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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children get older, they can move out of their infant car seats they can transition to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing versions, but they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not recommended to place car seats behind airbags on a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag could be fatal to children and babies.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

Many parents ask whether the infant car seat could be placed in front of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason is very simple: If a crash happens and the child is in the front seat, they could have their head hit by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a lightweight baby car seat.

This is why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. In a crash, the seat's back will rest against the rear of your car seat. This provides the best car seats protection for your infant.

Additionally, the rear-facing car seat protects the neck and head of your child more than a forward-facing seat which offers only a small amount of neck and head protection. The headrest prevents the child from sliding off the shoulder straps in an accident and the harness will keep the chest clip in place above the shoulders of your child.

It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO documented instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a kid's feet fly upwards and trap them against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the bones of the legs. There's no reason to put your child at risk for this.

There are a variety of programs in the United States for qualifying parents to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a fantastic opportunity to get your child in a safe car seat before they outgrow of it. It can be used for a number of years.

The majority of newer infant car seats have a base that they click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially beneficial when traveling with children because you can keep the best car seat for newborn seat installed and ready to go, even if you change vehicles.

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

2. Harness Position

Newborns and preemies often are prone to fall into a risky chest-to-chin position in infant car seats, bouncy seats strollers, swings and other children's equipment. In a crash they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child and then come up over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to allow you to pinch any excess fabric together which is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can hinder this so be sure to remove them prior to you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip is made for a crash, but it can cause compression to the neck of the child if it's too low or are not tight enough. It's also crucial that the chest strap is not placed in the neck opening of the collar - the buckle should be positioned at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash who are rear-facing may slide up the seat. The harness straps must be capable of supporting the head and neck of the child. This is why it's very crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too low, they can slip through the opening on the neck of the baby or even over their ears. If they're too loose, they could touch the face of the child.

Make sure that the straps for your child's shoulders are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or at the child's shoulders. Infants may require an infant car seat travel insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them up to ensure their shoulders are in the slot. Some infant car seats come with built-in angle indicators or adjustors to assist with this, and you should always read the instructions included with the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are becoming shorter in the seat facing rearwards, but there's no need to do this. Rear-facing is more secure than forward-facing as the infant'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 against the vehicle.

In addition, many infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can be sure the seat is properly installed. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are over their shoulders rather than under their arms. You should be able to pinch a small amount of material on their shoulder to confirm that the harness is tight enough. Check the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to properly use it.

Most manufacturers recommend that kids remain rear-facing until they're at minimum one year old or until they reach their car seat's weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for a minimum of two years.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a car that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to view your child clearly through the rearview mirror without having to bend. It is also beneficial to put the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your vehicle every time you want to put your baby in or out of their car seat.

If you own a car that has two back seats you can install the infant car seat in front seat car seat on either side so you don't place it directly in front of the passenger side air bag. If you need to decide between installing the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, place it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight and height must be fitted with a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt is properly fitted. This can only happen when they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the recommendations of the manufacturer of the seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. Booster seats can also reduce the amount that a child's neck moves during a collision, reducing the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of kids ages 4-8, and head movement is the biggest culprit.

If the booster is not used correctly the lap part of the belt could slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause severe injuries in an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up on a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters have handles that are small and armrests or guide slots to help put the lapbelt flat on a child's upper legs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and remains on the strong hipbones of the child instead of moving up into their soft abdomen area in the event of the event of a crash.

Some booster seats come with the seatbelt locking mechanism which keeps the seatbelt in place when a child sits 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 up over a child’s face. This can lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well as neck strain.