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 infant car seat-facing and rear-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed in front of a seat that has airbags because the force of the airbag could be fatal for children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason for this is quite simple If a collision occurs and the child is involved, they could get their head struck by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a child.

This is why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. In the event of a crash the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This will provide the most protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that only offers the most basic protection. The headrest keeps your child from sliding off the shoulder straps during an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It's important to note that there are ZERO documented cases of kids in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs after hitting the back of the front vehicle seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and get trapped against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the legs. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.

There are several programs in the United States that provide infant car seat cheap car seats at a discounted price or free to parents who qualify. This is a great way to get your child into a safe seat before they outgrow it and can be used in a safe manner for a long time.

Most new infant car seat in front seat car seats come with an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially beneficial for traveling with young children, as you can keep the car seat installed and ready to go even when switching vehicles.

Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it with a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of wireless earbuds are approximately 1.5 inches long and can be used to test for this space. Examine the directions for the car seat as well as the owner's manual for your vehicle to see if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often are prone to fall into a risky chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy chairs, strollers, swings and other toys for children. In a crash, they may be injured by the chest clip or crushed by straps on the harness that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps on your shoulder begin a little below and then come upwards over the shoulders of the child and be sure to tighten the straps. The straps must be secure enough to hold the excess fabric together. This is known as the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats may hinder this, so be sure to take them off prior to buckling your child in their seat.

The chest clip is made for a crash, however it can cause compression to the child's neck if it is too low or if they are loose. It's also important that the chest clip is not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be positioned at armpit height.

In the event of a crash who are rear-facing may slide down the seat. The harness straps should be capable of supporting the child's neck and head. It is essential to put the straps over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they can slip over the lightweight baby car seat's ears or go through their neck opening, and if they are too loose, they could move up to the child's nose.

Ensure the shoulder straps are at or above the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise their shoulders so they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to aid in this process and you can always check the instructions that came with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

Some parents might be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the rear-facing seat, however there is no reason to do this. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash the baby's body will be pressed against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries as their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

A lot of infant car seats have an angle indicator built in to ensure that the seat is properly installed. Also, you should ensure that your child's head rests on the seat flat, and that the straps are over their shoulders, not under their arms. To determine if the harness is too tight it is best car seat newborn to squeeze a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. You should also read the manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers suggest that children remain rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.

If you own a vehicle with just one back seat, you can install the infant car seat in the middle of the vehicle so you can easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side can make it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.

If you have a vehicle that has two back seats you can put the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't in front of the passenger-side airbag. If you must decide between installing an cheap infant car seats car seat on the left or right side of your vehicle, you can 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 should be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats can assist in positioning the lap belt and shoulder properly. They also limit the amount that a neck moves in collisions, reducing the chance of injury. Head movement is the main cause of motor vehicle accidents which are the most frequent fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

If a booster isn't used correctly the lap belt could slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be avoided with a belt guide on the booster, which stops the lap belt from sliding onto the stomach of a child or getting over armrests.

Many boosters have small handles, armrests or guide slots to put the lapbelt flat on a child's top legs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on the child's strong hip bones instead of moving up into their soft stomach area during a crash.

Certain booster seats are equipped with an automatic seat belt locking mechanism to keep the seat belt locked in place while the child is in it. This can help to prevent the lap belt from slipping up over the abdomen of a child. This may also help keep the seat belt from being pulled over the face of a child, which could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction as well as neck strain.