Before installing the seat, always read the vehicle owner’s handbook and the car safety seat instructions. It is critical that your child’s car safety seat is securely fitted in the vehicle and that the harness fits snugly. A youngster should remain rear-facing from birth until he meets the height and weight limits of his rear-facing seat. In the guideline, it is clearly explained how to install a front-facing infant car seat. But for the sake of easiness, I will explain step by step.
Contents
- 1 Installation tips for front-facing car seats for baby
- 2 Only use the lower anchors or the seat belt, not both
- 3 Begin with the back-center position
- 4 Place the seat so that it is as snug as possible
- 5 Snap the seat belt into place
- 6 Take your child’s position
- 7 Use the top tether at all times
- 8 Verify that the tethering connection is correct
- 9 Recommendation
Installation tips for front-facing car seats for baby
Only use the lower anchors or the seat belt, not both
Some parents assume that employing both approaches will keep their child safe on both counts. “However, most instructions will advise you that this has not been tested and so should not be done,” Dr. Hoffman explains
Begin with the back-center position
Parents of rear-facing children are frequently obliged to utilize the center seat belt instead. It is still safe but not always as convenient. Another option is to put the seat in the center and borrow a LATCH anchor from each side position. It’s only possible in select vehicles. The disadvantage of this solution is that you cannot install another restraint in that row if you have more than one child.
Place the seat so that it is as snug as possible
Begin with the car seat in the middle, if permitted by the vehicle manufacturer. However, if you can’t obtain a snug fit, slide it to either side. “Julie Prom, a trained CPS instructor, and Chicago child-safety advocate agrees.”A good fit on the side is preferable to a poor fit in the center. ” This implies that the seat should move no more than an inch from side to side or front to rear.
Snap the seat belt into place
If you use a seat belt instead of the lower anchors, make sure you pull the seat belt all the way out to lock it. This way, when you attach the seat, the belt will remain fastened. The owner’s manual for your vehicle might assist you with this.
Take your child’s position
According to Doctors, the harness straps that keep your child in place should be secure, and the chest clip should be at the child’s armpit level to prevent straps from slipping off the shoulders. “The clip is especially critical for rear-facing children because they can be expelled if it is not in the appropriate place,” an expert says. The harness straps must also be threaded through the appropriate holes – for rear-facers, this implies slots at or below the shoulders. The harness straps on a forward-facing seat must be inserted through the slots at or above the shoulders.
Use the top tether at all times
According to a 2013 IIHS survey, qualified CPS techs saw parents utilizing the top tether anchor just 56% of the time, and seats equipped with a seat belt were most likely to be untethered. “Whether you use the bottom anchors or the seat belt, using the top tether for a forward-facing seat is a requirement,” adds Prom. “It prevents the seat from going forward by 6 or 8 inches, lowering the danger of head injury,” says Prom.
Verify that the tethering connection is correct
The position of the connection is another issue to consider. When the top tether anchor is easier to discover, parents are more likely to use it. In minivans and SUVs, the top tether anchor might be on the floor, on the middle or lower seat back, in the cargo area, or on the ceiling. In fact, it’s very uncommon for a parent to connect the cable to the incorrect hardware.
Recommendation
These all steps help you to find answers to the most confused question “how to install a front-facing infant car seat”. For more information Click Here to read detailed articles on baby car seats.
