Disconnecting Or Switching Off Airbags
Disconnecting or switching off an airbag should be a last resort. It means that the protection offered by the airbag is lost. If there is no other option, contact the vehicle manufacturer, and consult your insurance company beforehand.
Some cars have a cut-off switch which allows an airbag to be switched on or off. The disadvantage is that you may forget to switch it back on when a different passenger is in the seat.
Some manufacturers may be prepared to disconnect an airbag or install a cut-off switch if they believe the airbag is causing an appreciable risk to the driver or passenger. They would probably require the vehicle owner to accept responsibility for the disconnection and for any effect it may have on other drivers or passengers. They may need to replace the steering wheel and/or seat belt, if they have been specifically designed and approved for use with the airbag.
The airbag should be reconnected before the car is sold.
The Height Limit And The Weight Limit Are Necessary To Consider
Most car seats, if not every one of them come with a height limit as well as a weight limit. Naturally, a forward-facing car seat also has those limitations that you need to consider before making the switch. The rear-facing car seats are able to accommodate children who weigh 28 to 35 pounds and height wise 30 to 35 inches. However, kids usually reach the height limit way before they fulfil the weight category. When your baby outgrows the rear-facing car seat, you can use a convertible or a forward-facing car seat and then you can keep them until your child crosses 40 to 50 pounds in weight.
However, you should check the weight limit for the car seat youre going to purchase. The manufacturers instructions or the tag on the car seat usually contains such information.
Choosing The Best Car Convertible Seats For A Forward
Ensure the seat is appropriate for your childs height, weight, and size. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has specific guidelines for front-facing car seats. Along with the child car seat, make a checklist of things to do and buy before the baby arrives.
The NHTSA recommends that a front-facing car seat be used until your child reaches five years old or weighs 20 pounds, whichever comes first. Children who are taller than average or weigh more than 40 pounds may need a higher-rated car seat.
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When Is It Time For A Forward
You put a lot of thought into your newborns rear-facing car seat. It was a key item on your baby registry and how you got your little one safely home from the hospital.
Now that your baby isnt such a baby anymore though, youre starting to wonder if its time for a forward-facing car seat. Perhaps your little one has already reached the weight and height limit for their rear-facing seat and youre wondering whats next.
Or maybe theyre not at the size limits just yet, but you think enough time has passed and youd like to know if you can flip them around to face forward.
Whatever your situation, weve got you covered with info on when its recommended to use a forward-facing car seat as well as some tips to make sure that youre getting it installed properly.
Tips For Buying A Baby Car Seat
- When buying a car seat, it’s best to try a few in your car before making a decision. Try to find a retailer who is willing to help you with this. Ask whether staff have been trained in fitting car seats.
- Check whether your car has Isofix connectors built into it. These are designed to make fitting baby and child car seats simpler. Most modern family cars have them. They may be hidden in the cracks between the padding of your car seats.
- If your baby is likely to travel in another car regularly for example, with other family members check the car seat fits their car, too.
- Some car seat manufacturers have online guides showing which cars their seats will fit in.
- Always choose a baby or child car seat that’s right for your child’s current height and weight.
- Do not buy a secondhand car seat. It could have been damaged in an accident, and may not have all its parts, including the instructions. It may also not be the safest and most user-friendly model, plus it may not fit your car properly.
- Only accept a car seat from friends or family if you know its history, it’s not too old and it comes with instructions.
- Think about how you will be using the car seat. If you’ll be lifting your baby in and out of the car a lot, for example, you may be better off getting a lightweight seat with a base that stays in the car.
- All car seats in this country should be EU approved. Look for the “E” mark label on the seat.
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Not Until The Age Of Two
Years ago, switching with the forward orientation at two was deemed conventional. Even though most three will not fully secure months from an accident with a forward position, it is now regarded as the lowest amount.
So instead of switching on the schedule, wait until their youngster surpasses measurement or bodyweight restriction that her detachable seats drivers side orientation. For very many, it does not occur when they are three or four years old.
What Size Car Seat
Car seats are divided into 3 main groups, depending on your baby or child’s age and weight:
- group 0+ rear-facing car seats suitable for babies aged up to about 15 months or who weigh up to 13kg some can be clipped on to a pushchair frame and are known as travel systems
- group 1 rear or forward-facing seats suitable for children who weigh 9-18kg or who are aged from about 9 months to 4 years
- group 2/3 rear or forward-facing high-backed booster seats suitable for children who weigh 15-36kg or are aged from about 4 to 11 years
You can also buy combination seats that cross over these groups, such as group 0+/1 seats, which are suitable from birth until your child weighs about 18kg or is aged about 4.
Use a rear-facing car seat for as long as your child fits into it, as these offer better protection in the event of a car accident.
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How Long Could My Child Stay Forward In Car Seats
According to the standards, infants should commute drivers side until they become at least 20 25 hours younger. Many professionals, nevertheless, recommend staying overnight. Every year, as your kid continues to intensify, youll notice a significant shift in their maturation.
The lengthier you can keep your youngster in their backyard seat, the more potent. Some experts will tell postponing until kids are fourteen years old before transitioning to front transportation.
Thankfully, seat belt designers such as Babe Peace and comfort have rendered this option available to families. Users would use an I-Size baby carrier to protect their babys trailing edge unless they are 107 cm in height, of about five years of age, whenever body parts have matured more.
How Do I Install A Car Seat With A 5
- Place the car seat in the back seat of the vehicle.
- Secure the car seat using the Universal Anchorage System or the vehicle seat belt, carefully following the vehicle manual and the car seat instructions.
- Make sure that the car seat is tightly secured to the vehicle and does not move more than 2.5 cm in any direction where it is attached to the car.
For a rear-facing seat:
- Install the seat at the reclined angle required by the car seat instructions. Check the instructions to see how you adjust the seat to get the correct angle.
- If you are using a seat with a handle, place it in the position required by the manufacturer.
For a forward-facing seat:
- Always use the top tether on a forward-facing car seat. A tether strap attaches the top of the car seat to a designated tether anchor for that vehicle seat.
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Position Of A Belt On A Baby Car Seat
The position of the seat belt on a car seat is important for the childs safety. The lap portion of the seat belt should be positioned low and tight across the childs hips and upper thighs. The shoulder portion of the seat belt should be placed over the childs shoulder, not under the arm or behind the back.
When Is The Right Time To Transition
Parents know that having a baby car seat is a requirement. However, the laws surrounding them and their placement can be quite daunting and sometimes unclear. One of the most confusing things that parents never seem to know is when exactly to switch from rear-facing to front-facing.
You have possibly heard that children can ride facing forward after one year or after weighing 20 pounds. This had been the standard for a long time, but recommendations have changed. As of now, its recommended that children remain rear-facing at least until the age of 2 .
In an updated report, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children remain rear-facing for as long as possible.
Your child should remain in that seating position until they reach the highest height or weight allowed for that seat. This new recommendation doesnt place a specific age for a child and it can go well beyond 2 years, possibly up until 4, depending upon the size of your child.
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Understanding The Guidelines For Front
While 1 year and 20 pounds used to be the standard for when to flip car seats around, most experts now recommend using rear-facing child seats until children outgrow the top weight and height recommendations of the car seat manufacturer. This means your child may be rear-facing until well beyond their second birthday.
There are some situations in which facing backward may seem uncomfortable for a childlike long road trips where it seems like the little ones legs are cramped up against the back of the seat. You shouldnt let the baby face forward in the car simply because they seem uncomfortable or dont like to be rear facing.
Tots are generally very flexible and even when they seem cramped up by adult standards, they can actually be quite comfortable.
Adding a mirror that allows your child to see themselves while you are driving can help alleviate stress and boredom. And taking breaks during long trips can give your little one time to stretch their legs.
What Are The Laws On Rear
States set their own safety-seat laws for children, specifying minimum age, height, and weight requirements.
Some states , require children younger than 1 or less than 20 pounds to be in rear-facing child restraints, and others specify that children younger than 2 and less than 40 pounds and 40 inches must be in a rear-facing infant seat. And some states only require that children of a certain age ride in a car seat.
State laws are often minimum standards, not ideal safety standards. Some of them don’t line up with best practices. If your state law says your child only needs to be in a rear-facing car seat until their first birthday, for example, stick with what safety experts and pediatricians recommend.
Find out what your state requires and what the fines are for violation on the Safe Ride 4 Kids website.
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Rest Stops And Fresh Air
If you are on a long car journey, we highly recommend making plenty of rest stops and taking your child out of the car.
Fresh air can be beneficial in reducing motion sickness, so we also recommend driving with your window slightly open.
Do not let a little bit of motion sickness deter you from sticking to a rear-facing car seat, though. The safety of your baby should always be your primary concern.
Risk Of Spinal And Neck Injuries
According to Dr. Garbi, rear-facing car seats are especially effective at protecting the spine, which reduces neck and spinal injuries. Moreover, when a child sits rear-facing, their head, neck, and torso all move together in a straight line, helping them avoid the whiplash motion.
In contrast, when a child is prematurely facing forward during a crash, their disproportionately large head is thrown forward, potentially causing severe injuries to the neck or spine.
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Make Sure That The Car Seat Is Properly Installed
Double-check that they are correctly secured when strapping your child into a forward-facing car seat. Dr. Garbi emphasizes that you should focus on the most critical safety aspects, such as ensuring it is properly bonded into the car, tight straps on their shoulders, and the buckles and clips in the proper positions.
Via American Academy of Pediatrics
Most essential, always secure the rope while using forward-facing chairs. The tether is a strap connecting the car seats top to an anchor in the trunk. The top of the seat is the most secure, and a childs head is propelled forward by up to eight inches following a collision.
When Can Your Baby Face Forward In A Car Seat
A rear-facing car seat is the safest method for an infant to ride in a car. However, if you are planning a vacation and your infant is older than one year, you may be tempted to flip the seat to face forward. If you must, place the car seat in the center of the vehicles rear seat. In the case of an accident, this is the safest place in the car for your infant. Once your child is two years old or older and has exceeded the height and weight constraints of a rear-facing car seat, you can have them sit face forward in a car seat. This is at a height of 3 feet and a weight of 13.5 kg.
Via The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia
In an updated study, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that toddlers stay rear-facing for as long as possible. Your child should stay in the seat until they are of the maximum height or weight limit for that seat. This new suggestion does not specify an age for a kid and can extend beyond two years, potentially up to four years, depending on your childs size.
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When Do I Turn The Car Seat Seat Around
With the massive amount of literature thats out there about car seat safety, its easy for parents to start to feel a little overwhelmed about what type of seat to use when, and how it should be installed. Some parents see turning their childs seat to forward-facing as a milestone to complete around her first birthday, but the most recent recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to keep their children rear-facing until theyre at least 2 years old.
Why are parents making the switch sooner?
Though the current recommendation is to keep car seats rear-facing until at least the childs second birthday, the AAP recommendation that came before said that childrens seats shouldnt be turned until the child was at least a year old and weighed 20 pounds at least. For parents with older children, this may be the recommendation they heard first, or that sticks in their mind. Beyond that, most state laws only require children to be rear-facing until their first birthday. Only four US states require that childrens seats be rear-facing until age 2. Between the language of the previous recommendation and minimum age laws in most places, its easy to see why many parents decide that one year is the right age to turn the car seat around so young children can face forward like the rest of the family.
How long should my child stay rear-facing?
What are the advantages of keeping my childs car seat rear-facing?
Do Not Put Your Baby In A Forward
Earlier the standard time to switch your baby from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing one was when the kids turned 2 years old. Now, it is not safe at all because most 2 years old dont have the physical growth to survive a car crash while being in a forward-facing car seat. This is why you need to check if your kid has reached the limits of height and weight set on the car seat to make the switch rather than basing your decision on the calendar. Usually, most kids can ride in a forward-facing car seat after they turn 3 to 4 years old.
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Inspect The Car Seat For Proper Installation
Dont forget to strap your forward-facing car seat properly when you put your child in. The most important safety features, according to Dr. Garbi, are to ensure the seat belt is tightly fastened to the car, that the straps are tight on the shoulders, and that the buckles and clips are properly positioned.
Ensure that the tether is always secured in forward-facing seats. Tethers secure the top of car seats to anchors in the back of the vehicle. Up to eight inches are saved if the top of the seat is tightened during a collision.
Why Extended Rear Facing Seats Are The Safer Option
All parents want their children to be as safe as possible, for as long as possible. That especially extends to car travel, where child restraints are vital to ensure children are safely protected in the advent of a road incident.
There can be some confusion over which restraints are right for your child, with forward facing and rear facing options available for children after the age of six months.
Research, outlined below, shows that keeping your child in a rear facing seat is the safer option, with experts saying parents should keep them facing this way as long as possible.
And there are many new restraints on the market that assist in making this possible.
The laws in Australia
Australian law mandates babies up to six months need to be in rear-facing restraints. But this legislation also states that children can be kept in rear-facing car seats until they are four years old. However, its important to remember that age is a guide, and the height of the child is a better indicator of when your child is ready to turn forward facing or change into their next seat. Only move your child out of their seat when they have exceeded the upper height markers on their current restraint and can no longer sit comfortably in it – keeping them rear-facing for longer which is so much safer.
Lauren Moloney installs car seats in Western Australia as a community service, and she said most people weren’t aware they could keep their children rear-facing for longer.
Why rear facing is safer
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