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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children grow out of their infant car seats they can transition to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain age and weight requirements.

It is not recommended to place car seats behind airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag could be fatal to children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed on top of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is very simple: If a crash happens and the child is in the front seat, they could have their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause injury or even death to the child.

This is the reason why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the rear of the car seat in the event of a crash, providing the most effective protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that offers only the most basic protection. The headrest also prevents the child from slipping off the shoulder straps during an accident, and the harness keeps the chest clip high above your child's shoulders.

It's important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This occurs when a child's feet are lifted and then get stuck against the back of the seat, putting immense pressure on the leg bones. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.

There are a variety of programs throughout the country that allow qualifying parents to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is placed in a safe seat before they get out of it and use it in a safe manner for a long time.

The majority of the new infant car seats have an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat installed and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.

Find the middle of the seat and measure it with a tape. Many items, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of earbuds that are wireless are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine whether the angle is adjusted to eliminate the space.

2. Harness Position

In baby car seats as well as swings, bouncers, strollers, and other equipment for children, infants and preemies can get into a dangerous situation with their chins touching their chests. In a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, ensure that the straps for your shoulders start slightly below and come up over the child's shoulders and ensure that you tighten them. The straps should be snug enough that you can pinch any excess fabric together This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other bulky outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip was designed to protect against a fall, but it could compress a neck of a child if it's too low or if they are loose. The chest clip should not be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash, children who are rear-facing will likely slide up the seat. The harness straps should be capable of supporting the head and neck of the child. This is why it's very crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the baby's ears or slide through the neck opening and if they are too loose, they can slide toward the child's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are in the slots that are above or below your child's shoulders, and that they fit comfortably. Newborns may require a separate infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up so that their shoulders can reach the slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors that help with this and you should always refer to the instructions included with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the seat facing rearwards, however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will press against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backward against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.

Many cheap infant car seats car seats also have an angle indicator built-in to help you ensure the seat is installed correctly. Also, you must ensure that your child's head is level against the seat and the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or bent. You can pinch a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap and make sure it's at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also review the instruction manual for your infant Car seat in front seat car seat so that you know how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until they're at least one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that only has one back seat. This will allow you to view your child clearly through the rearview mirror, without having to bend over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side, so you do not have to walk all the way around your vehicle every time you need to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats, the infant car seat can be set on either side, as that it is not in the airbag's front on the passenger-side. If you must decide between installing an infant car seat on either the left or right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who exceed the size of their car seat for infants by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the recommendations of the manufacturer of the seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt correctly. Booster seats can also reduce how far the neck moves in collisions, reducing the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the main cause.

If a booster isn't properly used the lap belt could slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster to stop the lap belt from sliding onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters have small handles, armrests or guide slots to help put the lapbelt flat on a child's top legs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of slipping upwards into their abdominal area in the event of a crash.

Certain booster seats are designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the belt in place when a child is sitting in it, and this can help in preventing the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This can also help to prevent the belt from being pulled over a child's face, which could cause hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.