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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat? As children get older, they can move out of their infant car seats they can be moved into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain age and weight requirements. Car seats should not be placed on top of a car seat with airbags, since the force of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children. 1. The 1.5 Inch Rule Many parents wonder if the infant car seat can be placed on top of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: If a crash occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause harm or even death to the infant. This is why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the rear of the car seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby. A rear-facing car seat protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that offers only minimal protection. The headrest also prevents the child from falling off the shoulder straps during the event of a crash and the harness holds the chest clip above the shoulders of your child. It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly up and get caught against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous stress on the bones of the leg. This is not something you should put your child in danger of. There are also several programs throughout the country that allow qualifying parents to receive free or discounted infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to get your child in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years. The majority of the newer infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children, as you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles. Before you take your child's seat check if the car seat back will touch the vehicle seat's back by measuring the center of the seat and measuring with a tape to determine. This area is a test that can be done with a variety of items, including the blade of a key, or the length wireless earbuds. Check the instructions on your car seat as well as the vehicle owner's manual to see whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate this space. 2. best car seats newborn and newborns frequently fall into a dangerous chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy seats swings, strollers and other children's equipment. In a crash, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Check that the straps are set slightly below the shoulders of the child and then, when they are up, they should be over their shoulders. Tighten them to avoid this. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can hinder the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them prior to putting your child into their seat. The chest clip is designed to break during an accident, but it could cause a child's throat to collapse if it's too low or when the chest straps are loose. 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 cradle the neck and head of the child. This is why it's important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they could slide over the baby's ears, or go through their neck opening, and if they are too loose they can move toward the child's nose. Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or at the shoulders of your child. Newborns may require a separate infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them to ensure their shoulders are in this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that can help you with this. You can also refer to the instructions that come with the seat. 3. Rear-Facing Only While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward, due to their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason why you should. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing, as the child's spine and neck are protected in the event of an accident. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards by the vehicle, and may cause serious injury. Many infant car seats also come with an angle indicator so that you can ensure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head rests on the seat flat, and that the straps are placed over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a small amount of material at their shoulder to determine that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. You should also review the instruction manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to use it properly. Most manufacturers recommend that kids ride rear-facing until they're at the age of one or until they reach the weight and height limits. Certain states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old. If you own a car with only one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side, so you do not have to walk all the way around your vehicle every time you want to take your child into or out of their car seat. If you own a car that has two back seats you can place the infant car seat on either side as long as it's not in front of the passenger-side air bag. If you have to choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, put it on the driver’s side. 4. Booster Seats Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to their weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is properly fitted. 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 recommendations of the manufacturer of the seat for exact measurements). Booster seats can assist in positioning the shoulder and lap belts properly. Booster seats can also reduce the amount that a neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the risk of injuries. Head movement is the main cause of motor vehicle accidents, which are the leading killers of children ages 4-8. If a booster is used incorrectly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up to the abdomen of a child and cause severe injuries in an accident. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests. Many boosters are equipped with small handles, armrests, or guide slots that allow you to keep the lap belt low and flat over a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and stays on a child's strong hip bones instead of being pushed up into their stomachs in the event of an accident. Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that secures the seatbelt when a child sits in them. This can help prevent the lapbelt from moving upwards and over the child's abdomen. This will keep the seat belt from being pulled upwards over a child's face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well as neck strain.