Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children are outgrowing their infant car seats, they can move to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed in front of a vehicle seat equipped with airbags, as the force of the airbag could be fatal for infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents inquire if the infant car seat can be placed in front of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is simple: If there is a crash, the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could injure or kill the baby.

Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the back of the seat in a crash, providing the best protection for your infant.

A rear-facing car seat protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one, which only provides the most basic protection. The headrest also stops the child from falling off the shoulder straps during a crash, and the harness keeps the chest clip in place 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 child's feet fly up and are sucked into the back of the seat which causes a lot of stress on the bones of the leg. There's no reason to expose your child to the risk of this.

There are a variety of programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or free to parents who qualify. This is a great chance to ensure your child is in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for many years.

The base of many newer infant car seat models is designed to be easily removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children, as it allows you to keep the seat in place and ready for use even when you change vehicles.

Find the middle of the seat and measure it using the aid of a tape. This space can be checked using a variety of things, such as the blade of a key, or the length wireless earbuds. Then, check the instructions on your car seat as well as the owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

In baby car seats and bouncers, swings, strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies may fall into a dangerous position with their chests pressed against their chins. In the event of a crash, they could be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the straps on the harness that are loose or not placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are placed just below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to allow you to squeeze any fabric that is not tight enough - this is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with 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 an accident, but it could be compressed on the throat of a child when it's too low or if the chest straps are loose. It's also crucial that the chest strap is not in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be positioned at armpit height.

During a crash, rear-facing infants are likely to slide off the seat, and 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 may slide over the baby car seat's ears or slide through their neck opening, and if they are too loose, they could move toward the child'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 insert (often included in the car seat) to raise them up so their shoulders reach this slot. Some infant car seats have angle indicators or adjustors that can help you with this. You can also refer to the instructions that come with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to flip their infant car seat swivel car seat to face forward because of their child's legs getting too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do so. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children can suffer serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

A majority of infant car seats have an angle indicator to help you ensure the seat is properly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head is flat on the seat and that the straps are on their shoulders instead of under their arms. To determine whether the harness is tight it is best to hold a small amount material at your child's shoulder. It is also essential to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure that it is at a level with the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the instruction manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers recommend that kids ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until they are two years old.

If you own a vehicle that has only one rear seat, place the Infant Car Seat In Front Seat car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on the driver's side can make 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 front of the airbag on the passenger's side. However, if you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat for newborn seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who outgrow their infant car seat by weight and height must use a booster seat until the seat belt is fitted properly. This can only happen if they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the seat manufacturer's recommendations for exact measurements).

Booster seats are a great way to position the shoulder and lap belts properly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the chance of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 4-8, and head movement is the most significant cause.

If a booster is used improperly the lap part of the belt may slide up over a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in the event of a crash. This can be avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or climbing over armrests.

Many boosters come with small handles or armrests, or guide slots that help place the lap belt low and flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and remains on a child's strong hip bones, instead of being pushed up into their soft stomach area during an accident.

Some booster seats come with the seatbelt locking mechanism which keeps the seatbelt in place when a child sits in them. This can stop the lapbelt from moving upwards and over the child's abdomen. This can to stop the seat belt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This could lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia as well neck strain.