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 by age seats are available in both forward-facing and rear-facing models, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag could be fatal for children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents wonder if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is 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 travel infant car seat car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. The seat's back rests against the back of the vehicle seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby.

In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing one, which provides only minimal neck and head protection. The headrest also stops the child from falling off the shoulder straps during an accident, and the harness keeps the chest clip in place above your child's shoulders.

It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO reported instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This occurs when a child's feet are lifted and then get trapped against the back of the seat, putting immense pressure on the bones of the leg. This is not something you should put your child in danger of.

There are numerous programs across the country for qualifying parents to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure your child is in a secure car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for many years.

The base of the majority of modern infant car seats is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is particularly beneficial for traveling with young kids since it allows you to keep the seat in place and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

Before you take your child's seat make sure that the car seat back will touch the vehicle seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape to determine. This space can be checked using a variety of items, including the blade of a key or the length of earbuds wireless. Check the car seat's instructions and owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove this space.

2. Harness Position

Newborns and preemies often fall into a dangerous chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats, strollers, swings 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 they will be able to rise over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps should be snug enough that you can pinch any fabric that isn't tight enough - this is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can interfere with the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them prior to putting your child into their seat.

The chest clip is made for a crash, but it could compress a neck of a child if it's too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip should not be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.

During a crash, rear-facing infants can slide off the seat, and the harness straps should be able to cradle the child's head and neck. It is crucial to place the straps on the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they could slip through the opening on the neck of the infant or over their ears. If they're too loose, they could touch the face of the child.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or around the child's shoulders. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up to ensure their shoulders are in the slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors that help with this and you can always check the instructions that came 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 rear-facing seat but there's no need to do this. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backwards by the vehicle, and may cause serious injuries.

A lot of infant car seats include an angle indicator so that you can ensure the seat is properly installed. You also need to make sure your child's head is level against the seat and the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or twisted. To check if the harness is too tight you should be able to pinch a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. Examine the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also review the instruction manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers advise that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits of their specific car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing until they reach the age of 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 view your child easily through the rearview mirror without having to bend. Installing the car seat on your driver's side will also make it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.

If you own a car with two back seats, you can place the infant car seat on either side so long as it's not behind the passenger side airbag. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or right side of your vehicle, put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seat cheap car seat in front seat (Highly recommended Resource site) car seat 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 a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats are a great way to position the shoulder and lap belts properly. They also limit the distance that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the risk of injuries. Head movement is the main cause of motor vehicle accidents which are the most frequent deaths of children aged 4-8.

If the booster is not used correctly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up over a child's abdomen and cause severe injuries in the event of a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding onto a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small and armrests or guide slots that help place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt starts and stays on the hipbones of a child's strength instead of moving upwards into their abdominal region during an accident.

Some booster seats are also designed with the mechanism to lock the seat belt to ensure that the belt is locked in place while children are sitting in it. This can help to prevent the lap belt from slipping up over a child's abdomen. This can also help to prevent the seat belt from being pulled over a child's face, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as and neck strain.