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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat? When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements. Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat that has airbags because the force of the airbag can be fatal for babies and children. 1. The 1.5 Inch Rule Many parents ask whether the infant car seat could be placed on top of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is quite simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be hit by an airbag if in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a baby. Infant car seats are only designed to be rearward-facing. The seat's back rests against the back of the vehicle seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby. Additionally, the rear-facing car seat protects the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing one, which provides only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest also prevents the child from falling off the shoulder straps in a crash and the harness will keep the chest clip in place above your child's shoulders. It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This occurs when a child's feet fly upwards and get trapped against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the leg. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk for this. There are numerous programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a discounted price or for free to parents who qualify. This is a great way to ensure your child is in a safe seat before they get out of it and use it safely for many years. The base of most newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is particularly useful for families with small children, as you can keep the car seat in place and ready to go, even if you change vehicles. Before you put your child in the car seat, find out if the car seat back will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape to determine. This space can be checked using a variety of things, such as the blade of a key or the length of the wireless earbuds. Examine the directions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space. 2. Harness Position Preemies and newborns frequently fall into a dangerous chin-to-chest posture in infant car seats, bouncy seats, swings, strollers and other children's equipment. In a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, check that the straps on your shoulder start a bit lower and move upwards over the shoulders of the child and ensure that you tighten them. The straps should be secure enough to be able to pinch any fabric that isn't tight enough – this is called the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to remove them prior to you buckle your child into their seat. The chest clip was designed for a crash, however it could compress a child's neck if it is too low or if they are not tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level. In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants can slide up the seat and the harness straps should be able to support the child's head and neck. It is crucial to place the straps over the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they may slide through the opening on the neck of the infant or over their ears. If they are too loose, they can be able to reach the face of the child. Make sure that the shoulder straps are securely fitted and in the slots above or around the shoulders of your child. Newborns may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to lift their shoulders until they reach this slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to help with this and you should always read the instructions included with the seat. 3. Rear-Facing Only Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the rear-facing seat but there's no need to do this. The rear-facing position is safer than the 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. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and can cause serious injury. Additionally, many infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure that the seat is installed correctly. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is on the seat flat, and that the straps are over their shoulders rather than under their arms. infant car seats that swivel pushchairsandprams.uk should be able to pinch a small amount of material at their shoulder to determine that the harness is tight 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 recommended to read the instruction manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to properly use it. Most manufacturers recommend that children ride rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least one year old, or until they reach the weight and height limits of their car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for at minimum two years. If you own a vehicle with just one back seat, install the infant car seat in the middle so that you can easily view your child through your rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It is also beneficial to put the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your car every time you need to put your baby in or out of their car seat. If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be placed on either side, as long as it's not the airbag's front on the passenger-side. If you need to decide whether to install the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side. 4. Booster Seats All children who outgrow their car seat for infants by weight or height must use a booster seat until the seat belt fits them properly. This can only happen when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements). Booster seats can assist in positioning the shoulder and lap belts correctly. They also decrease the distance the child's head moves during the crash, which lowers the chance of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the most fatal killer of children aged 4-8, and head movement is the biggest culprit. If a booster isn't properly used the lap belt could travel over a child’s abdomen 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 onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests. Many boosters are designed with small handles, armrests, or guide slots that aid to place the lap belt in a low and flat position across a child's upper thighs. This will ensure that the lapbelt starts and stays on the strong hipbones of the child, rather than moving up into their soft abdomen area in the event of a crash. Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This can keep the lap belt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This can also help to keep the seat belt from being pulled over a child's face, which could result in airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well as neck strain.