Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children outgrow their car seats for infants, they can move into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats can be used rear or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain age and weight specifications.
It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents wonder if the infant car seat can be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is quite simple: If a crash occurs the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a baby.
This is why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the back of the vehicle seat in a collision, ensuring the best protection for your infant.
A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that only offers minimal protection. The headrest stops your child from sliding off the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders.
It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and trap them against the seat's back which causes a lot of pressure into the leg bones. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.
There are several programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or for free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great opportunity to ensure that your child is in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years.
The base of many modern infant car seats is designed to be easily removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is especially beneficial for families with small children as it allows you to keep the car seat installed and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.
Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it using a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of wireless earbuds are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Check the instructions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
In the infant car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, and other equipment for children, infants and preemies can fall into a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the harness straps that are too loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To avoid this, check that the shoulder straps start a bit lower and move up over the child's shoulders and ensure that you tighten them. The straps should be tight enough to hold the excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. The bulky outer layers of winter coats may hinder this so be sure to take them off prior to you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is made for a crash, however it can cause compression to the neck of the child if it's too low or are too loose. It's also important that the chest clip not in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be placed at armpit level.
In the event of a crash, children who are rear-facing may slide off the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the head and neck of the child. It is important to place the straps 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 toward the child's nose.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are at or above your child's shoulders, and that they fit snugly. Newborns may require a separate infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up so that their shoulders can reach the slot. Some infant car seats have angle indicators or adjustors that can assist you in this. You may also want to check the instructions that come with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are becoming 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 press against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.
A lot of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in to help you ensure the seat is properly installed. You also need to make sure your child's head is flat against the seat, and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. To check if the harness is too tight you should be able to pinch a small amount of material around the shoulder of your child. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it's at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read your infant car seat manual to ensure you understand the correct method of using it for your child.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they have reached the height and weight limit of their particular car seat. Certain states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until two years old.
If you have a vehicle that has only one back seat, you can install the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It is also beneficial to put the car seat on the driver's side, so you don't have to walk 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 rear seats, the infant car seat can be installed on either side as that it is not in front of the airbag on the passenger-side. If you need to choose between installing the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their infant car seats due to weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt fits them properly. best car seats for newborns 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 amount that a child's neck moves during collisions, which reduces the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the main cause.
If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause major injuries in an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from climbing over arm rests or sliding on a child's belly.
Many boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots to help put the lapbelt flat on a child's top legs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and stays on the child's strong hipbones instead of moving upwards into their abdominal area in the event of the event of a crash.
Some booster seats are also designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the belt in place when the child is in it. This can help to prevent the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This will keep the seat belt from being pulled upwards over a child's face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia as well neck strain.