In general, caergivers should only use 1 of the 2 options unless the car safety seat and vehicle manufacturers say it is OK to use 2 systems at the same time. Vehicles with the LATCH system have lower anchors located in the back seat, where the seat cushions meet.
All forward-facing car safety seats have tethers or tether connectors that fasten to these anchors. See vehicle owner's manual for highest weight of child allowed to use top tether. All lower anchors are rated for a maximum weight of 65 pounds total weight includes car safety seat and child.
Parents should check the car safety seat manufacturer's recommendations for maximum weight a child can be to use lower anchors. New car safety seats have the maximum weight printed on their label. NOTE: Seat belts— If you install a car safety seat by using your vehicle's seat belt, you must make sure the seat belt locks to hold the seat tightly. In most newer cars, you can lock the seat belt by pulling it all the way out and then allowing it to retract to keep the seat belt tight around the car safety seat.
In addition, many car safety seats have built-in lock-offs so you can lock the belt without having to lock the seat belt separately as well. Refer to the vehicle owner's manual for details about how your seat belt locks. Middle of the back seat— The safest place to ride for all children younger than 13 years is the back seat.
If possible, it may be best for the child to ride in the middle of the back seat. However, it is sometimes difficult to install a car safety seat tightly in the middle if the vehicle seat is narrow or uneven. Also, many vehicles do not have lower anchors for the middle seating position. It is safest to put the car safety seat in a position where you can install it tightly with either the lower anchor system or the seat belt; in some cases, this position may be on either side of the back seat rather than in the middle.
A child passenger safety technician CPST or CPS technician can help you decide which place is best to install your child's car safety seat in your vehicle. The AAP recommends that all infants ride rear facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital. All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing seat as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. When infants outgrow their rear-facing—only seat, a convertible seat installed rear facing is needed.
Three types of rear-facing seats are available: rear-facing—only , convertible, and all-in-one. When children reach the highest weight or length allowed by the manufacturer of their rear-facing—only seat, they should continue to ride rear facing in a convertible or all-in-one seat.
Always read the vehicle owner's manual and the car safety seat manual before installing the seat. Very small babies who can sit safely in a semi-reclined position usually fit better in rear-facing—only seats.
Babies born preterm should be screened while still in the hospital to make sure they can sit safely in a semi-reclined position.
Babies who need to lie flat during travel may be able to ride in a car bed that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard They should be screened again while in the hospital to make sure they can lie safely in the car bed.
Any child who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for her convertible seat should use a forward- facing seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by her car safety seat manufacturer. It is best for children to ride in a seat with a harness as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age.
If your child outgrows a seat before reaching 4 years of age, consider using a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights. It is important that the car safety seat is installed tightly in the vehicle and that the harness fits your child snugly. Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing seats.
Most children will not fit in most vehicle seat belts without a booster until 10 to 12 years of age. Instructions that come with your car safety seat will tell you the height and weight limits for the seat. As a general guideline, a child has outgrown a forward-facing seat when any of the following situations is true:. High-back and backless are 2 standard types of booster seats.
They do not come with a harness but are used with lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. Most booster seats are not secured to the vehicle seat with the seat belt or lower anchors and tether but simply rest on the vehicle seat and are held in place once the seat belt is fastened over a child. However, some models of booster seats can be secured to the vehicle seat and kept in place by using the lower anchors and tether along with lap and shoulder belts.
Currently, only a few vehicle manufacturers offer integrated booster seats. Booster seats often have a plastic clip or guide to correctly position vehicle lap and shoulder belts. See the booster seat instruction manual for directions on how to use the clip or guide. Booster seats must be used with lap and shoulder belts. When using a booster seat, make sure:.
If your booster seat has lower anchors or tether attachments, check its manual for installation instructions. If your car has only lap belts, use a forward-facing seat that has a harness and higher weight limits.
You could also. Seat belts are made for adults. Children should stay in a booster seat until adult seat belts fit correctly, typically when children reach about 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age. Most children will not fit in a seat belt alone until 10 to 12 years of age. When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for the best protection. Front airbags are installed in all new cars.
When used with seat belts, airbags work well to protect teenagers and adults; however, airbags can be very dangerous to children, particularly to those riding in rear-facing seats and to preschoolers and young school-aged children who are not properly restrained. If your vehicle has a front passenger airbag, infants in rear-facing seats must ride in the back seat. Even in a relatively low-speed crash, the airbag can inflate, strike the car safety seat, and cause serious brain injury and death.
Vehicles with no back seat or a back seat that is not made for passengers are not the best choice for traveling with small children; however, the airbag can be turned off in some of these vehicles if the front seat is needed for a child passenger. Side airbags are available in most new cars.
Side airbags improve safety for adults in side-impact crashes. Child care programs and schools should have written guidelines for transporting children, including. This will help keep them safe during takeoff and landing or in case of turbulence.
Remember that your child will need an appropriate car safety seat to use at your destination. If you have questions or need help with installing your car safety seat, find a certified child passenger safety technician CPST or CPS technician.
Lists of certified CPSTs and child seat—fitting stations are available on the following websites:. Be a good role model. Make sure you always wear your seat belt. This will help your child form a lifelong habit of buckling up. Make sure that everyone who transports your child uses the correct car safety seat or seat belt on every trip, every time.
Being consistent with car safety seat use is good parenting, reduces fussing and complaints, and is safest for your child. Never leave your child alone in or around cars, and lock your vehicle when it is not in use. Any of the following situations can happen when a child is left alone in or around a vehicle. A child can. Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for your car safety seat. If you do not have those, write or call the company's customer service department.
Staff will ask you for the model number, name of seat, and date of manufacture. The manufacturer's address and phone number are on a label on the seat. Also, be sure to follow the instructions in your vehicle owner's manual about using car safety seats. Some manufacturers' instructions may be available on their websites. Remember to fill out and mail in the registration card that comes with the car safety seat.
You can also register your seat on the manufacturer's website. It will be important in case the seat is recalled. Follow manufacturer directions for cleaning car seats. Cleaning but not disinfecting is usually permitted. That's because disinfectant products may decrease the protection provided by the seat and harness.
Although the AAP is not a testing or standard-setting organization, this article sets forth the AAP recommendations based on the peer-reviewed literature available at the time of its publication and sets forth some of the factors that parents should consider before selecting and using a car seat. DOT HS publication Safe transportation of preterm and low birth weight infants at hospital discharge.
Sometimes armrests serve as the seat belt guides, other seats use metal tubes or rings. In this photo, you can see the seat belt runs through two red rings on either side of the booster.
This is because the top of the ears is the same height as the bottom of the skull, which needs protection in a crash. Normally used as a high-back booster, many of these models also allow you to remove the back, turning the seat into a backless booster — this option is very helpful for travel and for storage.
The back is usually not removable on these models. Which type of booster is right for my child? Which type is right for my vehicle? Backless Boosters These are specialized cushions children sit on. Equipment Car Seats and Booster Seats. Driver Assistance Technologies. Takata Recall Spotlight. Odometer Fraud. Car Seats and Booster Seats.
Overview Car seats and boosters provide protection for infants and children in a crash, yet car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to Safety Facts.
Children killed in car crashes in who were unrestrained. Know you know. Related Topic Child Safety. Car Seat Safety Tips. Watch the video. Car Seat Finder Search Brands. Search car seats by brand name and model Find car seats for your child by brand, or look up the details of a specific car seat model. Car Seat Glossary Vehicle Parts Lower Anchors Used for installing a car seat using its lower anchor attachments The lower anchors are found in a minimum of two rear seating positions in a vehicle.
Tether Anchor Used for attaching a car seat's tether to the vehicle Typically there are a minimum of three tether anchors in a vehicle. Car Seat Parts Attach top tether from the car seat to the tether anchor in the vehicle.
Fasten lower anchor attachments on the car seat to the lower anchors in the vehicle. Lower Anchor Attachments Used to install the car seat in a vehicle with lower anchors Tether Used to secure a forward-facing car seat and limit forward head movement in a crash The tether is located on the top rear of convertible, combination, and all-in-one car seats.
Lower Anchor Weight Limits Lower anchors have weight limits set by the vehicle and car seat manufacturers. How to Install Booster Seats. Installation Help Car Seat Inspection. Registration Register Your Car Seat. Register your car seat to receive important safety updates Registering your seat makes sense: It gives the manufacturer the ability to contact you about recalls and safety notices.
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