Top Tether For Forward
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Don’t forget to use a top tether for forward-facing installation.
- Do: For a forward-facing installation, always attach the top tether whether the seat is installed using the lower anchors or a seat belt. The top tether significantly reduces a seats forward motion, which can reduce injury to a child, especially a head injury. Research on car-seat misuse by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute also suggests that to some degree, a top tether use may help mitigate the effects of other misuses, such as loose harnessing or loose installation. Top tethers not only enhance safety but are also easy to use.
Installing A Front Facing Car Seat
When To Move To A Forward
Youll know your baby has outgrown their rear-facing;car;seat when;they reach the maximum height or weight for their restraint;;check;the manufacturers instructions.;
- AUS/NZ standard seats have height markers.;;
- For other standards the child’s head within 2.5cm of the top of;the seat;is a good indication theyre growing out of it.;
Note;that their;feet coming over the end of the restraint isn’t a problem.;;
Outgrowing the restraint doesnt;mean;its;time for the child to turn forward-facing. Its;recommended children;sit;rear-facing;for as long as possible,;and ideally beyond the age of two.;
If youre uncertain, contact a child restraint technician for advice.;;
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Checking To Make Sure Your Rear
How To Properly Install A Convertible Car Seat
Convertible car seats, as their name suggests, can be installed in both forward-facing and rear-facing positions in your car. This Continued
ByCar Bibles Staff | Published Jun 8, 2018 1:53 PM
Convertible car seats, as their name suggests, can be installed in both forward-facing and rear-facing positions in your car. This makes them a lot more flexible than infant car seats, which can only be installed facing the rear of the car.
Infant car seats can be used until a child weighs around 40 pounds, at which point a new, forward-facing seat would need to be purchased. Their convertible counterparts, on the other hand, can continue to be used until the child reaches around 80 pounds in weight . Convertible car seats can be a great option for saving money, space, and time. Below, we talk through what to look for in a convertible car seat, when theyre your best option, and how to properly install one to keep your child as safe as possible.
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Installing A Convertible Car Seat Properly
When installing a car seat, you should always closely follow the manufacturers instructions, and seek assistance if you are unsure of anything. With this in mind, the process is usually as follows:
- Installing the Car Seat with a Seatbelt
- Installing the Car Seat with Lower Anchors
Regardless of installation method, ensure your baby is strapped into the seats harness correctly:
Convertible Car Seat Installation Tips
Many parents choose convertible car seats because they grow with the child, saving mom and dad from having to upgrade with every growth milestone.
Convertible seats are designed to protect a wide range of children; from small babies to larger children. For smaller children, a convertible car seat is designed to be installed facing the rear of the car. As the child grows, the car seat converts to a forward-facing position for larger children. Weight ranges for convertible car seats vary dramatically. Always check your labels and instructions to make sure your child is the appropriate size for your car seat and installation position. Follow these guidelines when installing a convertible car seat:
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What You Need To Know
- Each year, many children are injured or die in car accidents.;An appropriate child restraint ;is;the best protection your child has;when theyre;travelling in a vehicle.
- Under New Zealand law,;the driver is responsible for making sure;any;child;under seven years old;is properly restrained in;a car seat thats appropriate for their age, size and development.
- Youll know your child has outgrown their car seat when theyre over the manufacturers recommended weight or height restrictions for that model of child restraint.;
- Making the move to a booster seat depends on your childs height and weight, not their age.;
- Plunket;has child restraint technicians;around the country you can call on for advice.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Fitting A Baby Car Seat Or A Child Safety Restraint
One of the most important safety decisions you will make for your child is choosing a suitable car seat . This handy guide provides practical information to help you select the best car seat for your needs.
While the following information provides some tips on how to install a car seat, every car seat is different, and you must follow the manufacturer instructions for your particular model of car seat.
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Ensuring The Childs Safety
Recline Angle For Rear
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Don’t;set the recline angle for rear-facing car seats incorrectly.
- Do: Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for setting the recline on your rear-facing seat. A seat that’s too upright can cause an infants head to fall forward and obstruct his or her breathing. Reclining too far can reduce the seats ability to protect the child in a crash.
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Fitting Your Child Correctly In The Car Seat
Before Using Your Rear
Before your baby is born,;talk to a;child restraint technician;to make sure you get the right;child restraint for your child, vehicle and circumstances, then:;;
- hire;or buy;an approved rear-facing child restraint. You can get convertible;car seats;that allow your;baby;to be rear-facing to a higher weight and;length, and then convert to a forward-facing restraint.;;;
- contact your Plunket;injury prevention team for more information:;;
- Northern region ;;;
- Central Region ;;;
- Southern Region ;;;;;;;
NZTA;also;has a list of certified child restraint technicians;you can contact.
If youre installing it;yourself:;;
- make sure its in the back seat facing the back window of the car;
- always follow the manufacturers instructions;
- rear-facing;car seats;should be installed;at;around a 45-degree angle;;
- check it fits firmly against the seat and cant wobble – if it doesnt fit firmly, seek advice from a certified child restraint technician.;;
- visit the NZTA website;for information on installing car seats properly.;
There are different ways of installing a rear-facing restraint, depending on the make and model.;If in doubt, get help from a certified child restraint technician.;;;
Never put your babys car seat in the front seat if it has an airbag. If an airbag goes off while your babys in the seat it could seriously injure them.;;
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What Are The Types Of Car Seats
Infant-Only Seats
Infant-only seats fit newborns and smaller infants best. You’ll need to buy another seat when your baby outgrows it. Infant-only seats are designed to protect babies from birth until they reach up to 35 pounds , depending on the model.
Infant car seats should always be installed to face the rear of the car. A small child is much less likely to die or be seriously injured when in a rear-facing seat. That’s because the back of the safety seat will cradle the baby’s head, neck, and torso in a crash. At this age, a child’s neck usually isn’t strong enough to support the head in a crash.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants and toddlers ride in a rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight and height limits recommended by the seat’s manufacturer. Safety experts say to do this based on a child’s size, not age. Small children can stay rear-facing until age 3 or 4.
Infant-only safety seats are convenient because they’re designed to double as carriers, chairs, or rockers when not used in the car. Many models detach right from the base, letting you leave the base installed in the car. Some can be clicked into strollers to be wheeled around. If your baby is in the infant safety seat outside of the car, never put the seat on a high surface like a kitchen counter, a dresser, or changing.
Checking The Fit Of The Harness
Adjust the harness straps so they are at or just below your child’s shoulders. Some child car seats allow you to adjust the harness height by moving the headrest up or down. You may find this easier to do before you install the child car seat in the vehicle.
As your child grows, check the fit and readjust the harness.
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How To Install A Car Seat: A Confused Parent’s Guide
Why oh why are car seats so complicated? We finally cracked the code so you can install or reinstall your kid’s seat with confidence.
When Adrienne Penake’s son, Brandon, developed a high fever and began wheezing one night, the San Mateo, California, mom knew she had to get her 11-month-old to the local urgent-care center. There was just one problem:
“My husband, Dave, and I had taken the car seat out of my car a few days prior and hadn’t set it back up yet. That night, Dave wasn’t home and I was unable to connect the clips to the latches in my car,” Penake recalls. “After many tries, I just couldn’t do it. In a panic, I had to borrow the car of a friend who has kids the same age as mine to get Brandon to the doctor.”
Struggling to install a car seat is tough enough on a good day. When you’re in a hurry, it can be next to impossible. LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, is a system of built-in straps and hooks created to makes car seat installation easier. But despite nearly every car seat and most vehicles manufactured since September 1, 2002, being required to use the LATCH system, weve still got a long way to go when it comes to simplifying installing a car seat.
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Making Sense Of Latch
Still confused? Heres an extra cheat sheet for using the LATCH system in particular:
Lower anchors: These are the small bars in the space between the rear seat backs and the seat cushions; they’re used for installing forward- and rear-facing seats
Lower anchor strap: Attached to the bottom of the car seat, the strap has two hooks or buckles, one on each side of the seat.
Top tether anchors: These metal loops can be on the shelf area near the rear window. In minivans and SUVs, they may be on the floor, under the seat, on the ceiling, or, in this photo, on the back of the seat.
Top tether strap: It comes from the top of the car seat and has one hook or buckle at the end.
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Find The Best Place In The Car
The back seat is the safest place to ride for all children under age 13. But not all cars allow for a car seat in every place that has a seat belt. Check your car owner manual to see where you can put a car seat. Make sure that the car seat or booster seat for each child riding in the car is in the best possible place. Also, make sure other passengers in the car can ride safely.
How To Anchor A Child Safety Seat
Jason Unrau
Keeping your family safe in your vehicle is of paramount importance, no matter where you are. Because your little ones are unable to care for themselves, the responsibility of keeping them safe while they are in a car falls on you.
In previous vehicle generations, child seat installations included routing the cars seat belt through the car seat to hold it in place. The seat belt could prevent the child seat from moving around excessively when it was installed, but too many variables existed that allowed for excessive or improper movement. These included:
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The seat belt not being locked to prevent it from extending out further
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The child seat not being installed tightly enough in place, allowing it to move forward and backward too much
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The seat belt buckle becoming accidentally pressed, allowing the child seat to move around
Any of these conditions can cause serious harm in the event of a collision. Since 2002, all car manufacturers must equip their vehicles with the LATCH child car seat anchor system. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children and involves safe and secure attachment points for your child.
Installing a child seat with the LATCH system is easier than with a seat belt. It is also more secure because the latches are much more difficult to release than a seat belt buckle, meaning accidental release is nearly impossible.
Here we will go over how to properly install a child seat equipped with the LATCH system.
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