Car Seat Safety Guide

As parents, we worry about our children’s safety all the time. Driving is no exception. Do you ever wonder whether you have installed the car seat correctly? Are you curious to know what is the right car seat for your child?

You’re right to ask yourself all of these questions. Sadly, children are hurt or even killed in auto accidents every year, and study after study has shown that a properly installed child car seat is the best way to keep children safer in the car. If you have been involved in an auto accident though, then it might be a good idea to contact a car accident lawyer to help you out with compensation.

This article is all about car seats and by the end you understand:

  1. What kinds of car seats there are;
  2. What ages these seats are designed for;
  3. How you can pick the right one.

Ages Of Children And Types Of Car Seats

When it comes to car seats, more than just age is taken into consideration. Your child’s size is another factor, along with the type of car you own. Let’s break down the types of car seats that are available.

Infants and Toddlers

Children in these age groups should only ever use a rear-facing car seat or rear-facing convertible car seat until they are at the top height and weight for the car seat as determined by the manufacturer, or until two years old, whichever comes first.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

These children are able to sit in forward-facing car seats. Some convertible car seats will be able to adapt to the child at this stage, but if not, you will need to purchase a forward-facing group 2 car seat that has a harness. Again, your child should stay in this seat until he or she reaches the top height and weight recommendation for the seat. Just follow the manufacturer’s chart to determine what those are.

Grade Schoolers

These children are ones who have outgrown their forward-facing car seats and are ready for a booster seat that typically uses the car’s seatbelts for anchoring. Most children will need to stay in their booster seats until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall. At this height, the car’s seatbelts will be about the right size for your child to use without any assistance.

Older Children

Normally once a child reaches age 12, they are finally tall enough to use the seatbelts in the car without a supplementary car seat. If your child is tall for their age, they can stop using a booster as soon as they reach the correct height. According to Transport Canada, your child must be able to sit up straight, with his or her back against the back of your vehicle’s seat. Your child’s legs should be able to hang over the seat without slouching. Slouching makes the lap belt move up over the stomach when it should be over the hips.

For proper protection in the event of a car crash, your child must use the lap and shoulder belts. You may need to make an adjustment of the position of the seatbelt if your car provides it to ensure the shoulder part is properly placed. This is a really important step, as it could be the difference between life and death in the event of a car crash. A car crash isn’t something that you can plan for, it’s unexpected and comes about so suddenly. Often you might not have been at fault, but could still get severely injured. If this has happened to you recently, then at least some good news is that you can hire a personal injury lawyer (like the ones found at diamondlawbc.ca) who can help you get any compensation that you deserve.

Here is more information about each type of seat:

Rear-Facing Seats

The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends a rear-facing car seat for all infants and toddlers until they are at least 1 year old. This starts with the ride home from the hospital and continues until the child is at the height and weight maximum stated by the manufacturer. You can choose one of three types of rear-facing seats.

1 – Rear-Facing

Rear-facing only seats are used for the smallest of babies up to 40 pounds maximum. They often have handles on them to make it easy to keep from disturbing the baby when you remove the car seat to bring the baby inside. Sometimes the seat can snap into a stroller so you can be on your way quickly once you arrive at your destination. These seats can also come with a base that stays attached to the car seat so all you have to do is remove the carrier and snap it back in when you are ready to leave again. You can also purchase more than one base so the grandparents can have one and you have the other, making trips to see the family easier.

2 – Convertible

A convertible seat allows you to have a rear-facing seat for the younger kids, and then turn it around to be front-facing when they get older. It saves you a bit of money because you can use one seat longer, but they are also bigger than rear-facing only seats are. They also rarely come with handles to allow for unclipping and taking the baby out in them. That said, they often support a higher weight (50 pounds) so your child can stay rear-facing for longer, which is great for larger toddlers. These also hold the child in the seat with a five-point safety harness that anchors the shoulders, comes around the hips, and then clips in between the legs. You should never use an adapter that is supposed to alter how the seat will fit in the car. They are not recommended and they can actually keep the seat from working properly. If the seat doesn’t work for you or your child, it’s time to get a different one.

3 – Three In 1

The third kind of rear facing seat is a three-in-one design that is meant to grow with your child. It starts out rear-facing, adapts to forward-facing, then becomes a booster seat. This enables you to buy one device and keep it for several years as your child grows. They are often a lot bigger than individual units are, because of their ability to convert to other designs. Like convertible styles, they don’t have a handle, but their ability to support a larger child makes them versatile.

No matter what type you choose, when your child outgrows their current one, they should still be seated rear-facing in a seat until they are at least 1 years old. Also, these car seats are for travel only. They shouldn’t be used indoors or for other purposes.

Forward-Facing Seats

These are ideal for toddlers who have outgrown their rear-facing seats. The harness in the seat will help anchor them in the seat firmly. Typically, the height and weight limits on the seat will allow for a child up to 4 years old or 40 lbs to use it. Forward-facing car seats with higher weight limits are now available up to 65 lbs for larger toddlers and preschool-aged children. If you have a taller or bigger child, look for a seat that has a bigger set of limitations and a matching harness set.

You will find that there are four kinds of car seats that take advantage of the forward-facing design.

1 – Convertible Seats

Including three-in-one seats, which convert from rear-facing to forward-facing as your child grows.

2 – Forward Only

These seats are no longer made, but they are still available out there. They can seat children up to 80 pounds, but the weight limit varies by model.

3 – Combination Seat

A combination seat features a removable harness that converts from a forward-facing version to a booster seat that will allow a child up to 120 pounds to use it.

4 – Built In

Some cars have forward-facing car seats built in, but your child must be at least two years old to use it. There are a wide range of height and weight limits to these, so be sure to read your car owner’s manual carefully to learn what kind your car has.

Booster Seats

Children who are in grade school are typically too big to fit in a forward-facing car seat. Once they have exceeded the height and weight limits for their car seats, they should be placed in a booster seat. The booster seat is most often held in place by the car’s seat belt.

Your child will need to sit in a booster seat until they are able to sit up straight, with his or her back against the back of your vehicle’s seat. Your child’s legs should be able to hang over the seat without slouching. The shoulder belt should rest on your child’s shoulder, never on the neck or arm.

There are two types of booster seats that are available today. Some install using the seat belts that come with your car instead of the harnesses like rear-facing and forward-facing car seats use. Alternatively, they may just raise your child up and get fastened in when the seat belt is used normally. A few models do have clips and lower anchors like car seats for smaller children do. No matter how it is installed, a booster seat is meant to make your child tall enough to fit into the seat properly and use the seat belts.

1 – A high-Back Booster

This seat is needed in cars that either don’t have head rests in the back seat or they have low seats. High-back booster seats are often the final version of a convertible car seat.

2 – Backless Booster

This seat is ideal for families that need to move the booster seat from car to car. They are also cheaper than other versions, so it’s possible to buy one for each car and keep them affixed. They are designed for cars that have either higher seats in the rear and/or have head rests for your child’s head and neck protection.

Now that you have a better understanding on the types of car seats out there, how do you go about buying one?

How To Buy A Car Seat

Some car seats are rated more highly by consumer advocacy organizations, or are priced more expensively than others, but the ultimate best seat for you and your family is the one that works for you. It’s the one that is the perfect fit for your car and most importantly – fits your child.

  • Stay away from used ones or older models. Some models have an expiration date, the maximum age the car seat can be before it is no longer effective.
  • A car seat should also not have any visible damage like cracks in it. This means it is either too old or it has been in an auto accident. Some seats might still be fine to use after a car crash, but why take chances? Most fire departments and insurance companies will recommend that you discard a car seat that was involved in an accident and buy a new one. Many insurance companies will reimburse you for the cost of a replacement car seat as part of the property damage claim.
  • Car seats should have a full owner’s manual and all of the parts so you can correctly install it in the car.
  • Before buying a car seat, ensure that your vehicle is equipped with all the appropriate tethers, anchors and/or harnesses required for that particular model. For example, many forward-facing car seats require a tether anchor located on the reverse of the seat back. Older cars do not come with these anchors, but they can be installed.
  • Transport Canada has provided a list of manufacturers, models, and expiry dates or useful life on car seats here.

Now that you have found the right seat for your child, comes the most important step: how to install a car seat?

Where To Install Your Car Seat

If your child is in any sort of car seat, he or she needs to be in the back seat. It’s the safest place to be. Even if your child is no longer using a car seat, if he or she is under the age of 13, the back seat is best. Being placed in the middle of the rear seat keeps your child from hitting his or her head on the back of the seat in front of them in the event of a car accident, but a child safety seat may not have any anchors to attach to in the middle section. Also, some cars do not have a flat back seat. If the middle section has a hump to it, it’s best to avoid it.

For maximum protection, the child car seat needs to be installed where the anchor system is located or the seatbelt can be used to attach it. If you need some help with car seat installation, we can help with this. Learn more about our car safety seat installation service.

Now that you have the car seat installed, read the tips below for ways to get your child into the seat easily.

How To Get Your Child Into The Car Seat Easily

Getting your child into a car seat can be challenging. Here are some suggestions to make the process a little smoother.

  • Wear your own seat belt. When your child sees you doing this, they will be more likely to follow your lead and want to be safe themselves.
  • Be consistent. When your child is in another car, make sure that there is in a car seat there, too. You should also make sure that the person who will be driving knows how to use the car seat correctly.

We hope you have a better understanding of car seats. We want you to make the best decision and feel comfortable installing whatever seat you choose. If you would like to have us install the car seat for you, learn more about our car seat installation special.

It is also worth considering what other kinds of hazards there are on the road. With your children strapped in safely you want to make sure that you’ve thought of every possible safety precaution. I was talking to my friend the other day who was involved in a semi truck crash and told me that she was so glad she had an understanding legal representative on the other end of the phone right after it happened. Becker Law Office PLC fought really hard for her compensation so I know anyone would be in safe hands with them.