Rear-Facing Car Seat
Rear-facing car seats should be used until your child is at least 2 years old. Types of rear-facing car seats include infant-only seats and convertible (all-in-one) car seats. Convertible car seats can face toward the rear or forward position, and typically have higher height and weight requirements, allowing your child to ride rear-facing for longer.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend children ride in rear-facing car safety seats for as long as possible. Once your child has outgrown the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to transition to a forward-facing car seat.
Here are some tips to ensure your child is properly secured in your rear-facing car seat:
- Always position a rear-facing car seat toward the rear of the vehicle
- Follow the installation instructions in the manual for the safety seat (and vehicle manual)
- Position the seat at the appropriate recline angle. For most car seats it is typically between 30-45 degrees from upright, but always check your car seat's manual as it may vary
- Run the harness straps through the slots at or below the infant's shoulders
- Ensure that:
- The belt path is closest to where the bottom vehicle seat cushion and back seat cushion meet, also known as the bight
- The retainer clip is at armpit level
- The crotch strap is in the correct position and is not too long
Forward-Facing Car Seat
Forward-facing car seats should be used from the time your child outgrows a rear-facing car seat until your child reaches the top weight or height allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. This type of car seat is equipped with a harness and tether. The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system was developed to make installing your child's safety seat easier and prevent it from moving. Nearly every car seat and vehicle manufactured after September 1, 2002 are required to have the LATCH system. Visit your car seat's and vehicle's manual to find out where LATCH is located in your vehicle and how to properly install it.
Here are some tips to ensure your child is properly secured in your forward-facing car seat:
- Always position a forward-facing car seat toward the front of the vehicle
- The safety seat should be kept in an upright position, although some manufacturers allow a semi-reclined position
- Run the harness straps through the slots at or above the child's shoulders
Booster Seat
A booster seat is a forward-facing car seat that is used when your child has outgrown the height and weight requirements of their forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. The point of a booster seat is to give your child added height so that they can safely use a seat belt. A booster seat should remain in the back seat of a vehicle and should be used until the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly.
Adult Seat Belt
To be able to use an adult seat belt, the child should be at least 8 years of age, and should be:
- Tall enough to comfortably sit without slouching
- Able to keep their back against the vehicle seat back
- Able to keep their knees completely bent over the edge of the seat
- Able to keep their feet flat on the floor
The lap belt should fit low and tight across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt should rest over the center of the shoulder through the center of the chest. If the seat belt does not fit properly, the child should use a booster seat.
Never put the shoulder belt under the child's arm or behind the child's back. This can cause serious internal injuries in a crash.