This is not something to guess about, do you know which seat your child should be in right now? What should you choose? Infant, convertible, or booster seat? Finding the right car seat for your child and then installing it correctly isn’t easy. Or maybe you are questioning when to transition your child to another type of car seat. Following the following steps will help you find the right car seat based on car seat type, age and size recommendations, and will show you how to install your car seat the correct way.
Can you imagine? Thinking that your child is in the right car seat, only to find out that they aren’t!
Your child’s car seat is no doubt one of the most important purchases will ever make! But it isn’t just that first purchase that matters the most. As your child gets older and while they are growing, you will need to change not only the direction that the car seat faces and how they sit in it – at some point you will have to upgrade to an entirely different seat.
There are really only three basic types of car seats to choose from even though you can customize the look and feel of a car seat.
- Rear-Facing Car Seat: This seat has a harness and if a crash occurs, this car seat will actually cradle and move with your child. This reduces the stress to the child’s fragile neck and spinal cord. To maximize safety, keep your child in a car seat rear facing for as long as possible. I trusted the Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air Infant Car Seat for my children when they were babies.
- Forward-Facing Car Seat: This seat has a harness and tether that limits your child’s forward movement during a crash. To maximize safety, keep your child in a car seat for as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements. When my children outgrew the infant car seat, we trusted the Safety 1st Complete Air™ Convertible Car Seat.
- Booster Seat: This seat positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger parts of your child’s body. Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The Safety 1st Boost Air Protect Booster Car Seat is a great booster seat option, my kids loved it!
Read all of my extensive car seat reviews.
Did you know that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old?! Often times deaths and injuries can be prevented by the proper use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.
We are working with the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get out a message parents and caregivers about the importance of selecting the right seat for their child’s age and size, and to remind them that car seats, booster seats and seat belts offer the best protection for children in crashes and help save the lives of our precious children.
Share this important message to your friends and family too on social media!
- Tweet this:
Many parents don’t realize their child is in the wrong car seat! Make sure your child is riding safe #therightseat https://t.co/GfY8K7NOPR
— AkronOhioMoms.com (@akronohiomoms) July 30, 2016
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