Your Family Will Thank You For Getting This Infant Car Seat In Front Seat

Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children get older, they can move out of their car seats as infants, they can move to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in both rear-facing and forward-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed on top of a car seat that has airbags because the force of the deployed airbag can be fatal for infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a baby.

Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The seat's back rests against the back of the seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.

A rear-facing car seat protects your child's neck and head better than a front-facing car seat that only offers minimal protection. The headrest prevents the child from sliding off the shoulder straps in the event of a crash and the harness will keep the chest clip in place above the shoulders of your child.

It's important to keep it in mind that there have been ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when a child's feet are lifted and then get caught against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the leg. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.

There are numerous programs in the United States that provide infant car seats at a reduced price or at no cost to parents who qualify. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in a safe car seat before they get out of it. It can be used for a number of years.

The base of the majority of modern infant car seats is designed to be easily removed and inserted, making them easier to use. This feature is especially helpful for traveling with young children because you can keep the car seat installed and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

Before you put your child in the car seat make sure that the car seat back will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by finding the middle of the seat and measuring it using a tape measure.  newborn car seat www.pushchairsandprams.uk  can be checked using a variety of objects, including the blade of a key or the length of earbuds wireless. Check the instructions for the car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other equipment for children. 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. Check that the straps are positioned just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then come up over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps must be secure enough to pinch excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats may hinder this, so make sure to take them off prior to you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip was designed for a crash, but it can cause compression to the neck of a child if it's too low or if they are loose. It's also important that the chest clip is not placed in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be positioned at armpit level.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps should be able to cradle the child's neck and head. This is why it's very important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too high 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 toward the child's nose.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are in the slots over the shoulders of your child and they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them up to ensure their shoulders are in this slot. Some infant car seats come with angle indicators or adjustors to assist you in this. You can also check the instructions provided in the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason why you should. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash, the baby's body will be pressed against the seat, and their neck and spine will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards by the vehicle, and may cause serious injury.

Additionally, many infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can be sure the seat is properly installed. Also, you should ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are on their shoulders rather than under their arms. To determine if the harness is too tight you should be able to squeeze a small amount of material around your child's shoulder. Check the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also read the instruction manual for your infant car seat to ensure that you know how to properly use it.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they reach the weight and height limits of their car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.

If you have a vehicle with just one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so you can easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side also makes it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be installed on either side, as long as it's not in the airbag's front on the passenger-side. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on either the left or right side of your vehicle, install it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who outgrow their infant car seat by weight or height must use a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt is properly fitted. This can only happen if they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats can help position the lap belt and shoulder properly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the chance of injuries. Motor vehicle crashes are the most fatal killer of children between the ages of 4-8, and head movement is the most significant cause.

If a booster is used improperly the lap portion of the belt may slide up to the abdomen of a child and cause severe injuries in a crash. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small or armrests, or guide slots to help place the lap belt low and flat on a child's top legs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on the child's strong hip bones instead of being pushed up into their stomachs during an accident.

Some booster seats are also equipped with an automatic seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is in place when a child is sitting in it, and this will help prevent the lap belt from moving up over a child's abdomen. This can also help prevent the belt from being pulled across the face of a child. This could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.