Which Car Seat Is Safest For My Child?

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There are many variables that will affect the outcome to this answer but here are some guidelines.

Car seats for children come in 3 different styles. The three configurations are rear-facing, forward-facing and convertible all are equally safe products, simply different applications. A good illustration of a convertable car seat is the Britax Boulevard.

The rear-facing seat is best for infants under 20 pounds and 1 year old. However , if your baby reaches 20 pounds before their birthday it is still best for them to remain in the rear-facing car seat until they are at least one year old. Just be sure to read the manufacturer’s recommendations. It is important that you understand that rear-facing car seats should never be used in the front seat of a your vehicle with air an air bag on the passenger side.

Once a child has out grown their rear-facing car seat it is time to transition or convert to the forward facing style. When researching forward-facing car seats for your child , the best choice is to have several harness points allowing the child to grow without having to buy another car seat.

A great illustration of an infant seat that is safe is the Britax Companion car seat.

Is There Room In Your Vehicle?

Not all child safety seats can be properly installed in every seating location in all automobile. It is important that you read all the instructions about your new car seat. In general, a properly installed child safety seat will not move more than an inch to either side or forward.

Will you use it consistently and correctly?

Each car seat that you look at will have different features and design. The important thing is that you and your child are pleased with, and that you can install properly and adjust correctly every time you drive.

The safest car seat for you is the one that fits in your automobile , is the proper size for your young one and is used correctly each time. All safety seats manufactured in the United States must comply with the same strict safety standards. Not all car seats are the same size, the Britax Companion is quite bulky and may not fit in all vehicles.

Used Car Seats Are Not Best

A car seat that has been involved in a crash may have been damaged structurally that is not easy to see. Seats involved in a crash should be replaced. Auto insurance company may cover the expense of a new child safety seat for your child.

It is always the best policy to use a new safety seat for your child. That is the only way you can know for sure that you have a safe seat.However, if considering a second-hand seat, it is important to request a full history of the seat from the previous owner(s). Other important questions are: Has the seat been involved in a crash? Has a recall been issued for the seat? Is the seat too old (more than 6 years)? Does the seat have all the necessary parts?

Use these guidelines to ensure that you get the best possible child seat for your precious one.

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