Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children grow out of their car seats as infants, they can transition into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in rear-facing and forward-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.

It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag can be fatal to infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if the infant car seat could be placed on top of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple In the event of a crash and the child is involved, they could get their head hit by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a baby.

This is why infant car seat that swivels car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the rear of the car seat in the event of a crash, providing the best car seat for newborn protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's neck and head better than a front-facing car seat, which only provides minimal protection. The headrest stops your child from slipping out of the shoulder straps in a crash. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO instances of children in forward-facing car seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the front seat. This occurs when a child's feet are lifted and then get caught against the back of the seat, putting immense stress on the bones of the legs. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.

There are a variety of programs in the US that offer infant best car seats newborn seats at a reduced price or free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great way to ensure your child is in a safe seat before they outgrow it and use it in a safe way for many years.

The base of most modern best infant carrier car seat car seats is designed to be easily removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is especially helpful when traveling with children, as you can keep the car seat on and ready to go, even when switching 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 center of the seat and measuring with a tape measure. A lot of things, like the blade of a key for the house or the length of earbuds that are wireless, are about 1.5 inches long and can be used to test for this space. Check the instructions on your car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate this space.

2. Harness Position

In the infant car seats, bouncers, swings strollers, and other equipment for children, infants and preemies could be in a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by harness straps that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are set 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 secure enough to allow you to pinch any excess fabric together which is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to take them off prior to buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash, but it may cause a child's throat to collapse when it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip should not be in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants can slide across the seat and the harness straps should be able to cradle the child's head and neck. It is crucial to place the straps on the shoulders. If the straps are too low they could slide over the baby's ears or slide through the opening in their neck, and if they are too loose, they can slide up to the child's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or around the shoulders of your child. Newborns may need a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to lift them up to ensure their shoulders are in this slot. Some best infant carrier car seat car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors that assist with this, and you should always read the instructions that came with your 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 being too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason why you should. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing, as the child's spine and neck are supported in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries as their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

A majority of infant car seats include an angle indicator built in to ensure that the seat is installed correctly. Also, you must make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat and that the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. You should be able to pinch a tiny bit of fabric on their shoulder to confirm whether the harness is secure enough. It is also essential to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is in line with the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read your infant car seat manual to be aware of the proper method of using it for your child.

The majority of manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.

If you own a car with only one back seat, you can install the infant Car seat in front seat car seat in the middle so you can easily view 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 vehicle each time you want to take your child into or out of their car seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be installed on either side, as long as it's not in front of the airbag on the passenger side. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on either the left or right side of your vehicle, install 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 be fitted with a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits them 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 are a great way to position the lap belt and shoulder correctly. They also decrease the distance that a child's head moves during the crash, which lowers the chance of injury. Head movement is the most common reason behind motor vehicle crashes, which are the leading 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 an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters come with armrests, handles, or guide slots that help to place the lap belt low and flat across a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on the child's strong hip bones instead of slipping into their soft stomach area during a crash.

Certain booster seats are designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the belt in place when children are sitting in it. This can help to prevent the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This can also help to prevent the belt from being pulled over the face of a child. This could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction as also neck strain.