Who Needs To Use Car Seats On Planes
Rileys first flight at 10 weeks
If your child rides in your car in a car seat, they can use their car seat on the plane. It must bear a sticker that clearly says its approved for use on an airplane. And while lap infants are legal and certainly the most economical way to travel with an infant, if you purchase an airline ticket for baby they should ride in their own seat in an airplane-approved car seat, or FAA-approved harness.
If a flight is not full, some airlines will allow you to bring your car seat on board and use it if you snag a free seat. However, you will end up having to gate check your car seat if you cant use it. If that happens, its best to travel with a car seat travel bag that will offer some padding and protect your car seat should you have to gate check it.
You should use your car seat on board the plane the same way you do in a car. If they are rear-facing in your car, they should be rear-facing on the planeeven if it interferes with the recline of the seat in front of you.
More on that later.
The Center Of The Back Seat Is Statistically The Safest Place In The Car
Research from real crashes shows that the center is safest particularly because you cant take a direct impact in the center. One study of kids 0-3 years old found that kids sitting in the center are43% saferthan those sitting on the side.A study of all fatal crashes in the US between 2000 and 2003found that the person sitting in the center of the back seat had a 13% increased chance of survival than those sitting in the back but on one of the side seats.
Installing The Car Seat Base With Lower Anchors
Read Also: How To Cancel Car Insurance Geico
What Are The Differences Between Convertible And Infant Car Seats
The infant car seats can carry children that have up to 45 pounds of weight, but some models might support even more mass. On the other side, there are convertible car seats that can accommodate children up to 80 pounds of weight. Again, this is the norm on the market, but some designs might be able to fit children weighing up to 100 pounds.
Another difference is that the convertible seats are cheaper than infant car seats. Also, the infant seats are considerably heavier than the convertible ones. This is because of the added safety measures and features designed especially for making sure the babies are as safe as possible.
Additionally, the infant car seats would have to be installed in your car, instead of just being set up using a few clicks and levers. This means that you won’t be able to take the infant seat out of your car and carry it around with your baby in it.
How To Install A Rear
The AAP recommends keeping children rear-facing until at least age 2, but baby wont fit in her infant car seat for nearly that long. Which means youll need to purchase a second car seat solution: a convertible car seat, which allows baby to ride rear-facing or forward-facing and can be used for several years to come. Even better: These seats are considered to be safer for babys head and neck than infant car seats. Heres how to tackle a rear-facing convertible car seat installation:
Step 1: Carefully inspect the convertible car seat for any defects. Look for cracks, loose parts and defects in the belts and clips.
Step 2: Because convertible car seats can be used either forward- or rear-facing, they have two entirely different belt paths for the LATCH clips. Make sure the car seats belt and LATCH clips are in the rear-facing belt path. If they arent in this position, consult your car seat manual, which will show you how to properly thread the attachments through the rear-facing belt path.
Step 3: Visually inspect the belt and LATCH clips to ensure there are no tangles or twists in the belts.
Step 4: Attach the LATCH clip on one side of the base to the corresponding lower anchor of the vehicles seat then do the same for the other side.
Step 5: Pull the strap on the LATCH attachment to tighten the seat as much as possible.
Step 6: Make sure the car seats angle is correct. Again, rear-facing seats should recline at a 30- to 45-degree angle.
Don’t Miss: How Much Does A Car Salesman Make Per Car
Car Seats For Newborns And Infants
There are three types of car seats you can use with your infant:
- Infant car seat. This small, portable seat has a carrying handle and a separate base thats meant to be left in the car. Infant car seats are generally designed for babies weighing up to about 22 to 40 pounds, depending on the model, and are meant to be used only in the rear-facing position. Most babies outgrow infant seats by the time theyre 9 to 18 months old at which point youll need to transition your baby to a rear-facing convertible or a rear-facing all-in-one car seat.
- Convertible car seat. With a higher height and weight limit , convertible car seats can be used for longer in the rear-facing position and can later be used in the front-facing position. However, convertible car seats are generally bulkier and less travel-friendly than infant car seats . The fit of a convertible seat may also be slightly less secure for a newborn. So if you choose this model, make sure your baby fits snugly in it.
- All-in-one car seat. An all-in-one seat can be transformed from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat and finally a booster seat. Just check to be sure yours is designed to be used with babies . The downside? All-in-one seats don’t generally have a carrying handle or separate base. And because they’re bigger, in addition to ensuring your newborn fits snugly into it, youll need to check its manual to be sure the seat fits your car model.
How Long Should A Baby Be In A Rear
Babies are safest in a rear-facing restraint, and would only be expected to outgrow these restraints when they are two to three years old. Children should stay rear-facing for as long as possible. As your child grows, it may appear that there is no room for their legs when they are restrained in this position.
Recommended Reading: How Much Does A Car Salesman Make Per Car
Child Car Seats/booster Seats
This is the car seat that your child will use for the longest time from approx. 4 years until 12 years. Using a high back booster seat instead of only a booster cushion ensures that your child is provided with a side impact protection during the whole period of use. We recommend you to use a high back booster seat for as long as possible, even if not required by national law anymore to give your child the best kind of protection.
Are There Any Other Safety Tips
- Many seat manufacturers have online video tutorials that can help.
- Some local community resources offer car seat clinics. There may be someone who has been trained to help with installation or check that you have installed the car seat correctly.
- If you use an infant carrier outside of a vehicle:
- Always keep your child buckled.
- Do not put the seat on a raised surface because it may fall.
- Always take your baby out of the car seat when you arrive. A car seat is not a safe place to sleep.
Don’t Miss: What Percentage Do Car Salesmen Make
The Definitive Guide To Stroller And Car Seat Combinations
The entire stroller car seat combination table is too large to be displayed as a whole, so weve broken it down by car seat to simplify the navigation.
Just select your car seat model below and youll see exactly which strollers are compatible. We also include the adapters and extenders model when they are required:
How Do You Position A Newborn Baby In A Car Seat
If youre reading this article, youre ready to welcome your first child into the world or have already done so. Congratulations!
There are many things youll likely be learning, and one of those is the positioning of your newborn baby into a car seat. These early months to years are vital for the growth of your child, and youd want to make sure youre protecting your newborn with everything you do.
Thats why weve created this article, to give you tips on how to position a newborn baby in a car seat. If you dont have too much time on your hands to read the entire guide, weve summarized this into the list below.
For more detailed information, check out our safe car seat guide for your child and car laws for your state.
Recommended Reading: Carvana Lease Car
How Do I Install A Car Seat On A Plane
I will be honest. Installing car seats on planes is a real pain in the butt.
Forward-facing installation is much easier. Installing to rear face is trickier and may require a seat belt extender from the flight attendant. You may need one to forward face anyway. When you board with your car seat, its best to ask for one right away anyway. Its a lot easier to hand back an unused set belt extender than to struggle to install and then try to get the flight attendants attention once everyones boarding.
This video produced by the FAA made me giggle because its not really realistic. However, in a perfect world, yes You should have ample room in the bulkhead to install your toddlers lightweight car seat while they happily play with daddys cell phone. Its more likely that youll need to contort yourself in a tiny seat pitch as you sweat and grunt to install it anywhere close to the perfect recline.
Can A Newborn Baby Go In The Front Seat
A: Yes, although it is safer for children to travel in the rear of the car. If you must put a forward-facing seat in the front when there is an airbag present, make sure that the car seat is as far back as possible and the child seat is securely held to maximise the distance between the child and the airbag.
Recommended Reading: Average Income For Car Salesman
One Of The Most Common Questions We Are Receiving Is: When Is The Right Time For My Child To Change To The Next Car Seat And This Is A Great And Very Important Question Different Regulations Focussing On Weight Height And Age And Can Make It Quite Confusing We Have Therefore Collected An Overview Of When To Change Car Seats For Your Child
At BeSafe, we categorize the different child car seat stages in a childs life into three groups:
3) Car seats for older children
When choosing a seat for your newborn, there are two paths you can choose from: either to use an infant carrier from approx. 0-1 year, followed by a toddler seat until approx. 4 years or to use a 2-in-1 seat from 0 to approx. 4 years.
When using such a 2-in-1 seat, it is only relevant in this article for you to know when to change to a seat for older children. When to remove the baby insert of your 2-in-1 seat is defined by the user manual of your seat.
Seat Belts In The Cabins Of Rvs
Seat belts in passenger cars are subjected to a large number of federal regulations and testing. The seat belts in the cabins of recreational vehicles are not subject to that testing. Most significantly, the seat belts are often not secured to the frame of the vehicle as is required for passenger vehicles. Instead, they are anchored to the floorboard or plywood directly beneath the upholstery. While they may appear secure and tight, in the event of a crash, those seat belts could easily completely detach from their anchorage.
On the off chance that a newer model does in fact have properly tested and anchored seat belts, a host of other issues will prevent a safe installation in the cabin of a recreational vehicle.
Lap only seat belt in an RV
Many of the seat belts are on sideways or rear facing bench seats. Child restraints must be installed on forward facing seats only. Frequently, the only forward facing seatbelt in the cabin is at a table.
This seating area leaves no room for the installation of a rear facing seat, provides no top tether anchor for a forward facing seat, and has far too little room for a child in a forward facing seat to be properly protected in a crash.
In addition, these seat belts are generally lap belts only. This type of belt is unsuitable for children riding in boosters or older children and teens who pass the five-step test.
Don’t Miss: What You Need To Make Car Freshies
How To Install A Forward
Once your toddler reaches the weight limit for riding backwards in his convertible car seat, youll need to reinstall it as a forward-facing seat. Consult the car seats manual for the exact weight, but it tends to be around 45 pounds.
The LATCH system also has its own set of weight limits for when lower anchors can be used. In vehicles made after 2014, lower anchors can be used for rear-facing seats as long as the combined weight of your child plus the seat itself is less than 65 pounds. For forward-facing car seats, the combined weight of the child and car seat should be less than 69 pounds. Once baby reaches the weight limit for LATCH, the seat belt is the safer car seat installation option. As your child grows, its imperative that you follow both your car seat manufacturer and vehicle manufacturer instructions to determine how long you can use LATCH for, says Nicholas Krukowski, a certified child passenger safety technician and owner of Adiona Safety Seats in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Heres how to install a front-facing car seat using the LATCH system:
Step 1: Remove the LATCH attachments from the rear-facing belt path and thread them through the forward-facing belt path. This path is probably behind where babys back will rest, rather than under his bottom.
Step 2: Visually inspect the car seats belt and LATCH clips to ensure there are no tangles or twists in the belts.
Step 4: Pull the strap on the LATCH attachment to tighten the seat as much as possible.
Position : Middle Rear Seat
If the middle rear seat has a three-point seat belt, this is the safest place to put a child restraint because it is the furthest away from the sides of the car.
If the middle rear seat has a lap-only belt, check the child restraint instructions to see if it can be fitted with a lap-only belt. Most child car seats require a three-point seat belt. If this is the case, fit the seat on a rear seat that has a lap and diagonal seat belt.
If you are using an Isofix or i-size child seat you can only use the middle rear seat if it has Isofix points.
Don’t Miss: Which Oil Do I Use For My Car
Tip : Regularly Check The Height Of The Child
This is the best method of ensuring that the child is safely restrained for as long as possible. In addition to using age as a guide, child car seats feature a shoulder height marker which dictates use.
Your child should remain in a rear facing seat or position until their shoulder is in-line or above the forward facing height marker.
Your child should remain in a forward facing seat until their shoulder height is above the upper shoulder height marker. For example, if your child is ten years old and still below the exit height marker, they need to stay in their safety seat.
Choose The Safest Position For The Car SeatThe safest placement of a car seat is on the rear seat of your vehicle in the center position, as it protects your child in the event of a side impact collision. The rear passenger side of your vehicle is an alternative option. You should always install the car seat where there is an appropriate anchor point and according to the manufacturers instructions and the instructions in your vehicles owners manual. A professional fitter can help to install your car seat in the safest position in your vehicle and teach you how to confidently do so as well! Professional fitting is strongly recommended with each new seat.
