Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear or forward-facing but they need to meet certain age and weight specifications.
Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat with airbags, since the force of the airbag can be fatal for infants and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents ask whether an infant car seat may be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason for this is quite simple In the event of a crash 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 could cause injury or even death to the child.
Infant car seats are designed to be rearward-facing. In a crash, the seat's back will rest against the back of your vehicle seat. This provides the best protection for your infant.
A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's neck and head more effectively than a front-facing one that offers only little protection. The headrest prevents your child from falling out of the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders.
It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO instances of children in forward-facing car seats breaking their legs when they strike the back of the front seat. This happens when a child's feet fly upwards and get stuck against the rear of the seat, putting tremendous pressure on the leg bones. This is not something you should put your child in danger of.
There are numerous programs in the United States for qualifying parents to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that your child is in a secure car seat before they grow out of it. It can be used for many years.
The base of the majority of newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially helpful for traveling with young children, as you can keep the car seat installed and ready for use even if you change vehicles.
Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure with the help of a tape. best car seats of things, like the blade of a key for the house or the length of wireless earbuds, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to determine this space. Check the instructions on your car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual to see if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
In infant car seats as well as swings, bouncers, strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies can be in a dangerous position with their chests and chins touching. In a crash they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are positioned just a little below the shoulders of the child, and then they will be able to rise over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be snug enough to allow you to pinch any fabric that isn't tight enough - this is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so take them off them before you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed for a crash, but it can cause compression to the neck of the child if it's too low or if they are too loose. It is also essential that the chest clip is not in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be placed at armpit height.
During a crash, rear-facing infants are more likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps must be able to hold the child's neck and head. This is why it's crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they could slide through the opening on the neck of the baby or even over their ears. If they're too loose, they could be able to reach the face of the child.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are in the slots that are above or below your child's shoulders, and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant insert (often provided with the car seat) to lift their shoulders until they can reach the slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to help with this and you should always refer to the instructions included with your seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Parents may be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the seat facing rearwards, but there is no need to do this. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing as the infant's spine and neck are supported in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backward against the vehicle, and may cause serious injuries.
In addition, many infant car seats have an integrated angle indicator so you can be sure the seat is correctly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are on their shoulders rather than under their arms. To determine if the harness is too tight it is best to squeeze a small amount of material around the shoulder of your child. It is also important to examine the strap around the crotch to make sure it is level with the armpits, not at the waist. You should also read the manual for your infant car seat to ensure you are aware of how to properly use it.
Most manufacturers recommend that kids ride rear-facing until at minimum one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.
If you own a car with just one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so that you can easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It's also helpful to install the car seat on the driver's side, so you do not have to walk all the way around your vehicle each time you want 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. However, if you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
All children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight and height should use a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt is properly fitted. This can only happen if they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements).
Booster seats are a great way to position the lap belt and shoulder properly. They also decrease the distance that a child's skull moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle crashes are the most fatal killer of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the biggest culprit.
If a booster is used improperly, the lap portion of the belt may slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause major injuries in an accident. This can be avoided with a belt guide on the booster, which stops the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach or getting over armrests.
Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles or guide slots that allow you to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on the child's strong hip bones instead of being pushed up into their soft stomach area during an accident.
Some booster seats come with an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that locks the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This can help prevent the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This will to stop the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well neck strain.