Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can change 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 specifications.
It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags on the vehicle seat, since the force of the airbag can be fatal for infants and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents wonder if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: When there is a crash, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can injure or kill the baby.
Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a collision the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This provides the best security for the infant.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child more than a forward-facing seat that offers only minimal neck and head protection. Push Chairs And Prams prevents the child from falling off the shoulder straps during a crash and the harness will keep the chest clip above the shoulders of your child.
It's important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the seat. This happens when a child's feet rise and get caught against the seat's back, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. This is not something you want to put your child in danger of.
There are a variety of programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a discount or at no cost to parents who qualify. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and use it in a safe manner for a long time.
The base of many newer infant car seat models is designed to be removed and inserted, making them easier to use. This feature is particularly useful for families with young children since you can keep the car seat in place and ready for use even when you change vehicles.
Before you buckle your child in check if the car seat back will touch the vehicle seat's back by finding the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape measure. This area can be tested with many objects, including the blade of a key or length of earbuds wireless. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to see whether the angle is adjusted to eliminate 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 chairs, swings, strollers and other toys for children. In the event of a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so remove them prior to putting your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed to break during a crash, but it may be compressed on the throat of a child in the event that it's too high or when the chest straps aren't tight enough. It's also important that the chest strap is not located in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be at armpit height.
In the event of a crash who are rear-facing will likely slide down the seat. The harness straps should be capable of supporting the head and neck of the child. It is essential to put the straps above the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they could slip through the opening on the neck of the baby or even over their ears. If they are too loose, they can be able to reach the face of the child.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or at the shoulders of your child. Infants may require an infant insert (often provided with the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they can reach the slot. Some infant car seats have angle indicators or adjustors that can help you with this. You may also want to check the instructions that come in your seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents might be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat, but there is no need to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing one 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 may suffer serious injuries because their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.
A lot of infant car seats have an angle indicator to help you ensure the seat is properly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You should be able to pinch a tiny bit of fabric at their shoulder to determine whether the harness is secure enough. It is also essential to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is level with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat to ensure you are aware of how to use it correctly.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they are 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 are two years old.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle with only one back seat. This will allow you to see your child comfortably 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 each time you want to take your child into or out of their car seat.
If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant car seat can be installed on either side so long as it's not in the airbag's direction on the passenger side. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, install it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who outgrow their infant car seat by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen if they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the recommendations of the manufacturer of the seat for exact measurements).
Booster seats help to position the lap and shoulder belt correctly. Booster seats can also reduce the distance that a neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the chance of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the most significant cause.
If a booster is used incorrectly the lap part of the belt can travel up and over the 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 onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests.
A lot of boosters come with armrests, handles, or guide slots that allow you to position the lap belt in a low and flat position over a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lapbelt begins and stays on the hipbones of a child's strength instead of slipping up into their soft abdomen area in the event of an accident.
Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that locks the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This can stop the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This can also help to keep the belt from being pulled over a child's face, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as and neck strain.