How A Weekly Infant Car Seat In Front Seat Project Can Change Your Life
Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?
As children get older, they can move out of their infant car seats they can move to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain age and weight requirements.
It is not recommended to put car seats behind airbags on a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag could cause fatal injuries to babies and children.
1. The 1.5 Inch Rule
Many parents inquire if the infant car seat can 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 hit by an airbag while 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 designed to be rear-facing only. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.
A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that only offers minimal protection. The headrest also prevents the child from sliding off the shoulder straps during an accident and the harness will keep the chest clip above the shoulders of your child.
It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO reported instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they hit the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet are lifted and then get caught against the rear of the seat, putting tremendous stress on the bones of the legs. This is not something you want to put your child in danger of.
There are a variety of programs across the country for qualifying parents to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure your child is in a secure car seat before they grow out of it. It is a great option for children to use for many years.
The majority of the new infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially helpful for families with small children as it allows you to keep the car seat in place and ready to go, even if you change vehicles.
Before you buckle your child in, find out if the car seat back will touch the vehicle seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape measure. This space can be checked using a variety of objects, including the blade of a key or the length of the wireless earbuds. Then, check the car seat's instructions and owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate the space.
2. Harness Position
Preemies and newborns frequently are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats, strollers, swings and other toys for children. In a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are set slightly below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Adjust them to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to be able to pinch any excess fabric together This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child into their seat.
The chest clip is designed for a crash, however it can cause compression to the neck of a child if it's too low or if they are loose. It's also important that the chest clip is not placed in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be positioned at the armpit level.
In the event of a crash who are rear-facing will likely slide off the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the child's neck and head. It is important to place the straps on the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the baby's ears or slide through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they could move toward the child's nose.
Make sure that the shoulder straps are over your child's shoulders, and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to lift them up so that their shoulders can reach the slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors to aid you in this. You can also refer to the instructions that come with the seat.
3. Rear-Facing Only
Some parents might be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat, however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will tense against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children may suffer serious injuries because their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.
In addition, many infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can be sure the seat is correctly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head rests flat on the seat and that the straps are over their shoulders instead of under their arms. You should be able to pinch a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap and make sure it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also review the manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to use it correctly.
The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing until at the age of one or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.
If you own a car that has only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean back. Installing the car seat on your driver's side also makes it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.
If you have a vehicle that has two back seats you can install the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't in front of the passenger-side airbag. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on either the left or the right side of your vehicle, put it on the driver’s side.
4. Booster Seats
All children who exceed the size of their car seat for infants by weight and height must use a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt is fitted properly. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.
Booster seats help to position the shoulder belt and lap correctly. Booster seats can also reduce the distance that a neck of a child moves during collisions, reducing the risk of injuries. Head movement is the primary reason behind motor vehicle crashes that are the top deaths of children aged 4-8.
If a booster is not properly used, the lap portion can be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.
A lot of boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots that allow you to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and remains on a child's sturdy hip bones instead of slipping into their soft stomach area in the event of a crash.
best car seats newborn www.pushchairsandprams.uk come with the seatbelt locking mechanism which secures the seatbelt when a child is sitting in them. This can stop the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This will keep the seat belt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This could cause hypoxia and airway obstruction, and neck strain.