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Your Family Will Thank You For Having This Infant Car Seat In Front Seat
Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children get older, they can move out of their car seats for infants, they can transition to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain age and weight specifications.

It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag can be fatal to infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether the infant car seat can be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is very simple If a collision occurs, the child could have their head hit by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a baby.

This is the reason why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in the event of a crash, providing the most effective protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one, which only provides little protection. The headrest prevents your child from slipping off the shoulder straps in an accident. Pushchairs & Prams keeps the chest clip above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the back of the front vehicle seat. This occurs when a child's feet are lifted and then get caught against the back of the seat, putting enormous pressure on the leg bones. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.

There are numerous programs throughout the country that allow parents who qualify to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great way to ensure your child is in an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and use it in a safe manner for a long time.

Most modern infant car seats come with a base that they click into and out of, which makes them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially helpful for families with small children, as you can keep the car seat installed and ready to go, even when switching vehicles.

Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it using the aid of a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of earbuds that are wireless, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to test for this space. Check the instructions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual for your vehicle to see whether the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.


2. Harness Position

Preemies and newborns frequently get into a potentially dangerous chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy chairs, swings, strollers and other equipment for children. In the event of a crash they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are positioned slightly below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps should be tight enough that you can squeeze any fabric that is not tight enough which is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to remove them prior to buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed for a crash, however it could compress a neck of the child if it's too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are more likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must be able to hold the child's neck and head. This is why it's crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they may slide through the opening on the neck of the baby or even over their ears. If they're too loose, they can be able to reach the face of the child.

Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or on the child's shoulders. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat), to lift their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors to assist you in this. You may also want to check the instructions included in your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason to do so. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a crash the baby's body will tense against the seat and their spine and neck will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backward against the vehicle and can cause serious injuries.

Many infant car seats also come with an angle indicator built in to ensure that the seat is installed correctly. You should also make sure that your child's head rests flat on the seat and that the straps are placed over their shoulders, not under their arms. You should be able to pinch a little bit of material at their shoulder to determine that the harness is snug enough. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also read the manual of your infant car seat to ensure that you know how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until they're at least one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

If you own a car with just one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's reflection in your rearview mirror without needing to lean over. Installing the car seat on the driver's side can make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.

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

4. Booster Seats

All children who exceed the size of their car seat for infants by weight or height must use a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. Booster seats can also reduce the distance that a neck moves in a collision, reducing the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle accidents, which are the leading fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

If a booster is used incorrectly the lap part of the belt may slide up over a child's abdomen and cause major injuries in an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster equipped with lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up on a child's belly.

Many boosters come with small handles and armrests or guide slots that help put the lapbelt flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and stays on the child's strong hipbones, rather than moving up into their soft abdomen area in the event of an accident.

Some booster seats come with an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This can help prevent the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This may also help prevent the belt from being pulled over the face of a child, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction as and neck strain.

Homepage: https://www.pushchairsandprams.uk/categories/baby-car-seats