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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children outgrow their car seats as infants, they can transition to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain age and weight requirements.

Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat with airbags, since the force of the deployed air bag can be lethal for infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if the infant car seat could be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause harm or even death to the infant.

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

A rear-facing car seat protects your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that offers only little protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling off the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip high above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO documented cases of kids in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the rear of the front seat. This happens when a kid's feet rise and trap them against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the legs. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.

There are numerous programs across the country for parents who qualify to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is placed in a secure car seat before they get out of it and can be used in a safe manner for a long time.

The base of many newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially helpful when traveling with children because you can keep the car seat installed and ready to go even when switching vehicles.

Before you put your child in the car seat, find out if the back of the car seat will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by measuring the center of the seat and measuring with 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 of earbuds wireless. Examine the directions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to see if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats best car seats, bouncy chairs, swings, strollers and other toys for children. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by straps of the harness that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child, and then, when they are up, they should be over their shoulders. Adjust them to prevent this. The straps should be tight enough to pinch excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other bulky outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash but it can be compressed on the throat of a child when it's too low or when the chest straps aren't tight enough. It's also crucial that the chest strap is not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be at armpit height.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are more likely to slide off the seat, and the harness straps need to be able to cradle the neck and head of the child. This is why it's very important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they may slide through the neck opening of the baby or over their ears. If they are too loose, they may touch the face of the child.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are at or above your child's shoulders and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an Infant Car Seat In Front Seat insert (often included in the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they can fit into this slot. Some cheap infant car seats car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you should always read the instructions included with the 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 becoming too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do so. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children's bodies are thrown backward against the vehicle and could cause serious injury.

Additionally, many infant car seats come with a built-in angle indicator so you can make sure that the seat is properly installed. It is also important to make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat, and that the harness straps are placed over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. To check whether the harness is too tight, you should be able squeeze a small amount of material on the shoulder of your child. It is also important to examine the strap around the crotch to make sure it is in line with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through the manual for your infant car seat to be aware of the proper method to use it with your child.

Most manufacturers advise that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they have reached the height and weight limits of their car seat. Some states have laws that require infants to be rear facing infant car seat-facing until they are two years old.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a car that has only one rear seat. This allows you to view your child easily through the rearview mirror without having to bend. It's also helpful to install the best car seat newborn seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your car every time you need to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If you own a car with two back seats, you can place the infant car seat on either side as long as it's not directly in front of the passenger side air bag. If you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, place it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen if they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the recommendations of the manufacturer of the seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats assist in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. They also decrease the distance that a child's skull moves during a crash, which decreases the chance of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the biggest culprit.

If a booster isn't used correctly the lap belt can travel over a child’s abdomen and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be avoided by using a booster with lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small, armrests or guide slots to place the lap belt low and flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and remains on a child's strong hip bones, instead of slipping into their stomachs during an accident.

Certain booster seats feature an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that locks 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 can also help to keep the seat belt from being pulled across the face of a child, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction as also neck strain.