Where should the straps be on an infant car seat?

Use the Correct Harness Slots On rear-facing car seats, the shoulder straps should come through the car seat slots at or just BELOW your child’s shoulders. On forward-facing seats, the shoulder straps should be at or just ABOVE the shoulders.

How should you position an infant seat in your car?

The safest place for your child’s car seat is in the back seat, away from active air bags. If the car seat is placed in the front seat and the air bag inflates, it could hit the back of a rear-facing car seat — right where the child’s head is — and cause a serious or fatal injury.

Where should a seat belt sit on a child?

Seatbelts must be worn correctly for them to work properly. Make sure the lap belt fits comfortably across the thighs (not the stomach) and that your child is not slouching. The shoulder strap should go across the chest and shoulder, and never goes beneath a child’s arm, behind the back, or across the neck.

Should carseat be behind driver or passenger?

Install in the Backseat The car seat should always be installed in the back seat. That is the safest spot for your baby. If you can, put the car seat in the center seat. If not, it is fine behind either the driver or passenger side.

How tight should carseat straps be on newborn?

The harness is tight enough when you can’t pinch any webbing between your fingers at the child’s shoulder. Last, position the chest clip at the child’s armpit level.

How tight should the straps be on an infant car seat?

Pull the harness snug to your child’s body – the straps should be tight enough that you can just slip two fingers flat between your child’s body and their collar bones.

Where is the safest place to sit in a car?

middle rear seat
Car. When traveling by car, the middle rear seat is the safest spot, especially for children. This is because the rear middle seat is the furthest distance from a potential collision on either side of a vehicle. This seat also offers a level of insulation if passengers are sitting on either side of you.

Which side of a car is more likely to get hit?

The farther left you are, the more likely the driver will see you. This is the most common way to get hit (or almost hit). A car pulling out of the side street, parking lot, or driveway on the right.

At what age can a child use a normal seat belt?

Children aged 12 years and over (or younger children over 135cm tall) Must wear a seat belt if fitted in the front or rear of a car, van or other goods vehicle. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that children under 14 years old use an appropriate child restraint or wear their seat belt.

How long should you ride in the back with your baby?

The current recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics is to keep children rear-facing until they reach the maximum height or weight for their convertible seat. This is usually at three to five years old, depending on the seat and the child’s growth.

When can a child switch to a regular seat belt?

Kids can start wearing a regular seatbelt when they can easily rest their back against the seat of the car and bend their knees over the edge of the seat. Usually, this happens when kids are between 8 and 12 years old and around 4 feet 9 inches (about 150 centimeters) tall.

What are child seat belt laws?

Child Seat and Seat Belt Laws. Children in cars, vans and other goods vehicles must be carried in an appropriate child restraint from birth until either they are 135cm (4’5″) tall or 12 years old, whichever comes first. There are very few exceptions. They must then use a seat belt (although it would be preferable to use a booster seat until they are 150cm (5′) tall).

Do seatbelt laws save lives?

Such laws used the coercive power of law enforcement and the judiciary to make people choose between wearing a seat belt or paying the penalty. While statistics appear to support the argument that wearing seat belts saves lives in most cases, many believe that legislators should not to have the Constitutional right to dictate personal behavior.

What year are seat belts required?

Effective on March 1, 1967, seat belts are required by law as standard components to your vehicle. Each state’s laws differ, but wearing a seat belt is required across all states as either a Primary Law (ticket for not wearing seat belt), or Secondary Law (ticket for not wearing seat belts only when there is another citation).