Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

When children outgrow their infant car Seat in front Seat car seats, they can change to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seat for newborn seats are available in rear-facing and forward-facing versions however, they must meet certain weight and age requirements.

Car seats should not be placed in front of a seat that has airbags because the force of the airbag can be fatal for babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: When an accident occurs, the child's head could be hit by an airbag while in the front seat. The airbag could injure or even kill a baby.

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

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

It's important to keep in mind that there have been ZERO known instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet rise and become caught against the back of the seat, putting tremendous stress on the bones of the legs. This is not something you want to put your child in danger of.

There are several programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a discount or free to parents who qualify. This is a great way to ensure your child is in a secure car seat before they get out of it and can be used in a safe way for many years.

The base of most modern infant car seats is designed to be removed and installed, making them more convenient to use. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children because you can keep the seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles.

Find the center of the vehicle seat and measure it using the help of a tape. This area can be tested with many items, including the blade of a key or length wireless earbuds. After that, you should check the car seat's instructions and the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine whether you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

In baby car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, as well as other toys for children, newborns and preemies can be in a dangerous position with their chests and chins touching. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the harness straps that are loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the straps for your shoulders begin a little below and then come up to the shoulders of your child and make sure you tighten them. The straps should be secure enough that you can pinch any excess fabric together - this is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers could interfere with the Pinch Test, so remove them prior to putting your child into their seat.

The chest clip is made to protect against a fall, but it can compress the neck of a child if it's 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.

During a crash, rear-facing infants are likely to slide across the seat and the harness straps must be able to cradle the child's head and neck. It is important to place the straps above the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they can slip through the opening on the neck of the infant or over their ears. If they're too loose, they could reach the child's face.

Ensure the shoulder straps are at or above your child's shoulders, and that they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant carrier seat insert (often provided with the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjustors that aid in this process and you can always check the instructions that came with your seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to flip their infant car seat to face forward because of their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position, there's really no reason why you should. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, as the child's neck and spine are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children may suffer serious injuries as their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

Additionally, a lot of infant car seat travel car seats come with a built-in angle indicator so you can make sure that the seat is properly installed. You should also make sure that your child's head rests flat on the seat, and that the straps are over their shoulders instead of under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a tiny bit of fabric at their shoulders to ensure that the harness is tight enough. Examine the crotch strap to make sure it's at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through your infant car seat manual to ensure you understand the correct way to use it for your child.

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

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

If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant car seat can be set on either side so long as it's not in the airbag's front on the passenger side. However, if you have to choose 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

Children who outgrow their car seat for infants by weight and height should be fitted with a booster seat until the seat belt fits them properly. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats assist in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's skull moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injury. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the biggest culprit.

If a booster isn't used correctly, the lap portion can be able to slide over the abdomen of a child and cause serious injuries in the event of an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster with lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding on a child's stomach.

A lot of boosters come with small handles, armrests or guide slots that help to position the lap belt low and flat over a child's upper thighs. This will ensure that the lap belt starts and stays on the child's strong hipbones, rather than moving upwards into their abdominal area during the event of a crash.

Some booster seats have an automatic seatbelt lock mechanism that secures the seatbelt when a child sits in them. This can help keep the lap belt from moving upwards and over the child's abdomen. This may also help prevent the belt from being pulled across the face of a child. This could lead to hypoxia and airway obstruction as well as neck strain.