See What Infant Car Seat In Front Seat Tricks The Celebs Are Using

Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children outgrow their infant car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat equipped with airbags, as the force of the deployed air bag can be lethal for 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, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: When an accident occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause injury or even death to the child.

This is why infant car seat swivel car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. In the event of a crash, the seat's back will rest against the back of your vehicle seat. This provides the best car seat newborn uk security for the infant.

Additionally, a 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 falling off the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It's important to remember that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the front seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and get stuck against the back of the seat, which puts enormous stress on the bones of the legs. This is not something you should put your child in danger of.

There are several programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a discount or at no cost for parents who meet the requirements. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that your child is in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It is a great option for children to use for many years.

Most newer infant car seats have a base that they click into and out of, which makes them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is particularly useful for families with small children because you can keep the car seat installed and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.

Before you buckle your child in, find out if the back of the car seat will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by locating the center of the seat and measuring it with a tape measure. This space can be tested with many objects, including the blade of a key or the length of earbuds wireless. Examine the directions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to see if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.

2. Harness Position

In infant car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies could fall into a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by harness straps that are too loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. Check that the straps are positioned slightly below the shoulders of the child, and then, when they are up, they should be over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can interfere with the Pinch Test, so take them off them prior to putting your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to protect against a fall, but it can compress the neck of the child if it's too low or are too loose. It is also essential that the chest clip is not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be placed at armpit height.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must 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 are too loose, they can slide towards the baby's nose.

Ensure the shoulder straps are that are above or below 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 to ensure their shoulders are in the slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors that assist with this, and you should always read the instructions that came with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to turn their infant car seat to face forward facing infant car seat due to their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do it. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby car seat's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards by the vehicle and could cause serious injury.

Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have an integrated angle indicator so you can ensure that the seat is correctly installed. Also, you must ensure that your child's head is flat against the seat, and that the harness straps are placed over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. To check if the harness is too tight, you should be able pinch a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it's at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. It is also a good idea to review your infant car seat manual so you know the proper method of using it for your child.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they reach at least one year old or until they have reached the height and weight limits of their car seat. Some states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

If you own a vehicle that has only one back seat, you can install the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean back. Installing the car seat on the driver's side also makes it easier to get your child into 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 side. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat in front seat car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, install it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who exceed the size of their infant car seat due to weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements).

Booster seats aid in positioning the shoulder belt and lap correctly. They also limit how far the neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the chance of injury. Head movement is the primary cause of motor vehicle accidents, which are the leading killers of children ages 4-8.

If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up over a child's abdomen and cause major injuries in the event of a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from climbing over arm rests or sliding on a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small and armrests or guide slots to put the lapbelt flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and remains on the child's strong hipbones, rather than moving upwards into their abdominal region during a crash.

Certain booster seats feature an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child sits in them. This can help stop the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This can help prevent the seatbelt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well neck strain.