Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children grow out of their infant car seats they can move into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain age and weight requirements.
It is not advised to place car seats in front of airbags a vehicle seat, as the impact of the airbag could be fatal for infants and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents ask whether the infant car seat can be placed on top 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 airbag can injure or even kill a child.
This is why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. The back of the seat 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 safeguards your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one, which only provides the most basic protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling off the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.
It's important to note that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they strike the back of the front seat. This occurs when a child's feet rise and become stuck against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the leg. This is not something you want to put your child in danger of.
There are also several programs throughout the country that allow qualifying parents to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to get your child in a safe car seat before they get out of it. It is a great option for children to use for many years.
The majority of new infant car seats come with an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children, as it allows you to keep the seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles.
Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it with a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a key for the house or the length of earbuds with wireless technology are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. After that, you should check the instructions on your car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
Preemies and newborns frequently fall into a dangerous chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy chairs, swings, strollers and other children's equipment. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the harness straps that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. To avoid this, ensure that the straps for your shoulders start a bit lower and move upwards over the shoulders of the child and be sure to tighten them. The straps should be tight enough to be able to pinch any excess fabric together which is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can hinder this, so be sure to take them off prior to buckling your child in their seat.
The chest clip was designed for a crash, but it could compress a neck of a child if it's too low or if they are loose. It is also essential that the chest strap is not in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be placed at armpit height.
In the event of a crash who are rear-facing will likely slide off the seat. The harness straps should be sufficient to support the head and neck of the child. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low they can slip over the baby's ears, or go through the neck opening and if they're too loose they can move up to the child's nose.
Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or around the shoulders of your child. Infants may require an infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them to ensure their shoulders are in the slot. Some
infant carrier seat car seats have angle indicators or adjustors that could aid you in this. You can also check the instructions included with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the seat facing rearwards, however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a crash the baby's body will tense against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.
In addition, many infant car seats come with an integrated angle indicator so you can be sure the seat is installed correctly. You also need to make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat and that the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or twisted. You should be able to pinch a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap and make sure it's at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat to be aware of the proper method of using it for your child.
Most manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they have reached the weight and height limit of their particular car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.
If you own a car with just one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you are able to easily see your child's reflection in your rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side, so you don't have to walk all the way around your car every time you need to take your child into or out of their car seat.
If your vehicle has two rear seats the
infant car seat rear facing car seat can be set on either side, as long as it's not the airbag's front on the passenger's side. 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
Children who have outgrown their infant
car seats newborn seat in front seat (
via 010-5773-0560.1004114.co.kr) car seats due to weight and height will require a booster until the vehicle's seat belt fits them properly. This can only be done when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. Booster seats also help reduce the amount that a child's neck moves during collisions, reducing the risk of injuries. Head movement is the most common reason behind motor vehicle crashes that are the top fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.
If a booster isn't used correctly, the lap portion can slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up on a child's belly.
A lot of boosters come with armrests, handles, or guide slots that allow you to place the lap belt in a low and flat position across a child's upper thighs. This will ensure that the lapbelt begins and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of slipping upwards into their abdomen area during a crash.
Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This can prevent the lapbelt from moving upwards and over the child's abdomen. This can keep the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia as well neck strain.
