Baby Car Seat Facts

A lot of time is spent by parents to find an best and quality car seat for their baby. They go completely out of their way to make sure that the little precious passenger they are bringing along is sufficiently protected. Yet currently , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that, according to a multi-year study, misuse occurred in 3 quarters of the baby safety seats inspected.

The results of this study conclude that 3 of 4 parents put their children at risk while in vehicles unknowingly because they do not use the restraints properly. The most common mistakes found were loose harness straps and safety belt attachments. These seemingly innocent mistakes are viewed to be the most critical of mistakes because they can result in the worst injuries.

So how am I to know when my child is safe or not?

First off making certain that the seat you have for your baby is fitting for their weight and age is critical and then you need to make certain that it’s position in the car correctly. If your child is under a year old and hasn’t reached the 20 pound mark yet then an infant seat is required in the rear facing position.

A unbelievably great choice for newborn babies is the infant only seat as they are designed for younger and smaller babies. They offer a good fit and are conveniently small and portable. As with all childrens car seats these should  only be used in the back seat and facing the rear.

If you fancy a seat that will hold your baby as she grows, a convertible car seat is another option. These car seats are made a lot heavier than a regular infant car seat therefore they can accomodate more weight and allow your kid to keep using it through the years.They are used in the rear-facing position for children under one year of age and for children over one year who do not yet weight 20 pounds. After your baby turns a year old and grows to be over 20 pounds you can turn the seat around and face it forward. Convertible car seats has a standard will hold a baby up to around 40 pounds.

Whichever seat you choose, it is absolutely essential you know how to use it. It is important that you pay attention to all of the manufacturers instructions and if your vehicle is in your check out the owner’s manual as it may have directions as well. To be effective, your baby’s seat must be buckled into the seat correctly, and the seat must be correctly buckled into your car.

For some reason many parents have trouble with the harness straps. In order for your baby to be safe, the harness needs to be fitted snugly to your babies chest and in the right slot position. The straps should be in the slots at or below your baby’s shoulders for most infant seats and at or above baby’s shoulders for more convertible seats. The harness clip that holds the straps together should be at about armpit level, and the straps should not be twisted. In order to make sure that you are placing it correctly always referred to the owners manual.

The use of safety belts is also a problem area. If it is at all possible, the seat wishes to be reclined at around a 45° angle and the belt needs to follow the suitable path for the seats  position. A rolled towel under the base helps secure the seat into position. In order to make sure that the seat stays restrained in the vehicle tighten up the seat belt as securely as you can. If your vehicle has a latch system, make sure that you use it according to the vehicle’s instructions and the owners manual of the seat.

The age of the seat and the condition of the seat are also important considerations. If the car seat that you have isn’t something you bought brand-new, you can find out the age by looking at the label. Don’t trust the safety of your kid in a seat that is more than five years old and doesn’t have any manufacturers instructions along with it. It is critical that all the parts are there and that you know if the seat has been in any accidents. If there is any doubt don’t take any chances.

Another really good idea is that if you are unsure about anything make sure that you take the seat to a safety seat technician and have it checked.The life of your child is depending on your judgment.

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The most important thing to keep in mind when preparing to buy your first safe child car seats for your baby is that you will need to buy a number of car seats relative to the growth of your child.

1. The first step in ensuring your child’s safety on the road is the choice of a car seat that works for your baby’s age and weight.Always consider your baby’s height, weight and age to choose the type of car seat for use.

For babies under 20 pounds in weight, a rear-facing baby car seat should be used.

Convertible car seats are used facing the rear until your baby is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds. Convertible car seats can also be used forward facing upto the weight limit listed in the car seat instructions.

Height-wise, for rear facing car seats, the baby’s head should be an inch or more below the top of the car seat. For forward-facing seats, the top of the car seat should be above your baby’s ears.

Once your toddler is at least four years old and weighs at least 40 lbs, booster car seats will help the vehicle seat belt fit better.

2. The second step to keep your child safe on the road is to ensure that the car seat can be suitably installed in your vehicle. It is essential to find a car seat that can be installed tightly, with the proper angle and less than an inch of side-to-side wiggle.

Always check the manual to make sure you can install and use the car seat as it is intended.

3. The third step in ensuring your child’s safety on the road is to ensure that the car seat you buy has gone through severe crash tests.

All toddler car seats sold in the U.S. must pass severe federal crash tests. Often car seats have extra features which make them easier to install correctly, such as built-in locking clips or non-twisting straps.

The best way to keep baby safe in the car is to use a car seat with the most crash protection for as long as it fits your baby. Today car seats offer a wide variety of rear-facing and forward-facing weight limits.

Always look for higher forward-facing weight limits on 5-point harness seats, and keep your toddler in a booster seat as long as possible after he or she outgrows a regular car seat.

Finally, before you purchase any car seat, you should check whether the car seat has been recalled by the manufacturer for any reason.  If you follow these important steps, you should be well on your way to buying the safest child car seat for your baby.

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