Car Safety Seats

Why have a safety seat

First of all, you're bound to have a car safety seat for your baby, because it is endorsed by law in all 50 states. Most states require car seats for children up to 3 years old. And in some states there is also requirement to have booster seats for children who weigh up to 60 lbs. regardless of their age.

But not only that will make you install a baby safety seat inside your car -- statistics of car accidents can be even more convincing here. Of course you can think of yourself as a safest driver in the world, and maybe you even are, but just think about it: out of almost 250,000 of kids who were injured in car accidents in 2000, 1,668 died. And we're not only talking about highway collisions -- 75% of accidents happen within 25 miles of home, and 60% happen on streets with a speed limit of 40 mph or even less.

That is why you definitely have to choose carefully and thoroughly install a baby safety car seat.

Car seat types

Safety seats come in three main types:

Baby or infant-only seats. Always rear-facing (baby face the rear of the car), and most with a 20 lbs. weight limit, so if you little one is going to reach that weight soon, better shop for a convertible seat described further.

Convertible seats, suitable for both infants and toddlers. Can be used both as rear-facing seat for smaller child and as a forward-facing seat. Most new designs are capable of holding a child that is 30-35 lbs while in rear-facing position. It is generally recommended to leave a seat rear-facing as long as possible. So for all seats that accommodate to child's weight it is best to keep them in rear-facing position as long as your baby still feels comfortable this way.

Belt-positioning booster seats. These seats use in-car shoulder belt to secure the child. They are designed for toddlers who are at least 3 years old and weigh at least 40 pounds. Weight of the child is really important here, because it is not recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics to use booster seats for children under 40 pounds, and use convertible forward-facing seats instead.

Car seat quality

All new car seats are technically safe, because they are required to meet the US government's crash- and fire-safety standards. But please note that any secondhand safety seat can be on of the following: designed meeting outdated standards (if initially purchased more than a couple of years ago), damaged in an accident or be a model recalled for safety violations. So if possible, stay away of secondhand car seats, or look very carefully at them and check everything. Remember when shopping for a seat the safest is the one that fits your baby and your car while being easy for you to use.

Installation

Even with a high-quality car safety seat you can't feel safe if you aren't sure it is installed correctly. Proper installation is really essential here, so you will have to acquire the necessary knowledge and become an expert on safety seat installation. While this sounds as a complex task, and in fact it can be even more complex that it sounds, remember -- the price here is your child's safety, so it's always worth it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports, that about 50% of all car seats are used or installed improperly.

Remember these common points when installing a car safety seat:

• check if the seat is not installed too loosely
• check if all locking clips are locked
• check if seat belts are threaded in the right slots