Which Car Seat Is Right for My Child?
I don’t mean to sound old, but things sure have changed since you and I were children, haven’t they? The way things were when we were kids often doesn’t apply anymore — not to mention the extraordinary technological advancements.
Sure, we had seatbelts and car seats in our cars when we were kids, but how many times did you double buckle with your friends or siblings or ride backwards in the back of the station wagon? Attempts to reduce the number of preventable highway deaths have prompted authorities to pass more stringent guidelines on the safety measures required for children riding in automobiles.
These guidelines are based on the height, weight, and age of the child in order to best secure the child in case of a collision. However, all of these new rules can be confusing.
• When do I use the next sized seat?
• How long does my child have to ride in the back seat?
• What is the difference between the different types of seats and belts?
Although you have to work at finding them, there are fairly clear guidelines about which type of seat you should use for your child based on their age, height and weight. Here are a few tips to get you started.
•• The first step is a rear-facing, 5-point harness child safety seat for newborns and infants.
•• At about one year of age, your child will “age up” to forward-facing child safety seats. These maintain the 5-point harness, but allow the child to sit in an upright position. These are the two safest seats and children should stay in them as long as possible.
•• School age children should use booster seats to position them correctly in the seat belt until they reach a height of 4’9”.
We’ll explore each stage in the process of moving your child from one seat to another in more depth, because each one has slight nuances that can be confusing. I’ll publish several more postings with additional information in the next few days. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from anyone who has experiences, good or bad, with buying, installing and using car seats for their children.
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