Can an Infant
car seat for newborn Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can switch to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in both forward-facing and rear-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.
Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat with airbags, since the force of the deployed air bag can be lethal for children and babies.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: When a crash occurs the child's head may be hit by an airbag if in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause injury or even death to the child.
Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a crash the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This is the
best car seat infant protection for the infant.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the head and neck of your child better than a forward-facing seat, which provides only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest also stops the child from falling off the shoulder straps in an accident and the harness holds the chest clip high above your child's shoulders.
It's important to keep in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when a kid's feet rise 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 United States that provide infant car seats at a discount or for free to parents who qualify. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that your child is in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It is a great option for children to use for many years.
Most modern infant car seats come with a base that they click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially beneficial for families with small 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, find out if the back of the
best car seat seat will touch the car seat's back by locating the middle of the seat and measuring it with a tape to determine. Many things, such as the blade of a house key or the length of earbuds that are wireless, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to determine this space. Check the instructions for your car seat and owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine whether you can alter the angle of the car seat to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
Newborns and preemies often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats, strollers, swings and other children's equipment. In a crash, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are positioned just a little 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 must be secure enough to pinch excess fabric together. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so take them off them prior to putting your child into their seat.
The chest clip is made for a crash, but it can compress the neck of a child if it's too low or if they are loose. The chest clip should not be in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash who are rear-facing will likely slide down 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 may slide over the baby's ears or go through their neck opening, and if they are too loose they can move up to the child's nose.
Make sure that the straps for your child's shoulders are snugly fitted and in the slots above or at the child's shoulders. Newborns might need an infant insert (often included with the
newborn car seat insert seat), to lift their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that can help you with this. You can also check the instructions provided in the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat, but there's no need to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than the forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will tense against the seat and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children can suffer serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.
A lot of
infant Car seat in front seat car seats come with an angle indicator to help you ensure the seat is installed correctly. Also, you must make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat and the harness straps are placed over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or twisted. To determine whether the harness is too tight, you should be able squeeze a small amount of material on the shoulder of your child. Check the crotch strap and ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the instruction manual for your
rotating infant car seat car seat so that you know how to use it correctly.
Most manufacturers advise that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they reach at least one year old, or until they reach the weight and height limit of their particular car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that only has one back seat. This will allow you to view your child clearly through the rearview mirror without having to bend over. It is also beneficial to put 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 get your child in or out of their car seat.
If you own a car that has two back seats you can place the infant car seat on either side so you don't place it directly in front of the passenger side airbag. If you need to choose between installing the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to their weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is fitted properly. This is only possible when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats help to position the lap and shoulder belt correctly. Booster seats can also reduce how far the child's neck moves during a collision, reducing the risk of injury. Head movement is the primary cause of motor vehicle crashes which are the most frequent killers of children ages 4-8.
If a booster is used incorrectly the lap part of the belt can travel up over a child's abdomen and cause severe injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up on a child's stomach.
Many boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots to help position the lapbelt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on the child's sturdy hip bones instead of being pushed up into their stomachs in the event of a crash.
Certain booster seats feature the seatbelt locking mechanism which secures the seatbelt when a child is seated in them. This will help to keep the lap belt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This will to stop the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well neck strain.
