Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can switch to convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be used rear or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag can be fatal to babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is very simple In the event of a crash and the child is involved, they could get their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause harm or even death to the infant.
Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The seat's back rests against the rear of the car seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.
A rear-facing car seats protects your child's neck and head better than a front-facing seat that offers only little protection. The headrest prevents your child from falling off the shoulder straps during a crash. 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 car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the front seat. This happens when a child's feet fly upwards and get caught against the rear of the seat, putting immense stress on the bones of the legs. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.
There are also several programs in the United States for parents who qualify to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great way to ensure your child is placed in a safe seat before they outgrow it and can be used in a safe manner for a long time.
Most newer infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially helpful when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat in place and ready to go, even when you switch vehicles.
Find the center of the car seat and measure with the aid of a tape. This space is a test that can be done with a variety of items, including the blade of a key, or the length of earbuds wireless. Check the instructions for your car seat and vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate this space.
2. Harness Position
Preemies and newborns frequently are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other equipment for children. In a crash, they may be injured by the chest clip or crushed by straps on the harness that are too loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps for your shoulders start a bit lower and move up to the shoulders of your child and be sure to tighten the straps. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can interfere with this so be sure to remove them prior to buckling your child in their seat.
The chest clip was designed for a crash, but it can compress the neck of a child if it's too low or if they are too loose. The chest clip shouldn't be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants are likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps need to be able to support the child's head and neck. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low they could slide over the baby's ears, or go through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they could move up to the child's nose.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or at the child's shoulders. Newborns may require a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them up so their shoulders reach the slot. Some infant car seats come with angle indicators or adjustors that can assist you in this. You can also check the instructions provided with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do so. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, as the child's neck and spine are supported in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards by the vehicle and can cause serious injuries.
Additionally, a lot of infant car seats have an integrated angle indicator so you can ensure that the seat is correctly installed. Also, you should ensure that your child's head rests flat on the seat and that the straps are over their shoulders instead of under their arms. To check whether the harness is too tight, you should be able squeeze a small amount of material around the shoulder of your child. It is also essential to examine the strap around the crotch to make sure that it is at a level with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also a good idea to review your infant car seat manual to ensure you understand the correct method to use it with your child.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least 1 year old or until they have reached the height and weight limits of their specific car seat. infant car seats best www.pushchairsandprams.uk have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.
If you own a car with only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you can easily view your child through your 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 every time you want to put your baby in or out of their car seat.
If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant car seat can be placed on either side, as long as it's not in front of the airbag on the passenger's side. If you need to decide between installing 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
Children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight or height must be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt is properly fitted. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats are a great way to position the shoulder and lap belts correctly. Booster seats can also reduce the distance that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the most fatal killer of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the most significant cause.
If a booster isn't used correctly, the lap portion can be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using 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 have small handles, armrests or guide slots that help position the lapbelt low and flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lapbelt starts and remains on the child's strong hipbones instead of moving up into their soft abdomen area in the event of a crash.
Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This can keep the lap belt from moving upwards and over the child's abdomen. This can prevent the seatbelt from being pulled upwards over a child's face. This can lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, and neck strain.