders start slightly below and come up over the child's shoulders and make sure you tighten them. The straps must be tight enough to hold the excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. The bulky outer layers of winter coats may hinder this so be sure to remove them prior to you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed to break in a crash but it can be compressed on the throat of a child when it's too low or if the chest straps are loose. It's also important that the chest clip is not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be positioned at armpit height.
In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants are more likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps need to be able to cradle the child's head and neck. This is why it's very important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they may slide through the opening on the neck of the baby or over their ears. If they're too loose, they may be able to reach the face of the child.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are in the slots over your child's shoulders and that they fit comfortably. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them up so their shoulders reach this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you can always check the instructions included with the 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, however there is no reason to do this. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing as the infant's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children can suffer serious injuries because their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.
A majority of infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure the seat is properly installed. Also, you must make sure your child's head is level against the seat, and that the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not under their arms or bent. You should be able to squeeze a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure whether the harness is secure enough. It is also important to examine the strap that holds the crotch to be sure it is in line with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so that you know 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 the weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.
If you have a vehicle with only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you are able to easily see your child's reflection in your rearview mirror without having to lean over. It is also beneficial to put the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your car every time you need to get your child in or out of their car 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. If you must decide between installing an infant car seat on either the left or the right side of your vehicle, 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 vehicle's seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen when they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements).
Booster seats assist in positioning the shoulder belt and lap properly. Booster seats also help reduce the amount that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle crashes, which are the leading fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.
If a booster is used incorrectly the lap portion of the belt could 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 that stop the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding on a child's belly.
Many boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots to help place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt begins and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of slipping upwards into their abdominal area in the event of a crash.
Some booster seats are also designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is secure while a child is sitting in it, and this will help prevent the lap belt from slipping up over a child's abdomen. This may also help stop the seat belt from being pulled across a child's face, which could result in airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well as neck strain.