Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children grow out of their car seats for infants, they can transition into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be rear-facing or forward-facing, however they have to meet certain weight and age requirements.

It is not advised to place car seats behind airbags on the vehicle seat, since the force of the airbag could be fatal for babies and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be struck by an airbag when in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a baby.

Infant car seats are only designed to be rear-facing. In the event of a crash the back of the seat will rest against the rear of your car seat. This provides the best car seat protection for your infant.

In addition, a rear-facing car seat protects the head and neck of your child more than a forward-facing seat which offers only a small amount of neck and head protection. The headrest keeps your child from slipping out of the shoulder straps during an accident. The harness holds the chest clip up above the shoulders.

It's important to remember that there are ZERO instances of children in car seats that face forwards breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the front seat. This happens when children's feet rise and become trapped against the back of the seat, which puts tremendous pressure on the leg bones. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of.

There are numerous programs in the United States that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or free for parents who meet the requirements. This is a great way to ensure your child is in an appropriate car seat before they get out of it and can be used in a safe manner for a long time.

Most new infant car seat in front seat car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, making them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful for families with small children as it allows you to keep the car seat in place and ready to go even when you switch vehicles.

Find the middle of the seat and measure it with a tape. Many things, such as the blade of a house key or the length of wireless earbuds are approximately 1.5 inches long and can be used to determine this space. Then, check the car seat's instructions and vehicle owner's manual to see if you can adjust the angle of the car seat to remove this space.

2. Harness Position

In baby car seats, bouncers, swings strollers, as well as other equipment for children, infants and preemies could fall into a dangerous position with their chests and chins touching. In the event of a crash, they can be injured or crushed by the chest clip. To avoid this, ensure that the straps on your shoulder start a bit lower and move up to the shoulders of your child and make sure you tighten them. The straps must be tight enough to pinch excess fabric to each other. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other bulky outer layers can interfere with the Pinch Test, so be sure to remove them before you buckle your child in their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break during an accident, but it could be compressed on the throat of a child when it's too low or if the chest straps aren't tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be in the neck opening. Instead it should be located at the armpit level.

In a crash, infants who are facing rearwards will slide off the seat. The harness straps must be able to support the child's neck and head. It is crucial to place the straps above the shoulders. If the straps fall too low, they may slide through the neck opening of the baby or over their ears. If they are too loose, they can reach the child's face.

Make sure that the shoulder straps are snugly fitted and in the slots above or at the shoulders of your child. Newborns might need an infant insert (often included in the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they reach this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that can assist you in this. You may also want to check the instructions provided in the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to turn their infant car seat around to face forward due to their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position really no reason to do it. The rear-facing position is safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a collision, the baby's body will tense against the seat, and their spine and neck will be supported. Forward-facing children may suffer serious injuries due to the fact that their bodies are thrown against the vehicle.

Additionally, many infant car seats have a built-in angle indicator so you can ensure that the seat is installed correctly. You should also make sure that your child's head is flat on the seat, and that the straps are over their shoulders, not under their arms. To check if the harness is too tight, you should be able squeeze a small amount of material at the shoulder of your child. Check the crotch strap and make sure it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also a good idea to review the manual of your infant car seat to be aware of the proper method to use it with your child.

Most manufacturers recommend that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they reach at least one year old, or until they reach the weight and height limits of their specific car seat. Certain states have laws that require infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.

If you have a vehicle with just one rear seat, place the infant car seat in the middle so that you are able to easily see your child's face through the rearview mirror without having to lean over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side will also make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two back seats the infant car seat in front seat car seat can be installed on either side as long as it's not in the airbag's front on the passenger side. If you have to decide whether to install the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who exceed the size of their infant car seat due to weight or height must be fitted with a booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits them properly. This is only possible when they are at a minimum of 4 feet 9 inches tall and have reached the top rated baby car seats of their headrest (check the guidelines of the manufacturer of your seat for exact measurements).

Booster seats help to position the shoulder belt and lap correctly. They can also limit the distance that a child's skull moves during the crash, which lowers the risk of injury. Head movement is the most common reason behind motor vehicle crashes which are the most frequent fatality for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

If a booster is used improperly the lap portion of the belt may slide up and over the child's abdomen and cause major injuries in a crash. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up on a child's belly.

Many boosters are designed with small handles, armrests or guide slots that aid to position the lap belt low and flat across the child's upper thighs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on a child's strong hip bones instead of slipping into their soft stomach area in the event of an accident.

Some booster seats are designed with a seat belt locking mechanism to keep the seat belt secure while children are sitting in it. This can help in preventing the lap belt from moving up over the abdomen of a child. This will prevent the seatbelt from being pulled over a child’s face. This can lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia, as well neck strain.