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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children get older, they can move out of their car seats as infants, they can transition into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in rear-facing and forward-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not advised to place car seats behind airbags on the vehicle seat, since the impact of the airbag could be fatal for 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 simple: When there is a crash the child's head could be struck by an airbag when 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. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the rear of the car seat in the event of a collision, ensuring the best protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's neck and head better than a front-facing seat, which only provides little protection. The headrest stops your child from falling off the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip high above the shoulders.

It's important to remember that there are ZERO known instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the back of the front vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet fly upwards and get trapped against the rear of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the leg. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.

There are numerous programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or free to parents who qualify. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in a safe seat before they outgrow it and can be used in a safe way for many years.

The majority of the modern infant car seat that swivels car seats come with an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially helpful for families with small children because you can keep the car seat in place and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

Before you take your child's seat check if the back of the car seat will touch the car seat's back by finding the center of the seat and measuring it using a tape measure. This space can be tested with many objects, including the blade of a key or length of earbuds wireless. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine whether the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Newborns and preemies often get into a potentially dangerous chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy chairs, swings, strollers and other toys for children. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the straps on the harness that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To avoid this, ensure that the shoulder straps start a bit lower and move up to the shoulders of your child and ensure that you tighten the straps. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so remove them before you buckle your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break in a crash but it can compress on a child's throat if it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip should not be in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash who are rear-facing will likely slide down the seat. The harness straps must be sufficient to support 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 high they could slide over the baby's ears or go through the neck opening and if they are too loose, they could move toward the child's nose.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or around the child's shoulders. Newborns might need an infant insert (often provided with the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they can reach the slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors to help you with this. You can also check the instructions provided in the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the rear-facing seat however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a crash, the baby's body will tense against the seat and their spine and neck will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backward against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.

Additionally, many infant car seats come with 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, not under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a small amount of material at their shoulder to determine whether the harness is secure enough. Check the crotch strap to make sure it's at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual of your cheap infant car seats car seat to ensure you are aware of how to properly use it.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing until they're at the age of one or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

If you own a vehicle that has only one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's reflection in your rearview mirror without having 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 take your child into or out of their car seat.

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

4. Booster Seats

Children who outgrow their newborn car seat seat for infants by weight and height must be fitted with a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top rated infant car seats of the headrest.

Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt correctly. They can also limit the distance the child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 4-8, and head movement is the biggest culprit.

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

Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles, or guide slots that aid to place the lap belt low and flat across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and stays on the strong hipbones of the child instead of moving upwards into their abdominal region during the event of a crash.

Certain booster seats are designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is locked in place while the child is in it, and this can help in preventing the lap belt from moving up over a child's abdomen. This can help to stop the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This can lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, and neck strain.