Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children outgrow their infant car seats they can move into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain age and weight specifications.

It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags on a vehicle seat, as the impact of the airbag could be fatal to babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a baby.

Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. The back of the seat rests against the back of the vehicle seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby.

Additionally, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child better than a forward-facing one, which provides only minimal neck and head protection. The headrest also stops the child from slipping off the shoulder straps during an accident and the harness will keep the chest clip high above the shoulders of your child.

It's important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly up and get caught against the back of the seat which causes a lot of pressure on the bones of the legs. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.

There are also several programs throughout the country that allow qualifying parents to get discounted or free infant car seats. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that your child is in a safe car seat before they grow out of it. It can be used for many years.

The majority of newer infant car seats come with a base that they click into and out of, making them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat in place and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.

Find the center of the car seat and measure it with a tape. This space can be checked using a variety of objects, including the blade of a key or length of earbuds wireless. After that, you should check the car seat's instructions and the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

In the infant car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies could be in a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In the event of a collision the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. 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 ensure that you tighten them. The straps must be secure enough to squeeze the fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Overly bulky outer layers such as winter coats can interfere with this, so make sure to take them off prior to placing your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break in a crash but it can cause a child's throat to collapse if it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In a crash, infants who are rear-facing will likely slide up the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the child's neck and head. It is important to place the straps over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the baby's ears or slide through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they can slide towards the baby's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are that are above or below your child's shoulders and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant car seats best insert (often included in the car seat), to raise their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats come with angle indicators or adjustors that can assist you in this. You can also refer to the instructions that come in the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat cheap car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason to do it. The rear-facing seat is safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a crash, the baby's body will be pressed against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backwards against the vehicle and could cause serious injuries.

A majority of portable infant car seat car seats have an angle indicator built-in to help you ensure the seat is installed correctly. Also, you should ensure that your child's head rests on the seat flat, and that the straps are over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You can pinch a little bit of material at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is snug enough. Check the crotch strap and ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read your infant car seat manual to ensure you understand the correct way to use it for your child.

Most manufacturers recommend that kids remain rear-facing until they're at the age of one or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws that require babies to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

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

If you own a car that has two back seats you can put the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't directly in front of the passenger side airbag. If you must decide between installing an infant car seat on either the left or right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight or height must be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt is fitted properly. This can only be done when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats are a great way to position the lap belt and shoulder correctly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's skull moves during the crash, which lowers the chance of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the most fatal killer of children aged 4-8, and head motion is the most significant cause.

If the booster is not used correctly, the lap portion of the belt could slide up over a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in the event of a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding onto a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters come with armrests, handles, or guide slots that aid to place the lap belt in a low and flat position over a child's upper thighs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and stays on the hipbones of a child's strength, rather than moving upwards into their abdomen area in the event of the event of a crash.

Some booster seats come with the seatbelt locking mechanism which keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is sitting in them. This can prevent the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This will keep the seat belt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well neck strain.