5 Child Safety Car Seat Tips

Thanks to the invention of the child and infant car seat, many accidents that previously would have proven to be fatal to small children and babies have been prevented. Still while most parents know their children should be kept in a car seat to keep them safe there are still some gray areas where parents are confused. Here is a look at 5 tips to help keep your infant or child even safer in their car seat.

1. Always keep children in the back seat if possible. The number one reason for this is due to most vehicles having air bags and the risk of them being deployed if you are in an accident. The safest place for children and infants is in the back seat. This is imperative for most children under the age of 12 or those that are under 4"9. This is also important because only after your child has reached a height of 4"9 will the typical seat belts that come with the car fit correctly.

2. Always put an infant under 20 pounds or one year old in a rear facing or convertible seat. Infants who are not a year old yet or who have not reached 20 pounds should always face backwards to avoid potential injuries. Even if your infant has reached a year old but is not quite 20 pounds you should still avoid putting them in a forward facing car seat. After they have gotten to the proper weight and age requirements you can then safely keep them in a forward facing car seat but it still should remain in the middle of the back seat if possible.

3. Never put a toddler in a booster seat till they are 40 pounds. Many parents make the assumption that once their toddler has reached a certain age they can move them to a booster seat. However it very important that toddlers not be put in a booster seat till they are at least 40 pounds or the tops of their ears have reached the top of their car seat. If a toddler is put in a booster seat too early they can run the risk of trying to "escape" from their booster seat while the parent is driving and this can easily lead to an accident. Parents should look for a car seat with a 5-point harness that makes it difficult for curious toddlers to try to get out of their car seat.

4. Never buy a used car seat. While there are many infant and children's items that you can safely buy used a car seat should always be bought new. The reason for this is due to the fact that unless you are getting one from someone you know very personally you will have no way of knowing if the car seat was involved in a car accident. Another excellent reason is because manufacturers are always improving and changing car seats so you will want to get the newest models to ensure your child stays safe.

5. Make sure the car seat is installed correctly. This is especially important for those who have new infants or parents who have never had to put a car seat in their car before. Be sure to read the instructions that come with the car seat and follow them. If you still are not sure you can always contact your local police station or fire department where they will have someone on hand to help you get the car seat installed correctly and help settle any fears you may have.