Making sure children are properly buckled in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt–whichever is appropriate for their weight, height, and age is essential for infant car seat safety. According to the CDC, when compared with seat belt use alone, car seat use reduces the risk of injury in crashes by 71-82%.
Rear-Facing Car Seats
- Use a rear-facing car seat from birth until ages 2–4.
- For the best possible protection, infants and toddlers should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat, in the back seat, until they reach the maximum weight and height limits of their car seat.
- A baby’s head and spine are better protected from injury when riding facing back.
- If a child is placed rear-facing in the front seat, they are still prone to injuries from deploying airbags.
- Check the car seat manual and labels on the car seat for weight and height limits.
Forward-Facing Car Seats
- After outgrowing the rear-facing car seat, use a forward-facing car seat until at least age 5.
- The child should be buckled in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and top tether.
- When children outgrow their rear-facing car seats, they should be buckled in a forward-facing car seat, in the back seat, until they reach their car seat’s upper weight or height limit.
- Check the car seat manual and labels on the car seat for weight and height limits.
Booster Seats
- After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, use a booster seat until the seat belts fit properly.
- The CDC stated that Booster seat use reduces the risk of serious injury by 45% (compared with sea belt use alone).
- Once children outgrow their forward-facing car seat, they should be buckled in a belt-positioning booster seat, in the back seat, until seat belts fit properly.
- Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck).
Seat Belts on Every Trip
- Once seat belts fit properly without a booster seat, use a seat belt on every trip.
- Children no longer need to use a booster seat once seat belts fit them properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck).
- Proper seat belt fit usually occurs when children are about 4 feet 9 inches tall and aged 9–12 years. Seat belt fit can vary by vehicle so check the fit in all vehicles.
- Keep children properly buckled in the back seat for the best possible protection.
At Align Pregnancy Services, we want to make sure that you are able to provide adequate care for your child. If you have questions about parenting or parenting services, contact our team today. We have locations in Lebanon, Lancaster, Ephrata, and Columbia, PA
Written by: Lex Kanode