Can an Infant Car 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 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 on a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag can be fatal to children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether the infant car seat can be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason for this is quite simple: If a crash happens and the child is in the front seat, they could have their head hit by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could injure or kill the baby.

best infant carrier car seat Car Seat In Front Seat; Community.Umidigi.Com, car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that only offers little protection. The headrest also stops the child from slipping off the shoulder straps in a crash and the harness holds the chest clip high above your child's shoulders.

It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when children's feet fly up and are sucked into the seat's back which causes a lot of pressure on the bones of the legs. There's no reason to put your child at risk of this.

There are a variety of programs in the United States that offer infant car seat that swivels car seats at a reduced price or for free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and can be used safely for many years.

The base of most modern infant car seats is designed to be removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially helpful for families with small children because you can keep the car seat in place and ready to go even if you change vehicles.

Find the center of the car seat and measure with a tape. Many items, such as the blade of a key for the house or the length of earbuds that are wireless, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to determine this space. After that, you should check the instructions for your car seat and vehicle owner's manual to see if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other equipment for children. In the event of a collision they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are positioned just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then, when they are up, they should be over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be tight enough to allow you to pinch any excess fabric together - this is called the Pinch Test. The bulky outer layers of winter coats can interfere with this, so make sure to take them off prior to you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break in a crash but it can cause a child's throat to collapse in the event that it's too high or if the chest straps are too loose. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In a crash, infants who are rear-facing will likely slide down the seat. The harness straps should be able to support the head and neck of the child. This is why it's important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they could slide over the baby's ears, or go through the neck opening and if they are too loose, they could move towards the baby's nose.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or on the child's shoulders. Newborns might need an infant insert (often provided with the car seat) to lift their shoulders until they reach this slot. Some infant car seat rear facing car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors that assist with this, and you should always refer to the instructions included with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

Some parents might be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the seat facing rearwards, but there's no need to do this. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, as the child's spine and neck are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backwards by the vehicle and could cause serious injury.

A majority of infant car seats include an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head rests flat on the seat and that the straps are on their shoulders, not under their arms. To check whether the harness is too tight, you should be able squeeze a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. It is also essential to check the strap that holds the crotch to be sure it is in line with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also a good idea to review the manual for your infant car seat so you know the proper method to use it with your child.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing until they're at the age of one or until they reach the weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to see your child clearly through the rearview mirror without having to bend over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side can 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 as long as it's not in the airbag's front on the passenger-side. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat newborn car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who outgrow their infant car seat by weight or height must be fitted with a booster seat until their vehicle 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 aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. They also limit how far the neck moves in collisions, which reduces the chance of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of kids ages 4-8, and head movement is the most significant cause.

If a booster is used improperly, the lap portion of the belt can travel up to the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be avoided with a belt guide on the booster, which stops the lap belt from sliding onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles or guide slots that aid to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on a child's strong hip bones instead of moving up into their soft stomach area in the event of an accident.

Some booster seats have the seatbelt locking mechanism which secures the seatbelt when a child is seated in them. This will help to stop the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This may also help prevent the seat belt from being pulled over the face of a child, which could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as also neck strain.