Car Seat Safety for Infants and Beyond: What Parents Need To Know

From the moment your little one enters your life, their safety is your No. 1 concern. And practicing proper car seat safety is chief among the ways you keep them protected.

But with so many car seats to choose from, plus differing state laws and complicated installations, it’s understandable if you have questions.

“Car safety for your child is a matter of safety and reliability,” says pediatrician W. Kyle Mudd, DO. “It comes down to choosing the right seat, installing it properly and making sure you use it right, every single time.”

Here’s what parents and caregivers should know about car seat safety for infants and big kids alike.

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Key infant car seat safety guidelines

Keeping infants, babies and kids safe in the car is a matter of using the right car seat consistently and correctly — for every ride, no matter how short.

Dr. Mudd offers these tips.

Follow your car seat’s height and weight limits

Your local laws may make it seem like there’s an age cutoff where it’s safe for kids to move from one car seat to another. But those rules are meant to signal the minimum age for kids to ride in a car seat — not to suggest that they need to move up by a certain age.

The right kind of car seat for your little one isn’t based on age alone. Every seat has specific height and weight restrictions, and those limits should drive your decisions.

Once your child reaches the maximum height or weight allowed for their current seat, it’s time to move to the next stage. Don’t use a seat that’s too small for them, but also don’t feel compelled to move them up before they’re ready.

Don’t use unsafe, secondhand or expired seats

Not all car seats are safe to reuse.

“Never use a car seat if you don’t know its full history or one that’s been involved in a crash,” Dr. Mudd stresses. “Car seat safety is highly regulated in the U.S. All car seats have to meet federal safety standards to be sold legally.”

Also, check expiration dates — many seats expire after about six years. Why? Materials can degrade over time, making them less effective.

Keep them rear-facing as long as possible

Rear-facing is the safest position for babies and young toddlers. It better protects their heads, necks and backs in the event of a crash.

And the longer, the better.

“I advise parents to keep their child rear-facing as long as their car seat’s weight limit will allow,” Dr. Mudd says. “Switching to a forward-facing too soon is one of the most common mistakes parents make — and one that can increase the risk of serious injury.”

It’s not a milestone to rush.

Use the back seat

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping kids younger than 13 in the back seat.

That’s especially important if your vehicle has front passenger airbags, which became standard in the U.S. starting with the 1999 model year. In the event of a crash, deployed airbags can seriously harm babies and young children.

If the car seat must be installed in the front of your vehicle, keep these tips in mind:

• Deactivate the passenger side air bag if possible.
• If the air bag can’t be turned off, don’t use a rear-facing car seat.
• Move the seat as far back as you can from the dashboard.

If your vehicle allows, the middle back seat is ideal. But a properly installed seat on either side of the back seat is also safe.

Install the seat properly

A loose or poorly angled car seat can reduce its effectiveness.

Test the installation by pushing and pulling on the car seat. Even with your best efforts, it shouldn’t move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back.

Check the angle, too, using the indicators to set it to a proper incline. Newborns typically need to be reclined to 45 degrees to keep their airway open. If the angle is too upright, your baby’s head can fall forward, which can affect their breathing.

Place the harness correctly every time

A properly fitted harness is essential to keeping your child secure. Follow these best practices:

• Straps should be at or below your child’s shoulders when rear-facing.
• The harness should be snug, with no slack.
• The chest clip should sit at your child’s armpit level.

“This will avoid seatbelt injuries, including soft tissue and organ damage or airway compromise,” Dr. Mudd explains.

Avoid extras that didn’t come with the seat

Aftermarket accessories — like head supports, strap covers or toys — may seem helpful or cute, but they can interfere with how the seat performs in a crash.

Stick with only what the manufacturer provides. If you’re concerned your baby doesn’t fit well in the car seat without additional inserts, talk with a healthcare provider to check or confirm the car seat is safe for them.

Along those lines, avoid excess clothing in their car seat, like puffy winter coats.

“Adding bulk can prevent a snug harness fit,” Dr. Mudd cautions. “Instead, buckle your child first, then layer a blanket over them if needed.”

Use the car seat for its intended purpose

Car seats are designed for keeping babies and kids safe in the car — not for sleeping, feeding or playing.

If your baby falls asleep in their car seat, don’t sweat it. But don’t rely on an infant carrier as your baby’s primary sleep space.

“It’s not safe to allow babies to use an infant carrier for napping or sitting for long stretches,” Dr. Mudd emphasizes. “Babies should sleep on flat surfaces.”

Also, babies shouldn’t eat or drink in carriers (no propping the bottle in the car seat … or anywhere for that matter). And babies in carriers should never be left on high surfaces, like tables or chairs.

Choosing an infant seat

There are two main types of infant car seats. Both can be safe when used properly:

• Infant carrier seats: These portable, rear-facing-only seats often come with a handle for carrying and a base that stays in your vehicle. Typical max weight for these seats is around 30 pounds. They can be more convenient for carrying your baby in and out of the car. They may also snap into a stroller. When using one, confirm the carrier clicks securely into its base every time.
• Convertible seats: These seats stay in your car and can transition from rear-facing to forward-facing. They typically can be used from infancy through toddlerhood. Typical max weight for a convertible car seat is about 65 pounds.

No matter which you choose, focus on proper setup.

The four stages of car seat safety

As your child grows, their car seat needs will change. Let’s take a look at the progression.

• Rear-facing: This stage is for newborns, infants and young toddlers. Rear-facing seats provide the best protection in a crash by supporting your child’s head, neck and spine. Children should stay rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight allowed by their car seat.
• Forward-facing: Once your child outgrows rear-facing limits, they can move to a forward-facing seat with a harness. They should remain in this stage until they reach the upper limits of the seat.
• Belt-positioning booster: Booster seats are designed for older children who have outgrown forward-facing seats. They help position the vehicle’s seat belt correctly across your child’s body. The seat belt should cover their chest and upper thighs, not their neck or stomach.
• Seat belts: When your child is large enough to fit properly in a standard seat belt, they can ride without a booster, as long as they also meet the age or size requirements for your local laws. For the best protection, children should ride in the back seat until they’re at least age 13.

Where to go for help

Car seat installation can be tricky — and it can be easy not to get it right.

If you have questions about the best car seat for your child or need help installing it, contact a child passenger safety technician at 1.866.SEAT.CHECK (1.866.732.8243) or visit the Car Seats for the Littles^®, Inc. website.

And keep in mind: Practice makes perfect.

“During prenatal visits, I encourage parents to get the car seat out ahead of time, practice with a baby doll, read the instructions and consider watching educational videos readily available online," Dr. Mudd says.

The more comfortable you are using your car seat correctly, the better. Hospital staff likely aren’t going to be able to help with installation when you’re discharged after giving birth. And that can be a hectic time to start familiarizing yourself with it.

“At the end of the day, this is about doing everything you can to protect your child,” Dr. Mudd emphasizes. “Taking the time to use the right car seat and use it correctly every time is one of the most important ways to keep them safe.”