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 rear-facing or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain age and weight requirements.
Car seats should not be placed on top of a car seat that has airbags because the force of the deployed air bag can be lethal for babies 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 for this is quite simple: If a crash happens, the child could have their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could injure or kill the baby.
Infant car seats are designed to be rearward-facing. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the rear of the car seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.
A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that offers only little protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling off the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness keeps the chest clip above the shoulders.
It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly upwards and get caught against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. This is not something you should put your child in danger of.
There are a variety of programs in the United States that provide infant car seats at a discount or at no cost for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is placed in a secure car seat before they get out of it and can be used in a safe way for many years.
The majority of new infant car seats have a base that they click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially helpful for traveling with young children, as you can keep the car seat in place and ready to go, even when switching vehicles.
Find the center of the car seat and measure it using the aid of a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a key for the house or the length of earbuds that are wireless are approximately 1.5 inches long and can be used to determine this space. Review the instructions for your car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine whether the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
Newborns and preemies often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats, swings, strollers and other children's equipment. In a crash, they may be injured by the chest clip or crushed by straps on the harness that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. Check 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. Adjust them to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to be able to squeeze any fabric that is not tight enough - this is called the Pinch Test. The bulky outer layers of winter coats can interfere with this so be sure to remove them prior to you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed for a crash, but it could compress a child's neck if it is too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.
In a crash, infants who are rear-facing may slide down the seat. The harness straps must be sufficient to support the child's neck and head. It is important to place the straps above the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they could slide over the baby's ears, or go through the opening in their neck, and if they are too loose, they could move up to the child's nose.
Ensure best infant car seat are in the slots that are above or below your child's shoulders, and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to lift their shoulders until they can reach the slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to help with this and you can always check the instructions included with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
While some parents might be tempted to flip their infant car seat to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason why you should. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing one 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 injuries.
In addition, many infant car seats come with an integrated angle indicator so you can make sure that the seat is correctly installed. It is also important to make sure your child's head is level against the seat, and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not under their arms or bent. To determine if the harness is too tight you should be able to squeeze a small amount of material on the shoulder of your child. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same height 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.
Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.
If you have a vehicle with only one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so you can easily view your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side will also make 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 set on either side, as long as it's not in front of the airbag on the passenger side. If you must decide between installing an infant car seat on the left or right side of your vehicle, put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their infant car seats due to their weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats can assist in positioning the lap belt and shoulder correctly. Booster seats also help reduce how far the neck moves in collisions, which reduces the chance of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head motion is the biggest culprit.
If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt may slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause severe injuries in a crash. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.
Many boosters have small handles or armrests, or guide slots to help place the lap belt low and flat on the child's upper legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt begins and remains on the hipbones of a child's strength instead of moving up into their soft abdomen area in the event of a crash.
Some booster seats are also equipped with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is locked in place while a child is sitting in it, and this can help in preventing the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This can keep the seat belt from being pulled upwards over a child's face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia, and neck strain.