Safest Place for Infant Car Seats

Infant car seats are critical for keeping babies safe while traveling in cars, but many parents dread installing a car seat because of the questions it raises. Proper installation and placement are key to keeping your child safe. These days, it's easier to properly install car seats because of the federal government's Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, or LATCH, requirement. The LATCH requirement mandates all cars manufactured after September 2002 include an anchor necessary to properly install car seats.

  1. Rear-Facing Seats

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies ride in a rear-facing car seat at least until they are one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds. Children who turn one but do not yet weight 20 pounds should remain in rear-facing seats. Children who weigh 20 or more pounds before their first birthday should still remain in a rear-facing seat until they turn one. Make sure your car seat is safe for your baby's weight. Most models have the weight limits listed on the side or back.

    Infant Car Seats

    • Two basic types of car seats are used for infants and older babies: infant carriers and convertible seats. Infant carriers attach to a base that remains in the car. They are convenient because the base stays safely attached in the car and the infant carrier clicks into place. Most infant carriers are safe for babies weighing up to 22 pounds, but some models are available for youngsters weighing up to 32 pounds.

      The other type of car seat for babies and infants is a convertible seat. These seats can be used as a rear-facing seat for babies younger than one and then turned around to be forward-facing seats for toddlers.

    Back Seat

    • Infant car seats--whether they be infant carriers or convertible car seats--should always be used in the back seat. Placing a baby car seat in the front seat is extremely dangerous because the baby can be crushed if the passenger air bag deploys in an accident. The exception to this is when vehicles with no back seat--such as some pickup trucks--have a passenger-side air bag that can be disengaged when a car seat is installed.

    Middle Position

    • The middle position of the back seat is the safest place for a car seat because it is farthest from the impact in the event of a side-impact crash. However, most cars do not have the LATCH system installed in the middle seat position, so you need to use the regular seat-belt restraints to install the seat. In smaller cars that do not have a middle position in the back seat, either position in the back seat is acceptable as long as the infant seat is properly installed.

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