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Car Seat Buying Guide

Car Seat Information

Prior to purchasing any car seat for your baby, there are several points you should know:

1. Infants up to 20 pounds and up to 1 year of age must ride in a rear-facing child seat.
2. The child seat must be in the BACK seat and face the rear of the car, van, or truck.
3. Infants riding in a car must never face front. In a crash or sudden stop, the baby's neck can be hurt badly.
4. Infants in car seats must never ride in the front seat of a car with air bags. In a crash, the air bag can hit the car seat and hurt or kill the baby.
5. Never hold your baby in your lap when you are riding in the car. In a crash or sudden stop, your child can be hurt badly or killed.
6. Car seats that are over 5 years old should be replaced
7. Never buy a used car seat since you never know if it has been involved in an accident.

The bottom line to the information above is that it is mandatory by all states that you have your child safely restrained while riding in any vehicle. This includes making sure that the car seat is installed correctly. Currently, the National Highway Safety and Transportation Administration states that about 80% of all car seats are not installed correctly. Therefore, it is important to not only choose the correct car seat, but to make sure it's installed properly by checking with the appropriate authorities in your area.

Now, which car seat do you choose? There are infant seats/carriers, convertible car seats, and booster car seats.

Infant Seats/Carriers:

Infant seats/Carriers are designed to be rear facing up to 20 pounds to help protect the babies back, head and neck in the event of an accident. The most popular choice among parents (although a little more costly in the long run) is to buy an infant carrier/car seat for the child's first 20 pounds (about 6-9 months), and then purchase a convertible car seat to continue in the rear facing position until the child is at least 20 pounds and 1 year of age. Although this option may cost you about $60 more, the convenience those first several months makes it worth the extra cost. These carrier's enable you enjoy the convenience of a seat which quickly detaches from a stationary base mounted in the back seat of your vehicle so that you don't have to disturb your baby when your on the go. As a side note, the 4 n 1 stroller/car seat combinations were designed to help facilitate this ease of travel from car to stroller. See the stroller section for more information on these combination systems.

Convertible Car Seats

Convertible Car Seats are the one size fits all answer to car seats. They are generally are rear facing for babies 5 pounds to 30 pounds and forward facing from 20-40 pounds. When reinstalling a convertible car seat from rear facing to forward facing use, be sure to install the car seat in an upright position and readjust the child's harness system so that the belts are in the highest position.

Convertible seats are available in three different harness systems:

1. A T-shaped shield attached to the shoulder straps latches into the seat between the child's legs.
2. A tray like shield that swings down over the child's head and is buckled in between the child's legs.
3. A 5-pt-harness system with straps at the child's hips, crotch and shoulders.

Although it is easier to use the T-shields and the Tray shields since they quickly slip over the child's head in one motion and are less cumbersome to buckle, convenience in this case doesn't equate to safety. Experts say that the 5-pt harness system tends to protect toddlers and infants the best since it enables you to strap the child into the seat more securely. This is reinforced by the fact that during accidents, a 5-pt system helps distribute the impact of over a greater area of the body. This is probably why racecar drivers use the same system.

Booster Seats

When a child is both over 40 lbs. and more than four years old, there is no Federal mandate for a car seat. However, because a five-year-old is really not intended to be using an adult-size seatbelt, riding without a booster seat will increase your child's risk of impact injuries. Even a collision at 20 mph can cause substantial damage if the seatbelt isn't fitting the child properly. Booster seats are designed to ensure the seatbelt is positioned safely.

The best way to judge whether it's time to purchase a booster seat is:

1. If the child's ears are above the back of the child safety seat or,
2. If the child's shoulders are above the top position of the car seats' harness straps.

 Here are some issues to keep in mind:

1. It is best to keep kids in a forward facing 5-pt-harness car seat for as long as they fit comfortably in it.
2. Older kids over 40 pounds should ride in a booster seat until the car's lap and shoulder belts fit properly. The lap belt must fit low and snug on their hips. The shoulder belt must not cross their face or neck.
3. Never put the shoulder belt behind their back or under their arm.

Remember.....

• All kids are safest in the back seat, in a safety seat or seat belt.
• Always read the child seat instructions and the car owner's manual. Test the child seat to ensure a snug fit by pulling the base to either side or toward the front of the car.