A few simple guidelines can help you get the greatest benefit from your child safety seat.
- Do place the safety seat in the back seat of the vehicle.
- Do attach the safety seat to the vehicle using safety belts and/or anchors.
- Do secure the child snugly in the safety seat using the safety seat harness.
- Do position the safety seat harness clip at the child's armpit level.
- Do choose the appropriate safety seat for your child's weight and age:
- Birth to 1 year; up to 20-22 pounds: Rear-facing seat.
- At least 1 year up to 4 years: Front-facing seat.
- At least 4 years up to 10 years: Booster seat.
You should also take care to avoid these common misuses of child safety seats:
- Don't install the seat in the vehicle too loosely: you should not be able to move the seat an inch or more sideways or forward.
- Don't place infants in forward-facing seats too soon: rear-facing seats are the proper choice for children younger than 12 months and/or lighter than 20 pounds.
- Don't improperly route or adjust the safety seat harness.
- Don't improperly position the retaining clip.
- Don't stop using booster seats too soon - booster seats are appropriate for children up to 10 years old.
