Top 10 Child Car Seat Safety Tips

1. Always read your child seat instruction manual as well as your vehicle owner's manual to find out the safest location to install your child’s car seat.


2. Never place a child car seat in front of an airbag. The center rear is the safest position for a child restraint system.

3. Rear-facing is the required position of the car seat for Infants who weigh 20 pounds before 1 year of age. Make sure infants ride facing the rear until they're about age 1 and at least 20 pounds. Children over age 1 and at least 20 pounds may ride facing forward in the back seat.

4. Snugly install the child seat. If installed correctly, the seat should not move more than 1 inch side-to-side from the belt path. The safety belt must stay tight when securing the safety seat.

Note: The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) suggests putting your weight into the child restraint system to compress the vehicle seat while tightening the safety belt as much as possible.

5. Straps should be at or below the shoulder and snug around the shoulder area. Make sure the harness is buckled snugly around your child. Keep the straps over your child's shoulder. The harness should be adjusted so you can slip only one finger underneath the straps at your child's chest.

6. Chest clips should be secured at a position that is level with a child's armpits.

7. Level the car seat correctly according to the instructional manual.

8. Backseat’s are generally the safest place in the event of a crash. If your vehicle has a passenger side air bag in the front seat, it's important for children 12 and under to ride in back seat.

9. Keep your child in a safety seat with a full harness until they are at least 40 pounds. Children weighing between 40 to 80 pounds can use a belt-positioning booster seat with the adult lap and shoulder belt.

10. Check safety belt fit on older children. The child must be tall enough to sit without slouching, with knees bent at the edge of the seat, with feet on the floor. The lap belt must fit low and tight across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should rest over the shoulder and across the chest. Never put the shoulder belt under the child's arm or behind her back.

Get Your Child Car Seat Today And Save!!