Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can move 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 never be placed on
top rated infant car seats of a car seat with airbags, since the force of the deployed airbag could be fatal 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 vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason for this is quite simple In the event of a crash and the child is involved, they could get their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a child.
This is the reason why
rotating infant car seat car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby.
In addition, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child better than a
forward facing infant car seat-facing one which offers only a small amount of head and neck protection. The headrest also prevents the child from sliding off the shoulder straps in an accident, and the harness keeps the chest clip in place above your child's shoulders.
It's important to keep it in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly up and get caught against the seat's back, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. There is no reason to put your child at risk for this.
There are numerous programs in the United States that provide infant car seats at a reduced price or free to parents who qualify. This is a fantastic opportunity to get your child in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years.
The base of the majority of newer infant
best car seats for infants seat models is designed to be easily removed and inserted, making them easier to use. This feature is especially useful when traveling with children, as you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles.
Find the middle of the seat and measure it using a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a key for the house or the length of earbuds that are wireless are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Check the instructions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to see whether the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
Preemies and infants often fall into a dangerous chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats, swings, strollers and other children's equipment. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by harness straps that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. Check that the straps are set just below the shoulders of the child and then they will be able to rise over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be tight enough to hold the excess fabric together. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can interfere with the Pinch Test, so remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is made for a crash, but it can compress the neck of the child if it's too low or are loose. The chest clip should not be placed in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash, children who are facing rearwards will slide off 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 are too low they may slide over the baby's ears or go through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they can slide up to the child's nose.
Make sure the shoulder straps are in the slots over the shoulders of your child and they fit comfortably. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them to ensure their shoulders are in the slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors to aid you in this. You may also want to check the instructions provided with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat to face forward, due to their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position really no reason why you should. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are supported in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backward against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.
Many infant car seats also have an angle indicator built-in to ensure that the seat is properly installed. Also, you must ensure that your child's head is level against the seat and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or bent. You can pinch a small amount of material at their shoulder to determine whether the harness is secure enough. Check the crotch strap and make sure it's at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also read the manual for your infant car seat to ensure that you know how to properly use it.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing until at minimum one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a car that has only one rear seat. This allows you to view your child easily through the rearview mirror, without having to bend. Installing the car seat on the driver's side will also make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.
If you own a car that has two back seats you can place the infant car seat on either side so long as it's not in front of the passenger-side airbag. If you must decide between installing an infant car seat in front seat (
url) car seat on either the left or the 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 weight and height will require an additional booster until the
car seat newborn insert's seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen when they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements).
Booster seats can assist in positioning the shoulder and lap belts correctly. They can also limit the distance the child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injuries. Head movement is the main cause of motor vehicle accidents which are the most frequent deaths of children aged 4-8.
If the booster is not used correctly the lap part of the belt may slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster equipped with lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding on a child's stomach.
Many boosters are designed with armrests, handles or guide slots that help to place the lap belt low and flat across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lapbelt starts and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of slipping upwards into their abdomen area in the event of an accident.
Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This can keep the lap belt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This can also help to keep the belt from being pulled across a child's face, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction as also neck strain.
