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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children have outgrown their infant car seats, they can move to convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain age and weight requirements.

Car seats should not be placed in front of a vehicle seat equipped with airbags, as the force of the airbag could be fatal for children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether the infant car seat could be placed in front of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is quite simple: If a crash occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause injury or even death to the child.

This is why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The back of the seat rests against the back of the vehicle seat in the event of a crash, providing the best infant seat protection for your baby.

Additionally, a rear-facing car seat protects the neck and head of your child better than a forward-facing car seat which offers only a small amount of neck and head protection. The headrest stops your child from slipping out of the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness holds the chest clip high above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet fly up and get caught against the seat's back, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.

There are numerous programs in the United States for qualifying parents to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to ensure that your child is in a secure car seat before they grow out of it. It is a great option for children to use for many years.

The base of the majority of newer infant car seat models is designed to be removed and inserted, making them easier to use. This feature is especially beneficial when traveling with children, as you can keep the car seat on and ready to go, even when you switch vehicles.

Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure with the help of a tape. This area can be checked using a variety of items, including the blade of a key or the length of earbuds wireless. Then, check the car seat's instructions and owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate this space.

2. Harness Position

In the infant car seats as well as swings, bouncers, strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies could be in a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In the event of a collision, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, check that the shoulder straps begin a little below and then come up over the child's shoulders and make sure you tighten them. The straps should be tight enough to be able to 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 prior to putting your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to protect against a fall, but it can compress the neck of the child if it's too low or if they are not tight enough. It's also important that the chest strap is not placed in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be at armpit level.

In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants are likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must be able to hold the neck and head of the child. It is important to place the straps above the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they may slide over the baby's ears, or go through the neck opening and if they are too loose, they can slide towards the baby's nose.

Ensure 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 included with the car seat) to raise their shoulders so they reach this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you can always check the instructions that came with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat newborn car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do so. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will tense against the seat, and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries because their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.

In addition, many infant car seat In front seat car seat newborn seats come with an integrated angle indicator so you can be sure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to make sure your child's head is level against the seat and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or twisted. To check if the harness is too tight it is best car seat infant to hold a small amount material around your child's shoulder. It is also essential to examine the strap around the crotch to make sure it is in line with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat newborn seat so you are aware of how to use it properly.

Most manufacturers advise that children ride rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they reach the weight and height limits of their specific car seat. Certain states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

If you have a vehicle with only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you can easily see your child through your rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your vehicle each time you want to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If you have a vehicle with two back seats, you can place the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't behind the passenger side airbag. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who outgrow their car seat for infants by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until their vehicle 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 lap belt and shoulder properly. They also decrease the distance the child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injuries. Head movement is the main reason behind motor vehicle crashes which are the most frequent fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

If a booster isn't used correctly the lap belt could slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from climbing over arm rests or sliding on a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small or armrests, or guide slots to place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt starts and remains on the hipbones of a child's strength instead of moving up into their soft abdomen area during the event of a crash.

Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This will help to stop the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This can help prevent the seatbelt from being pulled upwards over a child’s face. This can lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia as well neck strain.