Safe Car Seat

How Do I Find A Safe Car Seat For My Child?

Are you a new parent or about to become a new parent?

If so, one important item on your list to buy is an infant car seat. But, not just any car seat – a SAFE car seat.

It can be frustrating shopping for car seats because of the many styles available with so many features.

Here, we hope to help you in making an informed decision in picking out the best car seat for you and your infant. Read about car seat safety, selecting the best car seat and our comprehensive car seat reviews.

New! Confused about which car seat to buy? Check out our car seat comparison chart.

A lady who happened to be a pediatrician was asked what factors went into her decision to purchase a car seat. Her answer: 1st factor – safety; 2nd factor – safety; 3rd factor – safety. While safety is the number one concern for all parents, there are other factors to consider such as the child’s age and weight. This will determine the type of car seat to consider.

Types of Car Seats

* Rear Facing Car Seat – These seats face to the rear of the vehicle. They are a must for infants one year old or less and weigh 20 pounds or less. The infant is secured with a built in harness and on an incline that provides maximum protection from a crash without interfering with breathing.
* Convertible Car Seats – These seats are convertible in that they can either face to the rear or to the front. They advantage of these types of seats is that they can be used as the baby becomes older than one year eliminating the need to purchase a new seat. When facing to the front, they can accommodate toddlers up to 40 pounds.
* Toddler Booster Seats – These seats come with a built in harness and secure the child only in the front facing position. When the child reaches 40 pounds, the harness can be removed and the seat can be used with the vehicles’ safety belts. You should use a booster until the child reaches 80 pounds and is at least 57 inches tall – the minimum height for using the car safety belts safely without a booster.
* Belt Positioning Booster Seats – These seats do not have a built in harness and are designed to be used only with the car safety belts. The purpose of these seats is to lift the child so that the car safety belts are positioned properly across the child’s shoulders and the lap belt fits across the thighs.

When Can My Child Use Seat Belts?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children can begin to use seat belts at age 8 and older or taller than 4’9”.  All children aged 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.

The Academy of Pediatrics recommends switching to seat belts when the child has outgrown the booster seat and ride in the back seat until age 13.

In all cases, make sure the shoulder belt lies across the shoulder and not the throat. The lap belt should be low across the hips and not the stomach.

As you can see, choosing a car seat involves many factors mostly related to age and weight. By following the guidelines above, you should be able to confidently shop for the correct seat for your child.

A final reminder – after you purchase a car seat, be sure to send in the registration card so that you will be notified in case of a re-call.

Safety 1st Car Seats

Before their baby arrives there are certain things that new parents will need to purchase.  One item of particular importance are safe car seats which will be used to transport the child home from the hospital.

Car Seats Safety Ratings

Until a child is at the right height placing them directly into a car and using only the seat belt fitted won’t provide them with ample protection should your vehicle become involved in an accident.   This is why it is so important as a parent that you spend money on getting a good quality and safe car seat for them.

Safe Car Seats

Of course as parents we all want to make sure that we purchase good quality safe car seats for our children to travel in.   However with so many different makes and models now available it can prove quite challenging to determine which the best is.

Choosing a Safe and Sound Car Seat

When you have a little one it is important to keep them safe, whether it is by putting an infant to sleep in the right position or with the right car seat. When choosing a car seat for your child there are a few things that you should do in order to find the safe and sound car seats you want.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Safest Car Seats

Anyone with young children is concerned for their safety while traveling.  Use of safe car seats is one way to be sure that bundle of joy remains healthy and unhurt in accidents that occur.