Car seat safety: Avoid 9 common mistakes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Knowing how to safely buckle up your child as they grow can seem tricky. Check out nine common mistakes parents may make when it comes to car seat safety. Then learn what you can do to keep your child safe on the road.

1. Getting a used car seat without checking that it's safe

If you don't know the history of a car seat, it's best to buy a new one. In addition to knowing the car seat's history, make sure the car seat:

• Comes with instructions.
• Has a label that shows the date the car seat was made and its model number.
• Hasn't been recalled by the seat maker for flaws, safety concerns or other issues.
• Isn't expired.
• Doesn't look like it is damaged or has missing parts.
• Has never been in a crash.

2. Placing the car seat in the wrong spot

The safest place for your child's car seat is in the back seat, away from active air bags. Air bags in the front seat are made to protect the head and face of an adult in a seat belt. If you put the car seat in the front seat and the air bag inflates, it can be dangerous. It can cause a serious or deadly injury if the airbag inflates and hits the seat or child.

Some vehicles have only one row of seats, such as some pickup trucks. Don't use a car seat in these unless you can turn off the air bag. In the U.S., you need to send a request to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to turn off the air bag. An authorized dealer or repair shop can turn off the air bag if NHTSA says it's OK.

If you have only one car seat in the back seat, install it in the center of the seats. Putting the car seat in the center lowers the risk of injury during a crash.

3. Installing the car seat or buckling up your child the wrong way

Before you install a car seat, read the seat maker's instructions. Also read the section on car seats in the owner's manual for your vehicle. Many car seat makers provide online videos with steps for installation. Watching the video directly from the car seat maker should give you the most accurate advice. To check that it is installed securely, grab the bottom of the seat near the attachment points or seat belt path. If you can move the seat more than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) from side to side or front to back, it's not secured tightly enough.

If you use a seat that's only for infants or a convertible seat that faces the back of the car, keep these tips in mind:

• Use the harness slots described in the seat maker's instructions. The slots are usually located at or just below the child's shoulders. Place the harness straps over your child's shoulders.
• Buckle the harness straps and chest clip. Make sure it's a snug fit. The harness straps should be tight enough that you can't pinch any strap between your fingertips. The chest clip should be even with your child's armpits. Make sure the straps and clip lie flat against your child's chest and over the hips with no slack.

4. Reclining your child at the wrong angle

If your child's car seat faces the rear of the car, follow the seat maker's instructions to recline the seat to the correct angle. Do this so your child's head doesn't flop forward. Babies must ride semi-reclined to keep their airways open. Many seats have parts that let you change how much the seat reclines. Most have a device that helps you find the correct recline angle for the seat. As your child grows, you might need to change the angle. Check the seat maker's instructions for details.

5. Moving to a forward-facing car seat too soon

Parents often want to see their child's face in the rearview mirror. Or sometimes a child wants to ride facing forward. But riding facing the rear for as long as possible is the safest option. In fact, most states have laws requiring rear facing until a baby is at least 2 years old. Safety experts recommend children remain rear facing even after age 2 until the child reaches the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat maker.

A child will typically transition to a convertible car seat after an infant seat. Convertible car seats typically have a higher rear-facing weight and height limit than an infant-only seat. When your child reaches the weight or height limit of the convertible seat, you can face the seat forward. When you make the switch:

• Install the car seat in the back seat according to the seat maker's instructions. Use either the seat belt or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system. Ensure your child meets the standards for use of the LATCH system. The child's weight plus the weight of the car seat should not exceed 65 pounds.
• Choose the correct seat belt path if using a convertible car seat. Convertible car seats have a forward-facing seat belt path and a rear-facing seat belt path.
• Use the tether strap to keep the seat extra stable. It's a strap that hooks to the top of the seat and attaches to an anchor in the car.
• Adjust the harness straps so that they're at or just above your child's shoulder level. The straps should fit snugly.

6. Not removing your child's heavy outer clothes

Bulky outer layers of clothes and blankets can keep harness straps from snugly securing your child. There's a safer way to keep your child warm. Buckle the harness. Then place a coat or blanket over the harness.

7. Moving to a booster seat too soon

Older children need booster seats to help an adult seat belt fit right. A child can switch from a car seat to a booster seat when the child reaches the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat maker. But it's also important to learn your state's booster seat laws. Different states have different laws about how old a child must be before they can stop using a booster seat. Don't forget: Your child is safest when staying in a car seat with a harness for as long as possible.

8. Using a booster seat the wrong way

Don't use a lap-only belt with a booster seat. Use a lap and shoulder belt option. Make sure the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child's chest, touching the center of the child's shoulder. The lap belt should go across your child's thighs.

9. Switching to a seat belt too soon

Most kids can safely use an adult seat belt sometime between ages 8 and 12. Here's how you'll know that your child is ready:

• Your child sits against the back of the seat with knees bent comfortably at the edge of the seat without slouching.
• Your child can keep feet flat on the floor.
• The lap belt lies low across your child's upper thighs. Avoid having the lap belt go across the belly. The shoulder belt rests on the middle of your child's chest and touches the center of the shoulder. Avoid letting the belt rest on the neck or face.
• Your child can sit safely for the entire ride.

Keep in mind that the back seat is the safest place for children younger than age 13. This may be a law in your state.

It can be a good idea to take part in a local car seat clinic or inspection event. These can be helpful if you have questions about child passenger safety laws. People at these events also can help you install a car seat. You also can check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for help finding a car seat inspection station.