If you plan on driving with children in the car, car seat safety is very important. You can be fined or even charged if children are in improper seats. You need to know which seat is appropriate for your child based on their age and weight. They’ll start out in rear-facing seats like infant bucket seats. Then, they should progress to forward-facing seats. Finally, they’ll be ready for booster seats and then regular seats. It’s always best to have a professional check your car seat before you drive with a child.
Car Seat Safety for Caregivers: What Seat Does my Child Need?
Rear-Facing Seat
The first stage of car seat safety is the rear-racing seat. This is for infants and children who are under two years old or who have not reached the max height or weight for the seat. These are rear-facing to protect the spine and neck of your baby. They feature a five-point harness for safety. Often, parents opt for infant bucket seats. These are seats that are portable and clip into a base that stays in your car. Therefore, you can easily carry your baby around and switch them from car to car without taking them out of the seat. If your child is premature, you may need a specialty infant bucket seat to account for their smaller weight.
Forward Facing Seat
When your baby has reached the maximum height and weight limit for their rear-facing seat, the next step in car seat safety is the forward-facing seat. The new recommendation is that children stay rear-facing until around 4 years old. This is to protect their necks, which are still developing. There are convertible car seats that can go from infancy to forward-facing all in one. Most forward-facing seats will still feature a five-point harness for safety.
Booster Seat
After your child has graduated from the forward-facing car seat, it’s time for the booster seat. Booster seats are important for car seat safety because they help your child sit up high enough to properly use the car’s lap and shoulder belt. They can be used only in forward-facing positions. This is the last stage and can be used until your child is old enough to use the car seat belt system normally. However, they should stay in the backseat until they are the correct height and weight for the front seat, usually around 13 years old.
Get Inspected
Car seat safety is so important but it can be overwhelming. There are a lot of straps and buckles that can be adjusted, and positioning is key for safety. Therefore, you can have your car seats checked by a professional to ensure they’ve been installed correctly. They’ll also check to make sure you’re using the right seat for your child based on their height, weight, and age. Try your local hospital or fire station to see if they do car seat checks. You can also go to the car seat manufacturer if they are local. For example, the Britax facility in Fort Mill, SC hosts safety check events for their equipment.
Car seat safety is so important for keeping your children safe on the road. If your child is in the incorrect car seat, or if the seat isn’t installed correctly, they could be injured or killed in a crash. Begin your children in an infant rear-facing bucket seat. Next, you’ll move them to a forward-facing seat or convertible seat. Finally, they’ll be ready for a booster seat, and then the regular car seat. Always remember to read the instructions that come with your car seat to make sure your child is within the correct height and weight limits. There are plenty of videos on Youtube of car seat installation if you’re struggling to read the instructions. And you can always take your car seat to a local inspection site for a check!