Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children have outgrown 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 specifications.

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

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether an infant car seat may be placed in front of the vehicle driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple If a collision occurs, the child could have their head hit by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a child.

This is the reason why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. In the event of a crash the back of the seat will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This is the best infant seat protection for your infant.

In addition, the rear-facing car seat protects the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing one that offers only minimal neck and head protection. The headrest keeps your child from falling out of the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness keeps the chest clip above the shoulders.

It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children in forward-facing car seats breaking their legs when they strike the back of the front vehicle seat. This happens when children's feet fly upwards and get stuck against the rear of the seat, putting enormous pressure on the leg bones. This is not something you should put your child at risk of.

There are numerous programs throughout the country that allow parents who meet the criteria to receive free or discounted infant car seats. This is a great way to ensure your child is placed in an appropriate car seat before they outgrow it and can be used safely for many years.

The base of the majority of modern infant car seats is designed to be removed and put back in, making them much easier to use. This feature is especially helpful when traveling with children, as you can keep the car seat on and ready for use even if you change vehicles.

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

2. Harness Position

In the infant car seats as well as swings, bouncers strollers, and other children's gear, newborns and preemies can fall into a dangerous position with their chests pressed against their chins. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by harness straps that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps for your shoulders start slightly below and come up to the shoulders of your child and be sure to tighten the straps. The straps should be secure enough to be able to pinch any excess fabric together - this is called the Pinch Test. The bulky outer layers of winter coats can hinder this so be sure to remove them before placing your child in their seat.

The chest clip is made to protect against a fall, but it could compress a child's neck if it is too low or are not tight enough. It is also essential that the chest clip not located in the neck opening of the collar. the buckle should be placed at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash rear-facing infants are likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must be able to support the neck and head of the child. This is why it's very crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they may slide over the baby's ears, or go through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose, they can slide up to the child's nose.

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

3. Rear-Facing Only

Parents may be enticed by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the seat facing rearwards, but there's no need to do this. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing because the baby's neck and spine are supported in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

A lot of infant car seats come with an angle indicator built-in to ensure that the seat is properly installed. Also, you must make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat and that the harness straps are positioned over their shoulders, not beneath their arms or bent. You should be able to squeeze a small amount of material on their shoulder to confirm whether the harness is secure enough. It is also important to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is in line with the armpits, not at the waist. It is also a good idea to review the manual of your infant car seat so you know the proper method of using it for your child.

Most manufacturers recommend that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they reach at least one year old or until they have reached the height and weight limits of their specific car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.

If you have a vehicle that has only one back seat, you can install the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean back. Installing the car seat on the driver's side will also make it easier to get your child into and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be set on either side as long as it's not in the airbag's direction on the passenger-side. If you must choose between installing an infant car seat travel car seat on the left or the right side of your vehicle, you can install it on the driver’s side.

4. Booster Seats

Children who have outgrown their Infant Car Seat In Front Seat car seats due to their weight and height will require a booster until the seat belt fits them 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 can assist in positioning the lap belt and shoulder correctly. Booster seats can also reduce the distance that a neck of a child moves during collisions, which reduces the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children aged 4-8, and head motion is the most significant cause.

If a booster is used improperly the lap part of the belt can travel infant car seat up and over the child's abdomen and cause major injuries in the event of a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides that stop the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding up onto a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small, armrests or guide slots to help put the lapbelt flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and remains on a child's strong hip bones, instead of slipping into their soft stomach area in the event of an accident.

Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that keeps the seatbelt in place when a child is seated in them. This can stop the lapbelt from moving up and over the child's abdomen. This can help prevent the seatbelt from being pulled upwards over a child’s face. This could cause airway obstruction and hypoxia as well neck strain.