Car crashes are a leading cause of death and injury in children. Using the right car seat — correctly installed and appropriate for your child’s age, weight, and height — is one of the most important things you can do to protect your child. The AAP recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, then forward-facing with a harness, then a booster, then a seatbelt.
Read on for Dr. Long’s car seat guidelines to ensure a safe and fun summer of road trips for your family.
Summer is fast approaching and for many families that means lots of fun hours in the car on road trips. No parent would ever knowingly put their child’s safety at risk, but that is what often happens when we buckle our kids in the car. More than 70% of car seats are improperly installed and at least half of caregivers are not correctly securing children in their car seats. All of this greatly reduces the ability of car seats and booster seats to protect your child.
So what can parents do? First, make sure your child is in the right seat for her or his height and weight by reading the info below. Second, double check that your seat is properly installed. Safe Kids DC has sites throughout the city where they do checks most days of the week. Spring Valley Pediatrics hosted a free car seat check with Safe Kids DC in May and will be hosting another in September. Third, use the right seat in the right way every time you are in the car.
One of the most common questions we are asked as pediatricians is when a child can move to the next type of car seat or booster seat. As parents, we look forward to our children growing, maturing, and making it to the next milestone. However, with car seats it’s best to go slow. Instead of looking forward to graduating to the next safety seat, aim to keep your child in their current car seat for as long as they meet the manufacturer’s height and weight restrictions.
We find parents excitedly turn their child front-facing long before it is safe to do so. Staying rear facing for as long as possible – up to 35-50 lb in most convertible car seats – is 5 times safer for your child in a collision. Your tall two year old may look like her legs cannot comfortably fit rear facing but you would be surprised by how happily kids adjust their positions in their car seats.
Similarly, the jump from a booster seat to the regular seat is one every 5th grader is anxious to make. To check if your child is ready to retire car seats and booster seats forever, see if he passes these steps. Can he sit with his back against the vehicle’s seat, knees bent at the edge of the seat, and feet flat on the floor? Is the lap belt positioned over his thighs (not his belly) and the shoulder belt positioned across the shoulder and chest (not his neck or face)? Also importantly, can he sit properly with no slouching, moving around, leaning forward, or playing with the seatbelt? If so, you can consider ditching the booster forever but, as always, no need to rush things. They grow up fast enough.
Car seats do expire, typically six years from their manufacturing date, due to gradual breakdown of the materials and daily strain from installations and use – so be sure to check the date on the side or back of your car seat. You should also replace your safety seats if your car is in an accident, even if there is no visible damage to the car seat or your child was not riding in it at the time. Purchasing a new one is crucial to ensure your child continues to travel safely. Also, replace your car seat if there is obvious wear and tear – the straps are frayed or the harness doesn’t latch as well – since these are signs that it would not properly protect your child in an accident. As tempting as it is, never purchase a used car seat. There is no way to ensure that it is top condition and has never sustained damage in a car accident.
Still have questions? There is a lot to know about car seats and recommendations change as more medical and scientific data become available. Use your pediatrician as a guide and resource for how to keep your kids safe in all aspects of their life. We make it our job to help parents protect their little ones!
The Right Seat For Every Age
Birth to 12 months: a rear-facing car seat is the perfect spot for your little one. Infant, convertible and 3-in-1 car seats are all options for safely securing your baby. Infant car seats (aka “bucket seats”) can be used up to the first year of life or until your baby outgrows the height and weight recommendations, whichever happens first. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats can last longer but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on height and weight requirements.
1 to 3 years: your little one is still safest rear-facing. Most convertible and 3-in-1 car seats can still be used during this age. Switch your child to front-facing once she reaches the maximum height or weight limit for the car seat. Some convertible car seats can accommodate a child up to 80lbs in the front facing position so make sure you pick a color or pattern you adore because you’ll
be seeing it for years to come!
4 to 7 years old: your school age child has likely grown to safely ride front-facing. Continue to use the five-point harness until they reach the height and weight restrictions of the seat. Combination seats (a hybrid car seat that can turn into a booster), convertible car seats, or 3-in-1 car seats should still accommodate your growing child.
8 to 12 years old: Though your child might seem so grown up, it is unlikely that he is ready to ditch safety seats altogether. A booster seat is best at this age. They come in many different shapes and sizes, with and without backs, and work with your car’s seatbelt to keep your child safe in the car.
13 and up: While the safest place in the car for your teen is in the back seat, a child of this age may legally sit in the front passenger seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of car seat is right for my child’s age?
Rear-facing: from birth until your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit of their seat (most modern rear-facing seats accommodate children up to 40–50 lbs — much longer than the old guidance of “until age 2″). Forward-facing with harness: after outgrowing rear-facing, until reaching the seat’s harness limit (usually 65–80 lbs). Booster seat: until the vehicle seatbelt fits properly (typically 4’9” tall, usually between ages 8–12). Seatbelt only: when the lap-and-shoulder belt fits correctly without a booster.
How do I know if my car seat is installed correctly?
A correctly installed car seat should not move more than 1 inch in any direction when you grab it at the base and tug firmly. The harness should be snug — you should not be able to pinch any slack at the collarbone. The chest clip should be at armpit level. For help with installation, visit a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician — NHTSA has a locator at nhtsa.gov/therightseat.
Should my child stay rear-facing until a specific age?
The AAP no longer gives a specific age cutoff for rear-facing. Keep your child rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of their rear-facing seat. This is the safest position for young children in a crash because it distributes crash forces across the whole body.
Are there common car seat mistakes I should know about?
Common mistakes include: harness straps that are too loose; the chest clip positioned on the belly instead of at armpit level; using an infant seat that the child has outgrown; adding aftermarket accessories not approved by the seat manufacturer; putting a heavy coat under the harness (use a blanket over the harness instead); and using a seat beyond its expiration date.
What about winter coats in car seats?
Never put a child in a car seat while wearing a puffy coat. In a crash, the coat compresses and leaves the harness dangerously loose. Instead, buckle your child in normally, then lay a blanket or the coat over the front of the harness to keep them warm.
