Child seats are incredibly important to keep your child safe. But not all child seats are made to fit all children. Here's how to choose the right seat for your child's age and height.
As we discussed in our last article about why child safety seats are important, not all safety seats do the same job. As children grow, their safety restraint needs grow with them. Children of different sizes, ages and heights need varying sizes and models of safety seats. Here is a run down of the three basic types of child safety seats and when you should use them.
Infant seats
Infant carriers are designed to support the needs of newborn infant to children around six months of age. They face the rear of the vehicle and are made to support children up to twenty pounds and twenty-six inches.
Rear-Facing Convertible Seat
These seats are designed to support children between six months and one year of age. They can be purchased on their own, but most commonly they are found as part of a set of child seats. The way the set works is that you are supposed to be able to buy one seat which can morph into the forms of the infant seat, the rear-facing convertible seat, and the next step in child seat as well. The rear-facing convertible is designed to hold children under thirty pounds. It is safest for children to sit in rear-facing seats as long as they are able. The top of the child’s head should be at least one inch below the top of the seat. After this point the child should move to the next step in child seat.
Forward-Facing Convertible Seat
These seats are designed for children over one year of age who weigh over twenty pounds but under forty pounds. The tops of the child’s shoulders should be positioned below the harness slots on the seat. When the tops of the child’s shoulders are no longer below the harness slots it is time for them to move on to the next seat.
Booster Seats
This is the last step in child safety seats. Booster seats are used to restrain older children until they meet the height requirements for using an adult seat belt. The booster seat is for children approximately four to eight years of age who weigh over forty pounds. The child is ready for an adult seatbelt when they reach a height of four feet and nine inches.
When picking out a child safety seat it is important that you choose the right one for your child’s size. It can be very dangerous to have a child in a moving vehicle if they are not properly restrained. For more information about why it is important to restrain a child in a child safety seat, please see our last article, here.
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