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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children have outgrown their infant car seats, they can move to convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in rear-facing and forward facing infant car seat-facing versions however, they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not advised to place car seats in front of airbags the vehicle seat, since the force of the airbag can be fatal to babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is quite simple: If there is a crash the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a baby.

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

A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that offers only the most basic protection. The headrest prevents your child from sliding out of the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are 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 children's feet rise and trap them against the seat's back and put a great deal of pressure on the bones of the legs. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of.

There are several programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a discounted price or at no cost to parents who qualify. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years.

The base of many modern infant car seats is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is particularly useful for families with young children because it allows you to keep the seat in place and ready for use even when you change vehicles.

Before you buckle your child in make sure that the back of the car seat will touch the vehicle seat's back by finding the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape to determine. This area can be tested with many objects, including the blade of a key or the length wireless earbuds. Check the instructions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine whether the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and newborns frequently are prone to fall into a risky chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy seats strollers, swings and other children's equipment. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the harness straps that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To avoid this, ensure that the straps for your shoulders start a bit lower and move up over the child's shoulders and be sure to tighten the straps. The straps should be secure enough to be able to pinch any fabric that isn't tight enough This is known as the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats can hinder this so be sure to remove them before placing your child in their seat.

The chest clip was designed for a crash, but it could compress a neck of the child if it's too low or are loose. The chest clip should not be placed in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.

In a crash, infants who are rear-facing may slide down the seat. The harness straps should be sufficient to support the head and neck of the child. This is why it's very important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they may slide through the opening in the neck of the infant or over their ears. If they're too loose, they can reach the child's face.

Make sure the shoulder straps are that are above or below the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Newborns may require an infant insert (often provided with the car seat) to lift their shoulders until they can reach the slot. Some infant car seat in front seat car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors that aid in this process and you should always refer to the instructions that came with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might 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's really no reason to do so. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a crash, the baby's body will press 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.

A majority of infant car seat that swivels car seats have an angle indicator so that you can ensure the seat is installed correctly. You should also make sure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are placed over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a tiny bit of fabric on their shoulder to confirm that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through your infant car seat manual to ensure you understand the correct method of using it for your child.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children remain rear-facing until they're at least one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.

If you own a car with only one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so that you can easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean back. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side so you do not have to walk all the way around your car every time you need to take your child into or out of their car seat.

If you own a car with two back seats, you can put the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't behind the passenger side air bag. If you need to decide between installing the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to their weight and height will require a booster until the vehicle's 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 correctly. They can also limit the distance that a child's skull moves during a crash, which decreases the risk of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head motion is the biggest culprit.

If a booster is used improperly the lap part of the belt could slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in the event of a crash. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters are designed with armrests, handles, or guide slots that help to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on a child's sturdy hip bones instead of slipping into their stomachs in the event of an accident.

Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock 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 stop the belt from being pulled over the face of a child. This could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction as also neck strain.