As a new parent or parent-to-be, your child’s safety is one of your top concerns. That’s why you may have spent hours scrolling through blogs and websites in search of the best car seat—the right model, safety features, front/rear-facing…and the list goes on.
So, how do you choose the best infant car seat? Believe it or not, the most important factor has nothing to do with specifications or brands, but rather using the seat correctly.
We’re breaking it all down—from buying a car seat to installing it correctly, and assuring the best fit to keep your little one safe.
A Quick Look at Car Seat Data
Car crashes are the number one killer of children aged 1 to 13 in the United States. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, using a car or booster seat properly can reduce your child’s risk of death in a car crash by 71 percent.
As mentioned earlier, the key is using the car seat properly. Unfortunately, 73% of the time, this is not the case.
Buying an Infant Car Seat
All new car seats sold in the U.S. must meet federal safety standards. The safest car seats are the ones that are designed for your child’s stage of life and are used consistently and correctly. Check out this step-by-step guide to buying a car seat from SafeKids Worldwide.
Car seats should never be purchased from yard sales or consignment shops. Only use a seat if you know its history and are 100% sure it has never been in an accident. Any seat that has been in an accident should be replaced. And finally, when purchasing a car seat online, make sure it arrives in a box with instructions, a safety card, and a safety label that includes the date of manufacture.
How to Install a Car Seat
Seat installation can be tricky for even the most adept parent. Here’s a car seat checklist. If you are having even the slightest trouble, questions, or concerns, certified child passenger safety technicians are able to help or even double check your work for free. Find a location near you.
When to Change Your Car Seat
Making sure your car seat is the proper fit for your child offers maximum protection. The label will show the weight and height range. Check regularly to make sure your child hasn’t outgrown their seat. Get more details.
Pennsylvania law requires children under 2 years of age be secured in a rear facing car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children remain in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat.
- Children who have outgrown the rear-facing seat, should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long as possible.
- All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly. This typically happens when children reached 4’ 9” and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
- When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt, they should always use the lap and shoulder seat belts.
- All children younger than 13 years should be properly restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.
A Note About Winter Safety
Winter is a tricky time for car seats, and travel in general. Here are a few tips to stay safe as temperatures drop.
- Puffy coats should not be worn under the harness of a car seat. After securing your child, put their jacket on backwards over the harness, with their arms in the sleeves. In an accident, coat padding immediately flattens, increasing the risk injury.
- Any product advertised for warmth in the car seat that interferes with the harness fit is not crash tested and not safe for use.
- Keep warming supplies, extra blankets, dry clothing, hats and gloves, and non-perishable snacks in your car in case of an emergency or your child gets wet on a winter outing.
- Never leave your child alone in a car for any amount of time.
Be a Role Model
We know when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a good example and buckle up for every ride. Be sure everyone in the vehicle buckles up too.
And finally, one of the most important safety tips does not involve a car seat at all: Never leave your child alone in a car—not even for a minute. While it may be tempting to dash out for a quick errand, the temperature inside your car can rise 20 degrees and cause heatstroke in the time it takes for you to run in and out of the store.
You've got this, parents! With just a little planning and attention to details, you and your child can buckle up with confidence.
Written By:
Lindsay Pringle, M.Ed
Lindsay Pringle, M.Ed, is a Health Promotion Specialist in
Community Health and Wellness. Lindsay coordinates initiatives to promote the health, safety and well-being of children and adolescents in the community. She holds a master’s degree in education from Millersville University and a bachelor's of science degree in Kinesiology from Penn State University.