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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children have outgrown their infant car seats, they can switch to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not recommended to put car seats behind airbags on the vehicle seat, since the force of the airbag can cause fatal injuries to children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: When there is a crash the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a baby seat.

This is the reason why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. In the event of a collision, the seat's back will rest against the rear of your car seat. This is the best protection for your infant.

In addition, the rear-facing car seat safeguards the neck and head of your child better than a forward-facing seat which offers only a small amount of neck and head protection. The headrest prevents your child from slipping off the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they hit the rear of the seat. This happens when a child's feet fly up and are sucked into the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure into the leg bones. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.

There are numerous programs in the United States that provide infant car seats at a discount or free to parents who qualify. This is a great way to ensure your child is placed in an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and can be used safely for many years.

The base of most newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is especially helpful for traveling with young children, as you can keep the car seat installed and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

Find the center of the car seat and measure it using the aid of a tape. This area can be tested with many things, such as the blade of a key, or the length of earbuds wireless. Examine the directions for the car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Newborns and preemies often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seat swivel car seats, bouncy seats strollers, swings and other equipment for children. In the event of a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are set just a little below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be tight enough to allow you to pinch any excess fabric together This is known as the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats can interfere with this, so be sure to remove them before buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash, but it may be compressed on the throat of a child when it's too low or when the chest straps are loose. The chest clip should not be placed in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.

During a crash, rear-facing infants can slide up the seat and the harness straps should be able to cradle the neck and head of the child. It is important to place the straps on the shoulders. If the straps are too high they may slide over the baby's ears or slide through the neck opening and if they are too loose they can move toward the child's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or around the child's shoulders. Newborns may require a separate portable infant car seat insert (often included in the car seats by age seat) to raise them up so that their shoulders can reach this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you should always read the instructions that came with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat to face forward, due to their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do so. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash, the baby's body will tense against the seat, and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries as their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.

A majority of Infant Car seat in front seat car seats come with an angle indicator to ensure that the seat is correctly installed. You also need to make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat, and that the harness straps are put over their shoulders, not under their arms or bent. You can pinch a small amount of material on their shoulder to confirm whether the harness is secure enough. It is also essential to examine the strap that holds the crotch to be sure that it is at a level with the armpits, not at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through your infant car seat manual so you know the proper method to use it with your child.

Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a car with only one back seat. This will allow you to view your child comfortably through the rearview mirror, without having to bend over. It is also beneficial to put the car seat on the driver's side so you do not have to walk all the way around your car each time you want to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be placed on either side so long as it's not the airbag's direction on the passenger-side. However, if you have to choose between installing the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who outgrow their car seat for infants by weight or height must use a booster seat until the seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when they are at least 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 can assist in positioning the lap belt and shoulder properly. They also limit the distance that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the main cause.

If a booster isn't properly used, the lap portion can be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster, which stops the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters have small handles and armrests or guide slots to help place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This ensures that the lapbelt starts and stays on the strong hipbones of the child, rather than moving upwards into their abdomen area during an accident.

Some booster seats are also equipped with the mechanism to lock the seat belt to ensure that the belt is secure while the child is in it. This can help in preventing the lap belt from slipping up over a child's abdomen. This can help to stop the seat belt from being pulled over a child’s face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, and neck strain.