Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
When children outgrow their infant car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in both rear-facing and forward-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.
It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple If a collision occurs and the child is involved, they could get their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause harm or even death to the infant.
Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a collision the back of the seat will be positioned against the back of your vehicle seat. This provides the best protection for your infant.
In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child better than a forward-facing seat that offers only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest prevents your child from sliding off the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders.
It's important to keep it in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when children's feet are lifted and then get caught against the rear of the seat, which puts immense pressure on the leg bones. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.
There are also several programs in the United States for parents who meet the criteria to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to get your child into a secure car seat before they grow out of it and can be used in a safe way 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 particularly useful for families with young children, as it allows you to keep the seat installed and ready to use even when you change vehicles.
Find the center of the car seat and measure with the aid of a tape. This area is a test that can be done with a variety of things, such as the blade of a key or length wireless earbuds. Examine the directions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to see whether the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.
2. Harness Position
In infant car seats as well as swings, bouncers strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies could fall into a dangerous position with their chests and chins touching. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the straps on the harness that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child, and then come up over their shoulders. Adjust best car seat to prevent this. The straps should be tight enough to squeeze the fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child in their seat.
The chest clip is designed to protect against a fall, but it could compress a neck of the child if it's too low or if they are loose. It is also essential that the chest clip not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be placed at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash rear-facing infants can slide across the seat and the harness straps must be able to hold the child's head and neck. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps fall too low, they can slide through the neck opening of the infant or over their ears. If they're too loose, they may reach the child's face.
Make sure the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or at the shoulders of your child. Newborns might need an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise their shoulders so they reach this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that could help you with this. You can also check the instructions provided in the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
While some parents may be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward due to their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do it. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will press against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children can suffer serious injuries as their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.
Additionally, a lot of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in so that you can be sure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is tight enough. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also a good idea to review the manual for your infant car seat to be aware of the proper way to use it for your child.
Most manufacturers recommend that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least 1 year old or until they have reached the height and weight limit of their particular car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.
Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to view your child clearly through the rearview mirror without having to bend over. It's also helpful to install the car seat on the driver's side, so you do not have to walk all the way around your vehicle each time you want to get your child in or out of their car seat.
If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant car seat can be set on either side so that it is not in the airbag's front on the passenger's side. If you have to choose between installing the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, place it on the driver's side.
4. Booster Seats
Children who have outgrown their infant car seats due to weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is properly fitted. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats help to position the shoulder belt and lap properly. Booster seats can also reduce how far the neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle crashes, which are the leading deaths of children aged 4-8.
If a booster isn't properly used the lap belt could be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.
A lot of boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots that allow you to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on the child's sturdy hip bones instead of being pushed up into their soft stomach area during a crash.
Some booster seats come with an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child sits in them. This can help stop the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This will to stop the seat belt from being pulled up over a child's face. This could cause hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.