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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children have outgrown their infant car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in both forward-facing and rear-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not advised to place car seats in front of airbags the car seat, because the impact of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents ask whether the infant car seat best car seat could be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: When an accident occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause harm or even death to the infant.
Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. The seat's back rests against the back of the vehicle seat in the event of a crash, providing the best car seats for newborns protection for your infant.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing car seat which offers only a small amount of head and neck protection. The headrest prevents your child from sliding out of the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.
It's important to remember that there are ZERO instances of children in forward-facing car seats breaking their legs when they hit the back of the front seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and get stuck against the rear of the seat, which puts immense pressure on the bones of the leg. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.
There are also several programs across the country for qualifying parents to receive free or discounted infant car seats. This is a great way to get your child into an appropriate car seat before they outgrow it and use it in a safe way for many years.
The majority of the modern infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially beneficial when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat on and ready for use even when you switch vehicles.
Find the center of the car seat and measure it with the aid of a tape. This space can be tested with many items, including the blade of a key, or the length of earbuds wireless. Then, check the instructions for your car seat and vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can alter the angle of the car seat to remove 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 toys for children. In the event of a collision the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps for your shoulders begin a little below and then come upwards over the shoulders of the child and be sure to tighten the straps. The straps should be tight enough to be able to pinch any excess fabric together - this is called the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats can hinder this so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed to break in a crash but it can be compressed on the throat of a child if it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be located in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.
In a crash, infants who are facing rearwards will slide up the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the child's neck and head. It is crucial to place the straps on the shoulders. If the straps are too high they may slide over the baby's ears or slide through their neck opening, and if they're too loose, they could move toward the child's nose.
Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or at the shoulders of your child. Infants may require an infant insert (often included in the car seat), to raise their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you should always refer to 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 becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do so. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing as the best infant carrier car seat's spine and neck are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backwards by the vehicle and can cause serious injuries.
In addition, many infant car seats come with a built-in angle indicator so you can be sure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are on their shoulders, not under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a small amount of material at their shoulders to ensure whether the harness is secure enough. Check the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through your infant car seat manual so you know the proper way to use it for your child.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least one year old, or until they reach the height and weight limits of their specific car seat. Some states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.
If you own a vehicle with only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so you are able to easily see your child's reflection in your 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 in and out of the seat.
If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be installed on either side so that it is not in the airbag's direction on the passenger's side. If you must decide between installing an good infant car seats 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 their weight and height will require a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is properly fitted. This can only happen if they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top rated baby car seats (from the fuelcase9.werite.net blog) of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements).
Booster seats are a great way to position the lap belt and shoulder correctly. They also decrease the distance that a child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the risk of injuries. Head movement is the main cause of motor vehicle accidents which are the most frequent killers of children ages 4-8.
If a booster isn't used correctly the lap belt can slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.
Many boosters are designed with armrests, handles, or guide slots that aid to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position over a child's upper thighs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and stays on the strong hipbones of the child instead of slipping upwards into their abdominal region during an accident.
Certain booster seats are equipped with the mechanism to lock the seat belt to keep the seat belt in place when a child is sitting in it, and this will help prevent the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This can help to stop the seat belt from being pulled up over a child's face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well as neck strain.