Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children grow out of their infant car seats they can transition into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats are available in rear-facing and forward-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed on top of a car seat with airbags, since the force of the deployed airbag could be fatal for babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if an infant car seat rear facing car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: When an accident occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could cause harm or even death to the infant.

This is why infant car seats are made to be rear-facing only. The seat's back rests against the back of the vehicle seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby.

In addition, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child more than a forward-facing one which offers only a small amount of neck and head protection. The headrest keeps your child from sliding out of the shoulder straps during an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip above the shoulders.

It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO known instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet fly up and are sucked into the seat's back, which puts tremendous pressure into the leg bones. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of.

There are numerous programs across the country for qualifying parents to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to get your child into an appropriate car seat before they grow out of it and use it in a safe manner for a long time.

The majority of the modern infant car seats have a base that they click into and out of, making them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is especially beneficial for families with small children because you can keep the car seat in place and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

Find the center of the car seat and measure it with the help of a tape. Many items, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of earbuds that are wireless are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Review the instructions for your car seat as well as the owner's manual for your vehicle to determine whether the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and infants often are prone to fall into a risky chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy seats, swings, strollers and other toys for children. In the event of a crash the children could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Adjust them to prevent this. The straps must be tight enough to squeeze the 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 before you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during a crash, but it may compress on a child's throat in the event that it's too high or when the chest straps are loose. It is also essential that the chest clip is not in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be placed at armpit level.

In a crash, infants who are facing rearwards will slide up the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the head and neck of the child. It is crucial to place the straps over the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they could slide through the neck opening of the baby or over their ears. If they're too loose, they may be able to reach the face of the child.

Make sure the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or around the child's shoulders. Infants may require an infant insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up so that their shoulders can reach the slot. Some infant carrier seat car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to help with this and you should always read the instructions included with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to flip their infant car seat around to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do it. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will tense against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children may suffer serious injuries because their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.

Many infant car seats also come with an angle indicator built in to ensure that the seat is installed correctly. Also, you should ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are on their shoulders rather than under their arms. To determine if the harness is too tight, you should be able hold a small amount material around the shoulder of your child. Check the crotch strap and make sure it's at the same level as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat to be aware of the proper method of using it for your child.

Most manufacturers advise that children sit rear-facing in their car seats until they reach at least 1 year old, or until they reach the height and weight limits of their car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a vehicle that has only one rear seat. This allows you to view your child comfortably through the rearview mirror, without having to bend. Installing the car seat on your driver's side also makes it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two rear seats the infant car seat can be placed on either side as long as it's not the airbag's direction on the passenger's side. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat on the left or the 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 infant car seat due to weight and height must use a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when they are at least 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 assist in positioning the lap and shoulder belt correctly. They can also limit the distance that a child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the chance of injury. Head movement is the primary cause of motor vehicle crashes that are the top rated baby car seats fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

If a booster is not properly used, the lap portion can travel over a child’s abdomen and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This can be avoided by using a booster that has lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from climbing over arm rests or sliding on a child's belly.

Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles or guide slots that help to keep the lap belt in a low and flat position across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt is placed and remains on a child's sturdy hip bones instead of slipping into their soft stomach area during a crash.

Certain booster seats feature the seatbelt locking mechanism which locks the seatbelt in place when a child sits in them. This will help to stop the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This can keep the seat belt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well neck strain.