Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children are outgrowing their travel infant car seat car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.

It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags the vehicle seat, since the impact of the airbag could cause fatal injuries to babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents wonder if the infant car seat can be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: If a crash occurs the child's head may be hit by an airbag if in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause injury or even death to the child.

Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a collision the back of the seat will rest against the rear of your car seat. This provides the best car seat infant security for the infant.

Additionally, the rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child more than a forward-facing one, which provides only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest keeps your child from sliding off the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip high above the shoulders.

It's important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet rise and become stuck against the rear of the seat, putting immense pressure on the leg bones. There is no reason to put your child at risk of this.

There are several programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or for free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great way to get your child into an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and can be used in a safe manner for a long time.

The majority of modern infant car seats come with a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially helpful for traveling with young children as it allows you to keep the car seat on and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.

Find the center of the best car seat newborn uk seat and measure it using a tape. A lot of things, like 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 test for this space. Check the instructions on your car seat as well as the owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine whether you can alter the angle of the car seat to remove this space.

2. Harness Position

Newborns and preemies often get into a potentially dangerous chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats strollers, swings and other equipment for children. In the event of a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are placed just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then, when they are up, they should be over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps must be secure enough to pinch excess fabric together. This is called the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can hinder this, so make sure to take them off prior to buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash, but it may cause a child's throat to collapse if it's too low or when the chest straps are loose. The chest clip shouldn't be in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.

During a crash, rear-facing infants can slide up the seat and the harness straps should be able to support the child's neck and head. This is why it's important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they may slide over the baby's ears, or go through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose they can move up to the child's nose.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or around the shoulders of your child. Newborns might need an infant insert (often provided with the car seat), to raise their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you should always read the instructions that came with the 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. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby's spine and neck are supported in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backwards by the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.

Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have a built-in angle indicator so you can make sure that the seat is correctly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are over their shoulders, not under their arms. You should be able to pinch a small amount of material at their shoulder to determine that the harness is tight enough. It is also essential to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is level with the armpits, not at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through the manual for your infant car seat to ensure you understand the correct method to use it with your child.

Most manufacturers advise that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they are at least one year old or until they have reached the height and weight limit of their particular car seat. Some states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they are two years old.

Install the infant car seat in front seat car seat on the middle seat of a car with only one back seat. This allows 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 the way around your car every time you want to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If you own a car with two rear seats, you can put the infant car seat on either side as you don't place it in front of the passenger-side airbag. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seats due to weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is fitted properly. This is only possible when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats can help position the lap belt and shoulder properly. Booster seats can also reduce the amount that a neck of a child moves during a collision, reducing the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the main cause.

If a booster isn't properly used, the lap portion can 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 booster equipped with lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up on a child's belly.

Many boosters are designed with armrests, handles, or guide slots that help to position the lap belt low and flat over a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of moving upwards into their abdomen area during the event of a crash.

Certain booster seats are designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is in place when a child is sitting in it. This can help in preventing the lap belt from moving up over a child's abdomen. This may also help keep the seat belt from being pulled over the face of a child. This could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction as also neck strain.