Car seat basic safety for Infants

You know why it’s so important to put your child in her car seat, no matter how short the drive: Car crashes are one of the leading causes of injury and death among children, and most occur within 25 miles of home (and not, as is often believed, on highways). A crash at even 30 miles per hour creates as much force as falling from a three-story window. But using a car seat — especially the first time — can be tricky. How do you know it’s installed correctly? And how can you protect your newborn's floppy head? Here’s everything you need to know to ensure you’re using your little one’s car seat as safely as possible.

Types of car seats Car seats for newborns and infants There are three types of car seats you can use with your infant: Infant car seat. This small, portable seat (sometimes part of a stroller travel system) has a carrying handle and a separate base that’s meant to be left in the car. (If you have more than one vehicle, you can buy additional bases for most car seats.) Infant car seats are generally designed for babies weighing up to about 22 to 40 pounds, depending on the model, and are meant to be used only in the rear-facing position. Most babies outgrow infant seats by the time they’re 9 to 18 months old — at which point you’ll need to transition your baby to a rear-facing convertible or a rear-facing all-in-one car seat. Convertible car seat. With a higher height and weight limit (usually up to 40 to 60 pounds), convertible car seats can be used for longer in the rear-facing position and can later be used in the front-facing position. However, convertible car seats are generally bulkier and less travel-friendly than infant car seats (and they usually aren't compatible with travel systems, if that's something that's important to you). The fit of a convertible seat may also be slightly less secure for a newborn. So if you choose this model, make sure your baby fits snugly in it. All-in-one (3-in-1) car seat. An all-in-one seat can be transformed from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat and finally a booster seat. Just check to be sure yours is designed to be used with babies (not all are). The downside? All-in-one seats don't generally have a carrying handle or separate base.

And because they're bigger, in addition to ensuring your newborn fits snugly into it, you’ll need to check its manual to be sure the seat fits your car model. Car seats for toddlers and preschoolers Convertible car seat. Toddlers should ride in the rear-facing position of their convertible car seat until they've reached the maximum height or weight for their model (that's until age 2 at the very earliest, although most children aren't ready to face forward until age 3 or 4). All-in-one (3-in-1) car seat. Again, if your toddler is riding in an all-in-one model, make sure he's in the rear-facing position for as long as possible. Car seats for school-aged children All-in-one (3-in-1) car seat. Once your child has reached the maximum weight or height for the forward-facing position of his all-in-one seat, you can transition it to the booster seat setting.

Booster seat. If you don't have an all-in-one model, you can move your child to a belt-positioning booster seat once he reaches the height or weight limit on his forward-facing seat. He should remain in the booster seat until the seatbelt fits properly (usually when your child is 4 feet 9 inches tall).