Review

Review for Safety

Car seats and booster seats are crucial for protecting children in vehicle crashes, which remain a leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 13. Selecting and correctly installing the appropriate car seat is paramount for your child's safety.

Key Safety Facts and Recommendations

Car seats have been shown to save hundreds of children under five years old annually.

A significant percentage of children killed in car crashes in 2023 were unrestrained.

To maximize safety, keep your child in a car seat for as long as possible, provided they fit within the manufacturer's height and weight limits. Children should remain in the back seat at least through age 12.

Types of Car Seats and When to Use Them

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides recommendations based on a child's age and size:

• Rear-Facing Car Seats:
  • Infant-only seats are exclusively rear-facing.
  • Convertible and all-in-one car seats offer higher height and weight limits, allowing children to remain rear-facing for a longer period, which is the safest position.
  • Children should stay in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit specified by the manufacturer.

Key Considerations When Buying a Car Seat

When selecting a car seat, consider these factors:

• Correct Installation: Many car seats require significant effort to install correctly, ensuring less than an inch of movement. It's crucial to understand vehicle and car seat parts and follow installation safety tips. Each car seat must be installed using either lower anchors or a seat belt, never both.
• Space in Cabin: Consider the size of your vehicle.
• Cleanability: Children can be messy, so ease of cleaning is an important factor. Infant car seat covers are often easier to remove and some are machine washable, but buckles and harnesses should be cleaned with mild soap and water.
• Safety Features: Look for advanced safety features such as anti-rebound bars, which minimize seat movement during crashes, and rigid lower anchors for forward-facing installation.
• Ease of Use: This includes ease of installation and removal, and harness adjustment. NHTSA offers a "Car Seat Finder" tool that provides ease-of-use ratings to help compare seats.

Forward-Facing Car Seats:

• Once a child outgrows their rear-facing seat, they are ready for a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.
• Children should remain in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until they reach the top height or weight limit for that seat.
• NHTSA recommends always using a tether with a forward-facing car seat, whether installed with a seat belt or lower anchors, if permitted by both car seat and vehicle manufacturers.

Booster Seats:

• After outgrowing a forward-facing car seat with a harness, children should transition to a booster seat, still in the back seat.
• Keep children in a booster seat until they are large enough for the vehicle's seat belt to fit properly. The lap belt should lie snugly across the upper thighs (not the stomach), and the shoulder belt across the shoulder and chest (not the neck or face).