Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

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

Car seats should never be placed on top of a car seat that has airbags because the force of the deployed air bag can be lethal for children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether the infant car seat that swivels car seat could be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: If there is a crash 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.

Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a collision the back of the seat will rest against the rear of your car seat. This is the best car seats protection for the infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that offers only the most basic protection. The headrest prevents your child from sliding off the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the front seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and get stuck against the rear of the seat, putting tremendous stress on the bones of the legs. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.

There are also several programs throughout the country that allow parents who qualify to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great way to get your child into an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and can be used safely for many years.

The base of many modern infant car seats is designed to be removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially useful for traveling with young kids since you can keep the car seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles.

Find the center of the car seat and measure it with a tape. This area can be checked using a variety of items, including the blade of a key, or the leave angle indicators or adjustors that can assist you in this. You may also want to check the instructions included with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason to do it. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing as the infant's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.

A lot of infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in to help you ensure the seat is properly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head rests flat on the seat, and that the straps are over their shoulders, not under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a small amount of material on their shoulder to confirm that the harness is snug enough. It is also important to examine the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is in line with the armpits, not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so you know the proper method of using it for your child.

Most manufacturers advise that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least one year old or until they reach the height and weight limit of their particular car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.

Install the infant car seat in front seat car seat on the middle seat of a car that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to view your child easily through the rearview mirror, without having to bend over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side, so you do not have to walk all the way around your car each time you want to take your child into or out of their car seat.

If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant car seat can be installed on either side as long as it's not in front of the airbag on the passenger's side. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or right side of your vehicle, install it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who exceed the size of their infant car seats on sale car seat due to weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt is fitted properly. This can only be done when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats assist in positioning the shoulder belt and lap properly. Booster seats also help reduce the distance that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the chance of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the most fatal killer of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the biggest culprit.

If a booster is not properly used the lap belt can travel over a child’s abdomen and cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding onto a child's stomach.

Many boosters have small handles and armrests or guide slots to place the lap belt low and flat on a child's top legs. This will ensure that the lapbelt begins and stays on the child's strong hipbones, rather than moving upwards into their abdominal region during the event of a crash.

Some booster seats are equipped with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the seat belt secure while children are sitting in it, and this can help to prevent the lap belt from moving over a child's abdomen. This can to stop the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia as well as neck strain.