Proper Installation of Car Seats

When it comes to traveling with infants and children in the car, the best thing you can do is get the right car seat for your child. One size does not fit all. It is critical that the child restraint system you select is appropriate for the individual child’s age, weight and height.

Although nearly 80 percent of drivers use child restraint systems, more than 70 percent were found to be incorrectly installed. The most common mistakes? Incorrect use of the tethers and harnesses, which will keep the child safely secured in the event of an accident.

Follow these simple steps:

• Carefully check your car owner’s manual and car seat instructions.
• Do you need a special locking clip? Not all car safety belts will secure a car seat without one.
• Make sure the labeling on your car seat states that it meets federal motor vehicle standards.
• Send in the registration card, so that you will be notified of any product safety recalls.
• Make sure you have a tight fit. The car seat should not move more than 1 inch from side to side, or forward.
• Replace a car seat that has been in a crash.

How to Install a Car Seat

The National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) has a set a standard for car seat installation. New car seats and most vehicles made after September 2002 must feature LATCH, or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. LATCH attachments come in rigid (a metal piece that snaps over the anchor — found on Britax-brand car seats) and flexible (a hook that clips over the anchor). If both your child seat and your car are equipped with LATCH, there’s no need to use the seatbelts to install the seat.

However, not all LATCH seats will fit into all cars. NHTSA now offers a 32-hour course for people who want to become certified child passenger safety technicians. These technicians can be found at safety seat inspection stations.

Belt-Positioning Booster Seats

• No-back booster is used to correctly position the child in a vehicle lap/shoulder belt.
• Booster seat correctly positions the lap belt across the child’s upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest.
• High-back and no-back booster seats are for children who have outgrown child safety seats, at 40 lbs, and are not large enough for the vehicle belt system. Children should use a belt positioning booster seat until they are at least 8 years old or 4’9” tall.

Belt-Positioning Booster Seats

• No-back booster is used to correctly position the child in a vehicle lap/shoulder belt.
• Booster seat correctly positions the lap belt across the child’s upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest.
• High-back and no-back booster seats are for children who have outgrown child safety seats, at 40 lbs, and are not large enough for the vehicle belt system. Children should use a belt positioning booster seat until they are at least 8 years old or 4’9” tall.

Below are the NHTSA guidelines for safely installing child safety seats.

Rear-Facing, Infant-Only Seat

• Harness chest clip is correctly positioned at the child’s mid-chest or armpit level.
• Harness straps are snug and straight.
• Rear-facing harness straps should be positioned at, or slightly below, the child’s shoulders.
• A harness chest clip should be positioned at the child’s mid-chest or armpit level. This keeps the shoulder straps in the correct position.

Rear-Facing Convertible Seats

• Harness straps on rear-facing seats should be positioned at, or slightly below, the child’s shoulders.
• Harness chest clip is in the correct location.
• Harness straps are snug and straight.
• For a snug fit, adjust harness straps so they lie in a straight line without sagging. Place the chest clip at the armpit level.

Forward-Facing Convertible Seats

• Harness straps on forward-facing restraints should be positioned at, or slightly above, the child’s shoulders.
• Harness straps are snug and straight.
• Harness chest clip is positioned at the child’s mid-chest or armpit area.
• Children should remain in a forward facing child restraint until they are approximately 40 pounds and 4 years of age.

Forward-Facing Seats

• Combination seats convert from a 5-point harness system to a belt-positioning booster seat.
• At 40 pounds, harness straps should be removed and child should use the vehicle lap/shoulder belt.
• Some combination seats may be used without harness straps up to 60, 65, 70 or 80 pounds.
• When a combination seat is used with a 5-point harness, the child seat must be secured to the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt system.

Useful Links

• Car-Safety.org
• Car Seat Site
• NHTSA’s Child Passenger Safety Site
• National Safe Kids Campaign
• American Academy of Pediatrics Car Seat Safety