Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children outgrow their car seats for infants, they can move into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in both forward-facing and rear-facing models, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not advised to place car seats in front of airbags on a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag can be fatal to babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents inquire if the infant car seat could be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is quite simple: If there is a crash the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause injury or even death to the child.
Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. In a crash the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This provides the best protection for the infant.
A rear-facing car seat protects your child's neck and head more effectively than a front-facing one, which only provides little protection. The headrest also prevents the child from falling off the shoulder straps during the event of a crash and the harness will keep the chest clip in place above the shoulders of your child.
It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly up and trap them against the back of the seat and put a great deal of pressure on the bones of the legs. There is no reason to put your child at risk of this.
There are numerous 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 fantastic opportunity to ensure your child is in a secure car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years.
The majority of newer infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, making them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful for families with young children since you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even if you change vehicles.
Before you take your child's seat make sure that the car seat back will touch the car seat's back by finding the center of the seat and measuring it using a tape to determine. This space is a test that can be done with a variety of things, such as the blade of a key or length wireless earbuds. Check the instructions for the car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to see whether the angle is adjusted to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
In baby car seats and bouncers, swings, strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies may get into a dangerous situation with their chests pressed against their chins. In the event of a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are set slightly below the shoulders of the child, and then they will be able to rise over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric together. best car seat newborn uk is known as the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed for a crash, however it can cause compression to the neck of the child if it's too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip should not be placed in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash, children who are rear-facing may slide up the seat. The harness straps should be able to support the child's neck and head. This is why it's very crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps fall too low, they may slide through the neck opening of the baby or over their ears. If they're too loose, they could reach the child's face.
Make sure the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or at the child's shoulders. Infants may require an infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up so their shoulders reach the slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that could help you with this. You can also check the instructions provided with your seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the rear-facing seat but there is no need to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash the baby's body will tense 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, a lot of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure that the seat is properly installed. You also need to make sure your child's head is flat against the seat and that the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or twisted. You can pinch a small amount of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is tight enough. Check the crotch strap and make sure it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also review the instruction manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to use it correctly.
Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until at the age of one or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until two years old.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle with only one back seat. This will allow you to view your child comfortably through the rearview mirror, without having to bend over. Installing the car seat on the driver's side will also make it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.
If you have a vehicle with two back seats, you can place the infant car seat on either side as you don't place it behind the passenger side air bag. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on either 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 by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen when 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 aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. They can also limit the distance that a child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle accidents that are the top fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.
If a booster is used improperly, the lap portion of the belt may slide up to the abdomen of a child and cause major injuries in an accident. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster, which stops the lap belt from sliding onto a child's stomach or climbing over armrests.
A lot of boosters have handles that are small, armrests or guide slots to help position the lapbelt 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 moving up into their stomachs during an accident.
Certain booster seats are equipped with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is secure while the child is in it, and this can help to prevent the lap belt from moving up over the abdomen of a child. This can also help stop the belt from being pulled over the face of a child, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as also neck strain.