Child Car Safety for Babies
Hitting the road? Keep your most precious cargo as safe as possible with our child car safety tips!
- The only safe place for your baby is in the backseat of your car.
- Your baby should ride facing backwards until he is 2 years of age or reaches the maximum height and weight recommended for his seat.
- A properly installed car seat shouldn't be able to move more than 2 inches in any direction.
- Make sure that car seat straps are tightened snugly enough that only one of your fingers fits between the straps and your baby's shoulder.
- Be sure the chest clip is at the level of your baby's armpits.
- Do you use your infant car seat carrier as a baby seat around the house? Then double, triple, quadruple-check that the harness between your baby's legs is buckled. It's too easy to snap that car seat carrier into its base, only to realize when reaching the grocery store that OMG! the buckles and straps weren't fastened!
- Don't put your baby in blankets, bulky clothes or a coat in her car seat—the straps should all be resting directly on the first layer of that adorable ensemble you've dressed her in. Worried she's cold? Tuck the blankets on top of the fastened straps or get a warm car seat cover that is safe for use while driving.
- Your baby should never exceed the weight or height limits specified on his car seat! Don't try to "stretch" the amount of time your baby uses his infant car seat.
- Think your baby is ready to move to a forward-facing toddler car seat? Check the guidelines for forward-facing car seats in ParentsConnect's Child Car Safety for Toddlers and Preschoolers!
And be sure and follow the general Car Safety Tips for children of all ages, too!
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