You cherish your child dearly, and ensuring their safety is one of your top priorities. When traveling between your house, your parents’ house, the grocery store, and other locations, make sure your youngster is secured in a dependable car seat.
The best traveling safety for your youngster is in a car seat. Your child will be safe and comfortable in a car seat whether you are driving them to daycare or other destinations. To protect your infant from car injuries or deadly accidents as they become older, you’ll need the appropriate car seat for their size, weight, and height.
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Car seats are one of the most important investments you’ll make for protecting your child because car crashes are the leading cause of death for children.
What to Consider Before Buying a Car Seat
Types of Car Seats Available
The greatest car seat for your child depends depend on their age, weight, and the kind of vehicle you’re driving. There are many different types of car seats available nowadays. Websites like BabyGearLab.com and Consumer Reports provide reviews regarding car seats’ comfort, quality, and more in order to understand more about what people are saying about various car seats.
Car Seat Meets Australian Standards –Make sure the car seat has undergone crash testing to ensure that it meets or exceeds government safety standards. Review the materials utilized, such as energy-absorbing foam and steel to protect your child in the event of an accident, as well as the engineering behind it.
Never Buy a Used Car Seat – Don’t buy used car seats, regardless of the savings, because you don’t know what they’ve been through. A car seat’s safety might change as a result of accidents or even sun exposure. If the seat has been in an accident before, it can have signs of damage and not provide your child with the best protection. Buying used is also a terrible choice because you might not be aware of any product recalls.
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The Right Car Seat For Your Child’s Age
Depending on the age, weight, and height of your child, there are various types of car seats available. To ensure that your child is safe on the road, you should make sure that each seat is the best fit for their growth. The various car seats you’ll require when your child gets older are listed below.
- Infant to Toddler: A rear-facing car seat or a convertible, rear-facing car seat
- Toddler to Kindergartener: Convertible, rear/forward-facing car seat
- Grade-School Children: Booster seat
Infant car seats
- Newborns and babies
- 4-35 lbs.
- Installed with a base and can be removed as a carrier
- Rear-facing since their bodies are still developing
It’s time to graduate your kid to a suitable car seat once they reach the weight restriction or their heads are less than an inch from the top of the seat.
Convertible car seats
- Babies and small children until 2 years old
- 22-35 lbs.
- Heavier and bulkier than infant car seats
- Suitable for commuting but not carrying around
Typically, your kid can be placed forward-facing once they reach the age of two or outgrow their convertible car seat. You should think about a booster seat once your child outgrows a convertible or forward-facing car seat.
Booster seats
- Children ages 8 to 12 years old
- 4 feet and 9 inches tall
- At least 40 lbs.
- Designed to help children sit properly with an adult seat belt
There are various weight restrictions for kids car booster seats, including high-back and backless models. Make sure your child can ride calmly and upright without bending over or fidgeting. A child can switch to using an adult seat belt once they have outgrown their booster seat.
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Infant car seats are designed for newborns and babies.
The majority of baby car seats are designed to hold infants weighing 4 to 35 pounds. This kind of car seat is often mounted with a base and has an optional carrier. As their bodies are still developing, it’s crucial to keep newborns and babies rear-facing so that the car seat can help with impact absorption in the case of an accident. It’s time to graduate your kid to a suitable car seat once they reach the weight restriction or their heads are less than an inch from the top of the seat.
Convertible car seats are designed to grow with your child.
This can be your next choice if your child has outgrown an infant car seat. Convertible car seats typically accommodate infants and little children weighing between 22 and 35 pounds. These car seats are suitable for commuting but not for carrying around because they tend to be heavier and bulkier. Typically, your kid can be placed forward-facing once they reach the age of two or outgrow their convertible car seat. The age of two is not a requirement for convertible car seats; it is only recommended. You should think about a booster seat once your child outgrows a convertible or forward-facing car seat.
Booster seats are designed to help children sit more properly with an adult seat belt.
Both backless and high-back booster seats are available. These should be utilized once a youngster has outgrown their forward-facing car seat’s weight and height restrictions and is able to sit still effectively on their own. Make sure your child can ride calmly and upright without bending over or fidgeting. By the time they turn two, the majority of kids aren’t ready for a booster seat, so it’s best to keep your child in a properly fitted car seat. Generally speaking, children who have reached 4 feet, 9 inches or are between the ages of 8 and 12 should use booster seats. A child can switch to using an adult seat belt once they have outgrown their booster seat.
Car Seat Installation Tips
LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) or a seat belt can be used to secure the majority of car seats. Weight restrictions apply to the LATCH system; if your child has outgrown the restrictions, you should use a seat belt to secure.
The middle rear seat is a better location for the car seat since it keeps the child protected from airbags.
Use the 1-inch test to check the installation of your car seat. Make sure the seat doesn’t move more than an inch to the left, right, front, or back. If so, you’ll need to fasten it more firmly.
Make sure that your child’s rear-facing car seat is installed at the appropriate reclining angle.
If you require assistance with installing your child’s car seat, get in touch with a Child Passenger Safety Technician, the neighborhood fire department, or the police department.
Choose the best car seat for your child’s safety
Since we spend so much time on the road, it’s essential to make sure your child is safely buckled into the safest car seat. Choose one that is made to meet or surpass car seat safety regulations, and then install it correctly by following the instructions. We are convinced that after learning more about various things to take into account before buying a car seat, various types of car seats, and some of the best suggestions, you’ll be able to make a better decision in regards to safeguarding your child.