Car Safety Seats: A Guide
Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. You can help keep this from happening to your grandchild by using car safety seats and seat belts correctly on every single trip you take. Here are some helpful tips.

Which car safety seat is the best?
No one seat is the "best" or "safest." The best seat is the one that fits your grandchild's size, is correctly installed, and is used properly every time you drive. When shopping for a car safety seat, keep the following in mind:

Don't decide by price alone. A higher price does not mean the seat is safer or easier to use. All car safety seats available for sale in the United States must meet government safety standards.

When you find a seat you like, try it out. Put your grandchild in it and adjust the harnesses and buckles. Make sure it fits properly and securely in your car.

Keep in mind that pictures or displays of car safety seats may not show them being used the right way.

Important safety rules
Always use a car safety seat. Start with your grandchild's first ride home from the hospital.

Never place a child in a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has a passenger air bag.

All children younger than 13 years are safest in the back seat.

Be a good role model—always wear your seat belt. This will help your grandchild form a lifelong habit of buckling up.

Remember that each car safety seat is different. Read and keep the instructions that came with your seat handy, and follow them at all times.

Read your car owner's manual for information about installing your car safety seat.

If you need help installing your car safety seat, contact a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician. To locate a child safety seat inspection station and set up an appointment, call toll-free at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243) or visit www.seatcheck.org.

Rear-facing seats
All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your grandchild reaches 20 pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing at least until she turns 1 year old. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.

There are 2 types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then turned forward-facing once your grandchild is old enough and big enough to do so safely.

Infant-only seats

• Small and have carrying handles (sometimes come as part of a stroller system).
• Have a built-in harness.
• Are used for infants from birth up to 22 to 30 pounds, depending on model.
• Many come with a base that can be left in the car. The seat clicks into and out of the base, so you don't have to install the base each time you use it.

Convertible seats (used rear-facing)

• Are used rear-facing from birth until your grandchild is at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer, usually 30 pounds or more for all new convertible seats. Check your car safety seat instructions to find the weight and height limits for rear-facing.
• Have higher rear-facing weight limits than infant-only seats and are good for bigger babies.
• Have the following 3 types of harnesses:
  • 5-point harness—5 points of attachment: 2 at the shoulders, 2 at the hips, 1 at the crotch.
  • Overhead shield—A padded tray-like shield that swings down over the child.
  • T-shield—A padded t-shaped or triangle-shaped shield attached to the shoulder straps.

Features to look for in rear-facing seats

• Harness slots. Look for a seat with more than one set of harness slots to give your grandchild room to grow. The harness should be in the slots at or below your grandchild's shoulders when your baby is rear-facing.
• Adjustable buckles and shields. Many rear-facing seats have 2 or more buckle positions for growing babies. Many overhead shields can be adjusted as well.
• Other helpful features. Angle indicators and built-in angle adjusters can help you get the proper recline. Head support systems can help your baby fit in the seat properly.

Forward-facing seats
Once your grandchild is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds, he can ride forward-facing. However, it is best for him to ride rear-facing until he reaches the highest weight or height allowed by the car safety seat. There are many types of seats that can be used forward-facing: convertible seats, built-in seats, combination forward-facing/booster seats, and travel vests.

Convertible seats (used forward-facing)
Convertible seats can be used forward-facing by children who are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. To switch the seat from rear- to forward-facing, be sure to follow these steps:

• Move the shoulder straps to the slots that are at or above your grandchild's shoulders. On many convertible seats, the top harness slots must be used when the seat is in the forward-facing position. Check the instructions to be sure.
• Move the seat from the reclined to the upright position if required by the manufacturer of the seat.
• Make sure the seat belt runs through the forward-facing belt path.

When making these changes, always follow the car safety seat instructions.

Built-in seats
Built-in forward-facing seats are available in some cars and vans. Weight and height limits vary. Read your vehicle owner's manual or contact the manufacturer for details about how to use these seats.

Combination forward-facing/booster seats
Some car safety seats can be used as both a forward-facing seat and a booster. These seats come with harness straps for children who weigh up to 40 to 65 pounds (depending on the model). Once your grandchild reaches the weight or height limit for the harness, you can use the seat as a booster by removing the harness and using your vehicle's lap and shoulder seat belts. Keep in mind that when using the harness straps, the seat can be secured with a lap and shoulder belt or a lap-only belt. However, once you remove the harness, you must use a lap and shoulder seat belt. Children must never ride in a booster seat using a lap belt only because serious injury can result.

Travel vests
Travel vests can be used for a child who has outgrown his seat with a harness but is not yet ready for a booster seat or cannot use a booster seat because the vehicle only has lap seat belts in the rear.

Booster seats
Booster seats are designed to raise your grandchild so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. This means the lap belt lies low across your grandchild's upper thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your grandchild's chest and shoulder. Correct belt fit helps protect the stomach, spine, and head from injury in a crash. Both high-back and backless booster seats are available. They do not come with harness straps but are used with the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. Booster seats should be used until your grandchild can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts (see "Seat belts" below).

Your grandchild should stay in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible before switching to a booster seat. You can tell when your grandchild is ready for a booster seat when one of the following is true:

• She reaches the top weight or height allowed for her seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and are also included in the instruction booklet.)
• Her shoulders are above the harness slots.
• Her ears have reached the top of the seat.

Seat belts
Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your grandchild correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.

Your grandchild is ready to use a lap and shoulder seat belt when the belts fit properly. This means:

• The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat.
• The lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
• He is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with his legs bent without slouching and can stay in this position comfortably throughout the trip.

Other points to keep in mind when using seat belts:

• Make sure your grandchild does not tuck the shoulder belt under her arm or behind her back.
• If there's only a lap belt, make sure it's snug and low on her thighs, not across the stomach. Try to get a lap and shoulder belt installed in your car by a dealer.
• Never allow anyone to "share" seat belts. All passengers must have their own car safety seats or seat belts.
• The safest place for all children younger than 13 years to ride is in the back seat.

A warning about seat belt adjusters
There are products for sale that attach to the seat belt and claim to make it fit better. These products may actually interfere with proper lap and shoulder belt fit by causing the lap belt to ride too high on the stomach and making the shoulder belt too loose, and may even damage the seat belt itself. There is no federal standard for the performance of these products, and most vehicle and car safety seat manufacturers do not recommend their use. Until there are federal safety standards for these products, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends they not be used. As long as children are riding in the correct restraint for their size and age, they do not need to use any additional devices.

Installing a car safety seat
There are 2 main things to remember when installing a car safety seat.

• The seat must be buckled tightly into your vehicle.
• Your child must be buckled snugly into the seat.

Ask yourself the following questions to make sure both are done correctly. If you are not sure, check the instructions that came with your car safety seat, or contact a certified CPS Technician for help.

• Is the car safety seat facing the right direction for your grandchild's age and size?
• Is the seat belt routed through the correct belt path?
• If you are using the LATCH system to attach the seat, have you attached the straps to the correct anchor points in the vehicle?
• Are the LATCH straps or seat belt buckled tightly? If you can move the seat more than an inch side to side or front to back, it's not tight enough.
• Is your rear-facing seat reclined enough? Your grandchild's head should not flop forward. If it does, tilt the car safety seat back a little. Your car safety seat may have a built-in recline adjuster for this purpose. If not, wedge firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the base.
• Do you need a locking clip? They come with all new car safety seats, and some are even built into the seat. If the seat belts in your car move freely even when buckled and there is no way to lock them, you need a locking clip. If you're not sure, check the manual that came with your car. Locking clips are not needed in most newer vehicles and in vehicles with LATCH.
• Some lap belts (especially those found in older vehicles) need a special heavy-duty locking clip. These are only available from the vehicle manufacturer. Check the manual that came with your car for more information or visit a car safety seat inspection station.

Is the child buckled into the car safety seat correctly?

• Are you using the correct harness slots?
• Are the harnesses snug?
• Have you placed the plastic harness clip (if your seat comes with one) at armpit level to hold the shoulder straps in place?
• Do the harness straps lie flat?
• Is your grandchild dressed in clothes that allow the straps to go between the legs? It's OK to adjust the straps to allow for thicker clothes, but make sure the harness still holds the child snugly. Also, remember to tighten the straps again after the thicker clothes are no longer needed.
• Is anything under your grandchild? Tuck blankets around your baby after adjusting the harness straps snugly. Never place them under or behind your grandchild.
• Is your grandchild slouching down or to the side? If so, pad the sides of the seat and between the crotch and the crotch strap with rolled up diapers or blankets.

©American Academy of Pediatrics, All Rights Reserved.

Car Safety Seats: A Guide
Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. You can help keep this from happening to your grandchild by using car safety seats and seat belts correctly on every single trip you take. Here are some helpful tips.

Which car safety seat is the best?
No one seat is the "best" or "safest." The best seat is the one that fits your grandchild's size, is correctly installed, and is used properly every time you drive. When shopping for a car safety seat, keep the following in mind:

Don't decide by price alone. A higher price does not mean the seat is safer or easier to use. All car safety seats available for sale in the United States must meet government safety standards.

When you find a seat you like, try it out. Put your grandchild in it and adjust the harnesses and buckles. Make sure it fits properly and securely in your car.

Keep in mind that pictures or displays of car safety seats may not show them being used the right way.

Important safety rules
Always use a car safety seat. Start with your grandchild's first ride home from the hospital.

Never place a child in a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has a passenger air bag.

All children younger than 13 years are safest in the back seat.

Be a good role model—always wear your seat belt. This will help your grandchild form a lifelong habit of buckling up.

Remember that each car safety seat is different. Read and keep the instructions that came with your seat handy, and follow them at all times.

Read your car owner's manual for information about installing your car safety seat.

If you need help installing your car safety seat, contact a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician. To locate a child safety seat inspection station and set up an appointment, call toll-free at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243) or visit www.seatcheck.org.

Rear-facing seats
All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your grandchild reaches 20 pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing at least until she turns 1 year old. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer.

There are 2 types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then turned forward-facing once your grandchild is old enough and big enough to do so safely.

Infant-only seats

• Small and have carrying handles (sometimes come as part of a stroller system).
• Have a built-in harness.
• Are used for infants from birth up to 22 to 30 pounds, depending on model.
• Many come with a base that can be left in the car. The seat clicks into and out of the base, so you don't have to install the base each time you use it.

Convertible seats (used rear-facing)

• Are used rear-facing from birth until your grandchild is at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds. It is best for children to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer, usually 30 pounds or more for all new convertible seats. Check your car safety seat instructions to find the weight and height limits for rear-facing.
• Have higher rear-facing weight limits than infant-only seats and are good for bigger babies.
• Have the following 3 types of harnesses:
  • 5-point harness—5 points of attachment: 2 at the shoulders, 2 at the hips, 1 at the crotch.
  • Overhead shield—A padded tray-like shield that swings down over the child.
  • T-shield—A padded t-shaped or triangle-shaped shield attached to the shoulder straps.

Features to look for in rear-facing seats

• Harness slots. Look for a seat with more than one set of harness slots to give your grandchild room to grow. The harness should be in the slots at or below your grandchild's shoulders when your baby is rear-facing.
• Adjustable buckles and shields. Many rear-facing seats have 2 or more buckle positions for growing babies. Many overhead shields can be adjusted as well.
• Other helpful features. Angle indicators and built-in angle adjusters can help you get the proper recline. Head support systems can help your baby fit in the seat properly.

Forward-facing seats
Once your grandchild is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds, he can ride forward-facing. However, it is best for him to ride rear-facing until he reaches the highest weight or height allowed by the car safety seat. There are many types of seats that can be used forward-facing: convertible seats, built-in seats, combination forward-facing/booster seats, and travel vests.

Convertible seats (used forward-facing)
Convertible seats can be used forward-facing by children who are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. To switch the seat from rear- to forward-facing, be sure to follow these steps:

• Move the shoulder straps to the slots that are at or above your grandchild's shoulders. On many convertible seats, the top harness slots must be used when the seat is in the forward-facing position. Check the instructions to be sure.
• Move the seat from the reclined to the upright position if required by the manufacturer of the seat.
• Make sure the seat belt runs through the forward-facing belt path.

When making these changes, always follow the car safety seat instructions.

Built-in seats
Built-in forward-facing seats are available in some cars and vans. Weight and height limits vary. Read your vehicle owner's manual or contact the manufacturer for details about how to use these seats.

Combination forward-facing/booster seats
Some car safety seats can be used as both a forward-facing seat and a booster. These seats come with harness straps for children who weigh up to 40 to 65 pounds (depending on the model). Once your grandchild reaches the weight or height limit for the harness, you can use the seat as a booster by removing the harness and using your vehicle's lap and shoulder seat belts. Keep in mind that when using the harness straps, the seat can be secured with a lap and shoulder belt or a lap-only belt. However, once you remove the harness, you must use a lap and shoulder seat belt. Children must never ride in a booster seat using a lap belt only because serious injury can result.

Travel vests
Travel vests can be used for a child who has outgrown his seat with a harness but is not yet ready for a booster seat or cannot use a booster seat because the vehicle only has lap seat belts in the rear.

Booster seats
Booster seats are designed to raise your grandchild so that the lap and shoulder seat belts fit properly. This means the lap belt lies low across your grandchild's upper thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your grandchild's chest and shoulder. Correct belt fit helps protect the stomach, spine, and head from injury in a crash. Both high-back and backless booster seats are available. They do not come with harness straps but are used with the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle, the same way an adult rides. Booster seats should be used until your grandchild can correctly fit in lap and shoulder seat belts (see "Seat belts" below).

Your grandchild should stay in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible before switching to a booster seat. You can tell when your grandchild is ready for a booster seat when one of the following is true:

• She reaches the top weight or height allowed for her seat with a harness. (These limits are listed on the seat and are also included in the instruction booklet.)
• Her shoulders are above the harness slots.
• Her ears have reached the top of the seat.

Seat belts
Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your grandchild correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.

Your grandchild is ready to use a lap and shoulder seat belt when the belts fit properly. This means:

• The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat.
• The lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the stomach.
• He is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with his legs bent without slouching and can stay in this position comfortably throughout the trip.

Other points to keep in mind when using seat belts:

• Make sure your grandchild does not tuck the shoulder belt under her arm or behind her back.
• If there's only a lap belt, make sure it's snug and low on her thighs, not across the stomach. Try to get a lap and shoulder belt installed in your car by a dealer.
• Never allow anyone to "share" seat belts. All passengers must have their own car safety seats or seat belts.
• The safest place for all children younger than 13 years to ride is in the back seat.

A warning about seat belt adjusters
There are products for sale that attach to the seat belt and claim to make it fit better. These products may actually interfere with proper lap and shoulder belt fit by causing the lap belt to ride too high on the stomach and making the shoulder belt too loose, and may even damage the seat belt itself. There is no federal standard for the performance of these products, and most vehicle and car safety seat manufacturers do not recommend their use. Until there are federal safety standards for these products, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends they not be used. As long as children are riding in the correct restraint for their size and age, they do not need to use any additional devices.

Installing a car safety seat
There are 2 main things to remember when installing a car safety seat.

• The seat must be buckled tightly into your vehicle.
• Your child must be buckled snugly into the seat.

Ask yourself the following questions to make sure both are done correctly. If you are not sure, check the instructions that came with your car safety seat, or contact a certified CPS Technician for help.

• Is the car safety seat facing the right direction for your grandchild's age and size?
• Is the seat belt routed through the correct belt path?
• If you are using the LATCH system to attach the seat, have you attached the straps to the correct anchor points in the vehicle?
• Are the LATCH straps or seat belt buckled tightly? If you can move the seat more than an inch side to side or front to back, it's not tight enough.
• Is your rear-facing seat reclined enough? Your grandchild's head should not flop forward. If it does, tilt the car safety seat back a little. Your car safety seat may have a built-in recline adjuster for this purpose. If not, wedge firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the base.
• Do you need a locking clip? They come with all new car safety seats, and some are even built into the seat. If the seat belts in your car move freely even when buckled and there is no way to lock them, you need a locking clip. If you're not sure, check the manual that came with your car. Locking clips are not needed in most newer vehicles and in vehicles with LATCH.
• Some lap belts (especially those found in older vehicles) need a special heavy-duty locking clip. These are only available from the vehicle manufacturer. Check the manual that came with your car for more information or visit a car safety seat inspection station.

Is the child buckled into the car safety seat correctly?

• Are you using the correct harness slots?
• Are the harnesses snug?
• Have you placed the plastic harness clip (if your seat comes with one) at armpit level to hold the shoulder straps in place?
• Do the harness straps lie flat?
• Is your grandchild dressed in clothes that allow the straps to go between the legs? It's OK to adjust the straps to allow for thicker clothes, but make sure the harness still holds the child snugly. Also, remember to tighten the straps again after the thicker clothes are no longer needed.
• Is anything under your grandchild? Tuck blankets around your baby after adjusting the harness straps snugly. Never place them under or behind your grandchild.
• Is your grandchild slouching down or to the side? If so, pad the sides of the seat and between the crotch and the crotch strap with rolled up diapers or blankets.

©American Academy of Pediatrics, All Rights Reserved.