Learning About Child Car Seats

Why it is important to use child car seats

Infant and child car safety seats save lives. A child who is not in a car seat can be badly injured or killed during a crash or an abrupt stop. This can happen even at low speeds. A parent's arms are not strong enough to hold and protect a baby during a crash. Many children who are not restrained die because they are torn from an adult's arms during a crash.

For every ride in a car, make sure your child is securely strapped into a car seat. Make sure the car seat is properly installed and meets all current safety standards. Always read and follow the guidelines and instructions provided by the maker of your car seat. Review the website at www.iihs.org/topics/seat-belts/seat-belt-law-table to find your state's child car seat laws.

Car seat guidelines by age

The following guidelines are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

• Ages 0 to 12 months: Children that are younger than age 1 should ride in a car seat that faces the back of the car. This is called "rear-facing." There are different types of rear-facing car seats. Infant-only seats can only be used facing the rear. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats often have higher height and weight limits. This allows you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer time without having to buy a new car seat. All of these seats have harnesses that secure the child in the car seat.
• Ages 1 to 3 years: Keep your child rear-facing in a convertible or 3-in-1 car seat as long as possible. It's the best way to keep them safe. You can keep your child in a rear-facing seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's maker. After that, your child is ready to ride in a car seat that faces the front. This is called a forward-facing car seat.
• Ages 4 to 7 years: Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's maker. As soon as your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat, your child can travel in a booster seat. Your child should still sit in the back seat. You attach the booster seat to the back seat with the seat belt.
• Ages 8 to 12 years: Keep your child in a booster seat until your child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit right, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest. It should not cross the neck or face. And your child should still ride in the back seat because it's safer there.

More safety information

• The safest place for your baby or child is in the middle of the back seat in the correct car or booster seat.
• Never place your child's car seat in the front seat of any vehicle.
• Put your infant's car seat at an angle where their head does not flop forward.
• If your child needs attention while you are driving, stop the car. Then take care of your child's needs. Don't let your child get out of their seat while the car is moving.