Child Car Seat Palcement

Child Car Seat Placement

A child safety seat is one of the first safety devices you'll have to learn how to use properly once you have a baby. However, the seat that your newborn goes home in from the hospital will differ significantly from what he sits in after his first birthday. Although child safety seats vary, there are some basic measures you can take to install your baby's seats properly.

If your child is under one year old and weighs less than 20 pounds:

Use a rear-facing seat (fig.1) in the back seat of the car. If your infant is under one year old and weighs over 20 pounds, face a convertible seat toward the rear of the car or use an infant seat approved for higher-weight babies less than one year old.
Position shoulder straps in the lowest slots until your baby's shoulders reach above the slots.
Make sure the harness strap isn't twisted and fits snugly around your baby.
The retainer clip should rest in the middle of your baby's chest (at armpit level), not around the abdomen or neck.
Recline the seat properly. If your baby's head flops forward, place a rolled-up towel or newspaper under the seat to tilt it until you can make more permanent adjustments.
You can use a convertible car seat that reclines and is rear-facing for a child who weighs under 20 pounds and is less than one year old.
You can position the seat upright and forward-facing for a child over one year old who weighs between 20 and 40 pounds.
You can use a convertible seat as long as your child's ears are below the top of the back of the seat and his shoulders reach below the seat's strap slots.
If blankets are used, place them on top of your baby and over the properly adjusted straps.

If your child is over 1 year old and weighs between 20 and 40 pounds:

Position your child in the back seat of the car in a forward-facing seat (fig.2). Child safety seats should not be placed in the front of cars with passenger-side airbags. If the airbag opens, the impact could be extremely harmful to a child. It is best to keep all children safely in seats and buckled up in the back of the car, where they are the furthest away from the dangers of a head-on collision. If you must place a toddler in the front, position the passenger seat as far back from the dashboard as possible.
When your child reaches 40 pounds and his ears reach the top of the back of the safety seat, you may start using a booster seat.
If the seat belts in your car are not sufficient to install a child safety seat securely, ask your auto dealer about installing special lap belts, add-on buckles, and locking clips. You can also call the Department of Transportation's Auto Safety Hotline at: (800) 424-9393.

You should never:

Use a rear-facing car seat in the front of a car that has passenger-side air bags.
Use a forward-facing seat in place of a rear-facing seat. Instead, select a proper convertible seat.
Use a safety seat that has been in an accident or has been damaged. Even if it looks fine, it may not function properly.
Use a car seat that comes without manufacturer's instructions. You must install the seat according to the manual.
Use a car seat without a label that shows the date it was manufactured and the model number. This is the only way to find out about important recalls.