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 be moved into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing models but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed in front of a vehicle seat with airbags, since the force of the deployed airbag can be fatal for infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: If a crash happens, the child could have their head hit by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could injure or kill the baby.

This is why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. In a crash, the seat's back will be positioned against the rear of your best car seats infant seat. This will provide the most protection for the infant.

In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing seat that offers only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling out of the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It's important to remember that there are ZERO documented cases of kids in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the front seat. This happens when a child's feet fly upwards and are sucked into the seat's back, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. There's no reason to put your child at risk for this.

There are numerous programs throughout the country that allow parents who qualify to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in an appropriate car seat before they outgrow it and can be used in a safe way for many years.

The base of the majority of newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is especially beneficial when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat in place and ready for use even when you switch vehicles.

Before you buckle your child in make sure that the car seat back will touch the vehicle seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring it using a tape measure. This area is a test that can be done with a variety of items, including the blade of a key, or the length wireless earbuds. Check the car seat's instructions and vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often get into a potentially dangerous chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other equipment for children. In the event of a crash they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, ensure that the straps for your shoulders start a bit lower and move up to the shoulders of your child and make sure you tighten the straps. The straps should be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other bulky outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them prior to putting your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break in an accident, but it could compress on a child's throat if it's too low or if the chest straps are loose. The chest clip should not be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants can slide off the seat, and the harness straps must be able to cradle the child's head and neck. It is essential to put the straps on the shoulders. If the straps fall too low, they could slide through the opening on the neck of the lightweight baby car seat (mixup.wiki) or even over their ears. If they are too loose, they may be able to reach the face of the child.

Make sure the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or at the child's shoulders. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat), to lift their shoulders until they can reach the slot. Some infant car seats on sale best car seat newborn seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you should always refer to the instructions included with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to turn their infant car seat to face forward due to their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position really no reason why you should. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are supported in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and can cause serious injuries.

A majority of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built in so that you can ensure the seat is installed correctly. Also, you must ensure that your child's head is level against the seat, and that the harness straps are placed over their shoulders, not under their arms or bent. You should be able to squeeze a tiny bit of fabric on their shoulder to confirm whether the harness is secure enough. Check the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to use it properly.

Most manufacturers recommend that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least one year old or until they have reached the height and weight limit of their particular car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.

If you have a vehicle that has only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you can easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on the driver's side also makes it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be set on either side so long as it's not in front of the airbag on the passenger side. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, put it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to weight and height will need an additional booster until the car's seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats aid in positioning the shoulder belt and lap properly. They can also limit the distance that a child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle accidents which are the most frequent killers of children ages 4-8.

If a booster is used improperly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause major injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up on a child's stomach.

Many boosters have small handles and armrests or guide slots to place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on the child's sturdy hip bones instead of slipping into their stomachs in the event of a crash.

Some booster seats have a seatbelt locking mechanism that locks the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This will help to prevent the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This can also help keep the belt from being pulled over the face of a child, which could cause hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.