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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat? As children get older, they can move out of their car seats as infants, they can move into convertible or all-in-one seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing, but they must to meet certain weight and age requirements. Car seats should never be placed in front of a seat equipped with airbags, as the force of the air bag can be lethal for babies and children. 1. The 1.5 Inch Rule Many parents inquire if the infant car seat can be placed on top of the driver's seat, and the answer is always no. The reason for this is quite simple: If a crash happens, the child could have their head struck by an airbag if they are in the front seat. The result is that the airbag can cause harm or even death to the infant. Infant car seats are only designed to be rearward-facing. In the event of a crash, the seat's back will be positioned against the rear of your car seat. This is the best protection for the infant. In addition, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child better than a forward-facing one that offers only minimal head and neck protection. The headrest prevents your child from slipping out of the shoulder straps in an accident. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders. It's important to keep it in mind that there have been ZERO known instances of children riding forward-facing seats breaking their leg when they strike the rear of the vehicle seat. This happens when a child's feet fly upwards and get caught against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure into the leg bones. This is not something you want to put your child in danger of. There are numerous programs in the United States that provide infant car seats at a discount or at no cost for parents who meet the requirements. 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. Most newer infant car seats come with a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much more user-friendly than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children since you can keep the car seat installed and ready to use even when changing vehicles. Before you put your child in the car seat, find out if the back of the car seat will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by finding the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape measure. Many items, such as the blade of a house key, or the length of earbuds that are wireless are around 1.5 inches long and can be used to check for this space. Examine the directions for the car seat and the owner's manual of your vehicle to determine if the angle can be adjusted to eliminate the space. 2. Harness Position In infant car seats, bouncers, swings strollers, and other toys for children, newborns and preemies can fall into a dangerous position with their chests pressed against their chins. In a crash, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, check that the shoulder straps start slightly below and come up over the child's shoulders and ensure that you tighten them. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can interfere with this, so be sure to remove them prior to placing your child in their seat. The chest clip is designed for a crash, however it can cause compression to the child's neck if it is too low or are not tight enough. It's also crucial that the chest strap is not located in the neck opening of the collar – the buckle should be positioned at the armpit level. In a crash, infants who are rear-facing may slide up the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the child's neck and head. This is why it's important that the straps be placed over the shoulders. If the straps aren't high enough, they may slide over the baby's ears or go through the neck opening and if they're too loose, they can slide towards the baby's nose. Make sure the shoulder straps are properly fitted and positioned in the slots above or on the shoulders of your child. Infants may require an infant insert (often included in the car seat) to lift them up so their shoulders reach this slot. Some infant car seats have angle indicators or adjustors to aid you in this. You may also want to check the instructions that come with your seat. 3. Rear-Facing Only While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward due to their child's legs being too short in the rear-facing position really no reason why you should. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing one because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will be pressed against the seat and their neck and spine will be supported. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries as their bodies are thrown against the vehicle. Many infant car seats also include an angle indicator built in so that you can ensure the seat is correctly installed. Also, you should ensure that your child's head is on the seat flat, and that the straps are placed over their shoulders instead of under their arms. infant car seat cheap should be able to squeeze a little bit of material at their shoulder to determine that the harness is snug enough. It is also important to examine the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is level with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also a good idea to review your infant car seat manual so you know the proper method to use it with your child. Most manufacturers recommend that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they are at least 1 year old or until they reach the height and weight limits of their car seat. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years. If you own a vehicle with just one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without needing to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side will also make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat. If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat can be placed on either side so long as it's not front of the airbag on the passenger's side. 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 car seat for infants by weight and height should use a booster seat until their vehicle seat belt is fitted properly. This is only possible when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements). Booster seats can help position the shoulder and lap belts correctly. They can also reduce the distance that a child's head moves during an accident, which reduces the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are the most fatal killer of kids ages 4-8, and head motion is the most significant cause. If a booster isn't properly used the lap belt can travel over a child’s abdomen and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides that prevent the lap belt from sliding over arm rests or sliding on a child's belly. Many boosters are equipped with armrests, handles or guide slots that aid to place the lap belt in a low and flat position over a child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt starts and remains on a child's strong hip bones instead of moving up into their stomachs during a crash. Certain booster seats are equipped with the mechanism to lock the seat belt to ensure that the belt is locked in place while the child is in it, and this can help to prevent the lap belt from slipping up over a child's abdomen. This can also help prevent the belt from being pulled across a child's face, which could result in hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well as neck strain.