.png)
Car Seat Safety Made Easy
Seven out of 10 kids riding in child safety seats are improperly buckled in, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). How do you select the right restraint for your child? We've compiled answers to your most pressing questions.
Why is rear-facing the best for a Baby?
Kids should always ride rear-facing, in the backseat, for optimal protection. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends this until children are at least 20 pounds and age 1 or older. "That's at a minimum," says Dr. Bull, a child-passenger safety consultant with the AAP.
When should my child not ride rear-facing?
Only if he's too small to ride safely in the semi-reclined position of an infant carrier. All carriers have minimum weight requirements -- most are at 5 pounds, although a few brands go down to 4 pounds.
What types do I have to choose from?
Infant Car Seat: the infant carrier conveniently snaps into a stationary base (5 - 22 lbs).
Convertible Seat: ride rear- or forward-facing (rear-facing up to 35 lbs; forward-facing up to 60 lbs).
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children): uses no seatbelt and exists in all cars made after September 2002 -- the base of an infant carrier or the bottom of a convertible seat clips onto a bar or built-in hooks on a vehicle's seat.
Which is better: LATCH or a seat belt?
"You should decide based on ease of use," says Kristy Arbogast, PhD, a biomechanical engineer at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Choose whichever you'll use correctly each time and gives you the best fit."
Who can help me install a car seat?
A certified child-passenger safety technician (CPST) can check the installation for you. An appointment will last about 30 minutes. Just make sure to try installing the seat yourself first (so you can get a rudimentary understanding of how it works).
How much do CPST appointments cost?
They're free! Go to seatcheck.org and type in your zip code to find the nearest inspection locations -- there are more than 33,000 CPSTs nationwide. Appointment slots can fill up quickly, so call early to schedule.
What's the safest car seat location?
The center of the backseat is by far the safest. But if your middle seat has a hump and you can't tightly install the base, it's best to put the seat on one of the side seats (many cars only have LATCH on the sides). A child should never ride in the front - an inflated air bag can be fatal for little ones.
Are expensive seats safer?
Definitely not. All seats on the market have met the federal government's safety standards. More expensive seats may have added features, but they're not necessarily safer. Experts point out that you should avoid car accessories, because they haven't been crash-tested.
When can my child ride in a booster?
At around age 4 and at 40 pounds. A booster provides less protection than a convertible car seat, so if your convertible can hold a child up to 65 pounds, keep her in it as long as possible.
Originally published in the August 2009 issue of American Baby magazine.
Best Car Seats for Babies and Toddlers
Infant Car Seat: Graco Snugride 32
The country's best-selling seat now holds a rear-facing baby up to 32 pounds and fits most strollers ($140; gracobaby.com).
Infant Car Seat: Chicco Keyfit 30
This highly rated seat is one of the simplest to install; it holds a rear-facing baby up to 30 pounds ($190; chiccousa.com).
Some earlier models of Chicco Keyfit 30 car seats were recalled in June 2008. Check your model #s here.
Infant Car Seat: Maxi-Cosi Mico
The Europeans know how to make a seat both functional (really lightweight!) and fashion forward ($170; rightstart.com).
All-in-One Car Seat: Evenflo Symphony Surelatch
The adjustable harness and side-impact protection are good; that it carries up to 100 pounds is great ($200; evenflo.com).
Convertible Car Seat: Britax Boulevard CS
A harness for a kid up to 65 pounds means this lasts through preschool; it has side-impact protection ($330; britaxusa.com).
Some earlier models of Britax Boulevard car seats were recalled in November 2006. Check your model #s here.
Infant Car Seat: Britax Companion
This infant car seat features enhanced side-impact protection in two ways: There's a special head pad as well as energy-absorbing foam built into the seat around baby's head and torso. The patented "anti-rebound" bar on the end helps keep the seat stable in the event of an accident ($170; for babies 4 to 22 pounds).
Infant Car Seat: Evenflo Embrace
Evenflo's unique Z-shaped handle helps make this new, affordable car seat easy to carry around ($70-$100; for babies 5 to 22 pounds).
Some earlier models of Evenflo Embrace car seats were recalled in May 2007. Check your model #s here.
Infant Car Seat: Combi Tyro II
Cushioned mesh fabric keeps baby cool and comfortable. Energy-absorbing foam in the head area adds protection ($150; for babies up to 22 pounds).
Convertible Car Seat: Britax Marathon
This popular, expert-respected convertible seat gets high marks for being user-friendly. For instance, the harness straps are built to never tangle ($250; for babies 5 to 33 pounds rear-facing, and from 20 to 65 pounds forward-facing).
Some earlier models of Britax Marathon car seats were recalled in October 2007. Check your model #s here.
Convertible Car Seat: Graco ComfortSport
This is one of the few convertible seats that come with a headrest for smaller babies. Special padding in the seat conforms to baby's body for added comfort ($80-$120 depending on fabric and features; for babies up to 30 pounds rear-facing, and from 20 to 40 pounds forward-facing).
Some earlier models of Graco ComfortSport car seats were recalled in December 2008. Check your model #s here.
Some earlier models of Graco ComfortSport car seats were recalled in January 2008. Check your model #s here.
Some earlier models of Graco ComfortSport car seats were recalled in August 2007. Check your model #s here.
Booster Seat: Safety 1st Intera
This revolutionary seat has a long life! It starts as a convertible car seat for babies and toddlers. Then the back comes off and the base serves as a preschooler's booster seat ($140; for babies 5 to 35 pounds rear-facing, 20 to 40 pounds forward-facing, and 30 to 100 pounds as a booster).
Originally published in the January 2009 and March 2005 issues of American Baby magazine.
4 comments:
There is more don’t dress your baby in a bulky outfit
Harness straps may not give enough protection over your baby’s bulky outfit. If it’s cold, suit your child with a lightweight jacket and a headwear. Buckle the harness and slip a blanket around your baby for warmth.
Thank you so much for letting me know about these secrets. Just Carseatexperts can have such kind of secrets. Thanks for the great stuff.
I most likely appreciating each and every bit of it. It is an incredible site and decent impart. I need to much obliged. Great employment! You all do an incredible blog, and have some extraordinary substance. Keep doing awesome. best convertible car seat 2018
I was surfing net and fortunately came across this site and found very interesting stuff here. Its really fun to read. I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information..
Best Bow Sight
Post a Comment