Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children grow out of their car seats as infants, they can transition into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats are available in forward-facing and rear-facing versions but they must satisfy certain weight and age requirements.

It is not advised to place car seat newborn seats behind airbags on a vehicle seat, as the force of the airbag can be fatal to infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is quite simple: If an accident occurs the child's head may be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The result is that the airbag could injure or kill the baby.

Infant car seats are only designed to be rearward-facing. The back of the seat rests against the back of the seat in a crash, providing the most effective protection for your baby.

Additionally, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child better than a forward-facing seat that offers only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest keeps your child from sliding out of the shoulder straps during an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders.

It's important to note that there are ZERO known instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they strike the back of the front vehicle seat. This happens when children's feet rise and become caught against the rear of the seat, putting immense pressure on the bones of the leg. There is no reason to expose your child to the risk for this.

There are a variety of programs in the United States for parents who qualify to receive discounted or free infant car seats. This is a great chance 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 modern infant car seat in Front seat car seats have a base that they click into and out of, making them much easier to use than older models. This feature is especially useful when traveling with children, as you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles.

Before you put your child in the car seat, find out if the car seat back will touch the car seat's back by locating the center of the seat and measuring it using a tape measure. This space can be checked using a variety of things, such as the blade of a key or length wireless earbuds. After that, you should check the instructions for your car seat and owners' manuals for the vehicle to determine if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to eliminate the space.

2. Harness Position

Preemies and newborns frequently get into a potentially dangerous chin-to-chest position in infant car seats, bouncy seats, swings, strollers and other toys for children. In a crash they could be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps on your shoulder start a bit lower and move up to the shoulders of your child and ensure that you tighten them. The straps should be tight enough that you can squeeze any fabric that is not tight enough This is known as the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed for a crash, but it can cause compression to the child's neck if it is too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants are more likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must be able to support the child's head and neck. It is important to place the straps over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they can slip over the baby car seat's ears or slide through the opening in their neck, and if they're too loose they can move toward the child's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are in the slots that are above or below the shoulders of your child and they fit snugly. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat) to raise them so their shoulders reach the slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to assist with this, and you can always check the instructions included with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents may be tempted to turn their infant car seat to face forward due to their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do so. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will press against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children may suffer serious injuries as their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.

Additionally, many infant car seats come with an integrated angle indicator so you can be sure the seat is installed correctly. Also, you should ensure that your child's head rests on the seat flat, and that the straps are placed over their shoulders instead of under their arms. To check whether the harness is tight, you should be able hold a small amount material around the shoulder of your child. Check the crotch strap to ensure that it is at the same level as the armpits, and not at the waist. You should also review the manual for your infant car seat so that you know how to use it properly.

Most manufacturers suggest that children ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing until they reach the age of two years old.

If you have a vehicle with just one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so you can easily view your child's face through the rearview mirror without needing to lean over. It's also helpful to place the car seat on the driver's side so you don't have to walk the way around your vehicle every time you need to get your child in or out of their car seat.

If you own a car with two rear seats, you can install the infant car seat on either side so long as it isn't behind the passenger side airbag. If you have to decide whether to install 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 should use a booster seat until the seat belt is fitted properly. This is only possible when the child is at least 4'9" tall and has reached the top rated baby car seats of the headrest.

Booster seats help to position the lap and shoulder belt properly. They also decrease the distance that a child's head moves during the crash, which lowers the risk of injury. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 4-8, and head movement is the main cause.

If a booster is not used correctly, the lap portion can be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries if an accident occurs. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster to stop the lap belt from sliding onto the stomach of a child or climbing over armrests.

A lot of boosters come with small handles, armrests, or guide slots that aid to position the lap belt in a low and flat position across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lapbelt starts and remains on the hipbones of a child's strength, rather than moving up into their soft abdomen region during a crash.

Certain booster seats feature the seatbelt locking mechanism which keeps the seatbelt in place when a child sits in them. This can help stop the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This may also help stop the belt from being pulled across the face of a child. This could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction, as also neck strain.