Buckle Up Every Age, Every Seat, Every Trip Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States, but many of these deaths can be prevented. Always buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts reduces serious injuries and death by up to 80%.

Why use a child safety seat?

Overview – Car seats and boosters provide protection for infants and children in a crash, yet car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. That’s why it’s so important to choose and use the right car seat correctly every time your child is in the car. Follow these important steps to choose the right seat, install it correctly and keep your child safe.

Safety Facts 325 Children under 5 saved by car seats in one year 40% Children killed in car crashes in 2021 who were unrestrained 46% of car seats and booster seats are used incorrectly Car Seats and Booster Seats Related Topic Follow these steps to help you through the process of finding the right car seat, installing it correctly, and keeping your child safe.

How does the car seat protect the baby?

The car seat provides support to your baby’s spine and head during the impact of a crash to limit movement and decrease the chance of injury. The base of the car seat keeps the car seat from moving during a crash. Tightly secure your baby’s car seat base using either the seat belt or latch system.

What is the purpose of car seat test?

Car Seat Safety: Premature Babies and Babies With Medical Conditions Even with the best prenatal care, sometimes your baby wants to arrive a little earlier than planned. If this happens, your hospital will want to make sure your baby can travel safely in the car.

Usually, infants born earlier than 37 weeks will need a tolerance test, also known as a car seat test. Babies with other medical conditions or those who may not tolerate sitting in a semi-reclined position, such as a rear-facing car seat, may also need this test. Car seat testing is usually done in the hospital within one week before your baby is ready to go home.

You will be asked to bring in your baby’s car seat, which he will sit in for 90 to 120 minutes or the length of the car ride home, whichever is longer. During the test, the nurse will monitor your baby’s heart rate, breathing and oxygen level. If your baby passes the car seat test, he will be able to use the car seat you have provided.

1. If not, the hospital may repeat the same car seat test.
2. If your doctor tells you that your baby needs a car bed, it is likely because of concerns with your baby’s breathing and heart rate when he’s semi-reclined in a traditional child safety seat.
3. The doctor may also order a home monitor to check your baby’s heart rate and breathing.

Medical staff may require your infant to ride in a car bed rather than a traditional child safety seat. Car beds allow babies to lie down while traveling. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that medical staff monitor infants with the following indicators before their first car trip:

Infants less than 37 weeks gestational age at birth Infants of any age who may not tolerate sitting in a semi-reclined position, such as a rear-facing car seat Infants at risk for apnea, bradycardia, oxygen desaturation or obstructive apnea (e.g. Pierre Robin Sequence)

Your pediatrician may repeat the car seat test to find out if your baby is medically stable enough to use a car seat. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your baby’s car bed and these guidelines:

The car bed should be placed in the rear seat so that your baby’s head is in the center of the vehicle, away from the door. Use the vehicle’s seat belt to attach the car bed to the vehicle and be sure that the belt is tight. Place your baby on his back, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. If your baby’s pediatrician recommended placing your baby on his abdomen while riding in the car, she should tell you when this is no longer medically necessary. If your baby needs a breathing monitor or other equipment, learn how to secure it properly to prevent it from moving if a crash should occur. While your baby is riding in a car bed, someone other than the driver should watch him. Limit car rides, especially long trips, until your baby is medically stable enough to switch to a car seat. If the car ride will be longer than three hours, allow for rest stops every two to three hours so your baby can be out of the car bed for feeding and care. Avoid using baby seats, baby swings, bouncy chairs, backpack slings and infant carriers until your baby is re-tested or your pediatrician says that it is safe for him to be in a semi-reclined position.

If you still have concerns about installing and using the car bed properly, you can visit a car seat fitting station nationally or in the greater Philadelphia area. Please visit to learn more. If your pediatrician determines that it is safe for your baby to be in a semi-reclined position, follow these tips to safely position your baby in a traditional safety seat:

Make sure you check the weight requirements on the car seat and that your baby weighs enough to use the seat. Infant-only car seats with three- or five-point harness systems or convertible car seats with five-point harness systems provide the best comfort and positioning for your baby. Do not use a car seat with a shield, abdominal pad or arm rest because it may cause breathing problems for your baby or may cause an injury to your baby’s face and/or neck during a sudden stop or crash. Only use head supports that come with the car seat. Do not use any head supports that are purchased separately. Most very small babies may need additional positioning support; you can put a blanket roll on each side of your baby to provide support for her head and body. When choosing your car seat, select one with the shortest distance from the crotch strap to the seat back. This will prevent your baby from moving forward under the harness.

Photo caption: A properly positioned baby in a rear-facing child safety seat with a blanket roll on each side and at the crotch strap, if the manufacturer allows

Is it necessary to have a baby car seat?

Carpooling with car seats – If your child is being driven by someone else, make sure:

The car safety seat your child will be using fits properly in the vehicle used for transport. The car safety seat being used is appropriate for the age and size of your child. The person in charge of transporting your child knows how to install and use the car safety seat correctly.

Child care programs and schools should have written guidelines for transporting children, including

All drivers must have a valid driver’s license. In some states, school bus drivers need to have a special type of license. Staff to child ratios for transport should meet or exceed those required for the classroom. Every child should be supervised during transport, either by school staff or a parent volunteer, so the driver can focus on driving. School staff, teachers, and drivers should know what to do in an emergency, know how to properly use car safety seats and seat belts, and be aware of other safety requirements.

What is the purpose of a seat?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Seats at a British railway station A seat is a place to sit, The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.

What is safety seat?

A child safety seat, sometimes called an infant safety seat, child restraint system, child seat, baby seat, car seat, or a booster seat, is a seat designed specifically to protect children from injury or death during vehicle collisions.

What are the benefits of car seat covers?

What Are Car Seat Covers? – Car seat covers prevent stains, spills, crumbs, dust, dirt, and debris from marring the cloth or leather seating surfaces in your vehicle. In addition to mess protection, the benefits of buying seat covers for your car include:

Easy to clean either with a damp cloth or by removing and placing in the washing machine.Slower depreciation as you maintain your car’s factory condition.Customized appearance that enhances the style of your vehicle.

Parents and pet owners can especially benefit from seat covers that ward off pet hair, sticky fingers, and messy spills.

Do car seat covers protect baby from germs?

We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. The newsroom or editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content. When it comes to babies, safety is all that’s on your mind. This is particularly true when you are traveling with your newborn.

• While you have a comfy car seat for your child, a car seat cover is a must-have if you prefer extra protection from the hot sun or cool wind.
• A car seat cover not only provides privacy and a comfy space, it also keeps those little ones warm.
• The covers are a practical alternative to blankets and protect from the rain, sun, wind, and even germs.

Car seat coverings perform a variety of functions and simplify the lives of new parents who are often overburdened. There are many products to choose from, and it can be time consuming to select the most effective option. In order to assist you in making an educated decision, we’ve evaluated and created a list of the ideal baby car seat covers of 2023.

Does a car seat go through security?

Place all carry-on baggage such as children’s toys, bags and blankets on the X-ray belt for screening. Strollers, umbrella-strollers, baby carriers, car and booster seats and backpacks must be screened by X-ray. Place items in the stroller pockets or baskets, in a carry-on bag or on the X-ray belt for screening.

Should I check my child’s car seat?

Is It Safe to Check Your Carseat When You Fly? November 16, 2018 Airplane, Safety The issue of how to best handle flying with kids and their carseats is something that comes up often. Many safety-conscious parents will bring the carseat with them knowing that their child will need to use it once they reach their destination. I applaud all those parents for doing the right thing! However, for a variety of reasons, most parents don’t actually bring the carseat onto the plane and use it for their child during the flight. Newborn on airplane – safe and comfortable! Regardless of why parents chose to check their carseats, the fact remains that most travelers flying with carseats in tow do check them instead of lugging them through security and using them on the plane. And seats checked with regular luggage probably get tossed around and manhandled the same way luggage does. But what if you’ve already traveled with your carseat and checked it? Perhaps even multiple times? Is it still safe to use? There are some CPS advocates that will argue that a checked carseat could have sustained significant damage during the time it was out of your sight and should be replaced as a precaution.

Some might actually go so far as to suggest that the checked carseat is now “as good as crashed”. I personally think that stance is over the top but I understand the logic behind those opinions. I’ve seen how beat-up my luggage is sometimes when I reach my destination. Plus, many frequent flyers have witnessed first-hand some of the abuse that luggage endures as it’s loaded and unloaded from the aircraft.

What we lacked in the past was any type of official policy or statement from the carseat manufacturers regarding checked carseats. The instruction manuals are full of do’s and don’ts and even show us how to install the carseat properly using the lap-only belt on the aircraft.

1. But there has been no attention given to encouraging the use of the carseat on the plane, and subsequently no mention of what you should or shouldn’t do if you’re flying but not planning to bring the carseat on board.
2. A few years ago, the Manufacturers Alliance for Child Passenger Safety (MACPS) issued a statement for CPS Technicians/Instructors on the subject: Car Seats Gate-Checked or Checked as Luggage Car seats are designed to withstand most motor vehicle crash forces.

In general, the MACPS does not consider a gate-checked car seat or a car seat that is checked as luggage to be one that has experienced forces equivalent to a motor vehicle crash. Once the destination is reached, it is recommended to inspect the car seat to make sure no visual damage has occurred and all aspects of the car seat function properly.

• I think that’s certainly a reasonable policy but I would like to see all manufacturers take it a step further and include language in the instruction manuals that encourages the use of the child restraint on the plane and discourages checking it with regular luggage.
• Gate-checking the carseat should be encouraged if and when it isn’t possible to use it on board the aircraft for the child.

If nothing else, a gate-checked seat is much less likely to be lost than a seat that was checked with luggage. I appreciate that the MACPS has taken the time to address the issue. I trust that they looked at the issues seriously. I’m not a carseat engineer, nor do I play one on TV, so I’m going to defer to them on this issue and trust that they know what their products can withstand. On this end of the table, we’re going to continue to advocate for securing children in aircraft with the same passion and dedication that we have for securing them in motor vehicles. With that in mind, let’s list the top DO’s and DON’Ts of flying with kids and carseats.

DO buy a plane ticket for your child, even if they are under age 2. Lap babies can be seriously injured during turbulence and in cases where emergency maneuvers are required (aborted take-offs, emergency landings, etc.) DO use an FAA-approved child restraint with a 5-point harness for kids under 40 lbs. DO bring your child’s carseat to the gate if your child is under age 2 and you haven’t purchased a separate seat for them. If the flight isn’t full, most flight attendants will make every effort to seat you next to an empty seat in order to accommodate your properly restrained child. If the flight winds up being full, you can gate-check the seat. DO gate-check the carseat if it’s not possible to bring it on board and use it for your child. Items that are gate-checked have less opportunity to be mishandled and are much less likely to be missing when you land. DO know your rights! Well-intentioned but misinformed flight attendants can ruin even the best-laid travel plans so be prepared! See our article below for specific suggestions. DON’T check your carseat with your regular luggage if you can help it. DON’T rely on car rental companies to provide an appropriate child restraint. There have been too many horror stories over the years regarding outdated, dirty or lack of available appropriate seats. DO your homework and read our previous blogs on kids, carseats & airplanes.

DO enjoy your quiet time while your child naps comfortably!

What happens if baby fails car seat test?

What happens if my baby fails the car seat challenge? If your baby weighs less than 5 pounds (s)he will be transferred to the NICU for 2 hours of monitoring. If (s)he remains stable and there is a weight-appropriate car bed available, (s)he will then be tested in a car bed.

When a baby fails the car seat test?

THE “CAR SEAT CHALLENGE” – Largely because of these findings, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 1991 (updated 1996, 1999) that after hospital discharge preterm infants should not be left unsupervised in a car safety seat and that car safety seats “should be used only for travel, and that travel should be minimized during the first months of life”.3– 5 They also recommended that preterm infants should be observed and monitored for apnoea, bradycardia, or oxygen desaturation in their car safety seat before hospital discharge: the car seat challenge.

The guidelines advised that infants who experienced episodes of apnoea for more than 20 seconds, bradycardia (less than 80 beats/min), or oxygen desaturation (less than 90%) should not travel in the car safety seat. In the United States, the car seat challenge is recommended not only for those preterm infants who have had respiratory problems but also for infants born near term at 35–36 weeks gestation.

Most of these infants are likely to have had no respiratory problems. In support of this very broad inclusion criterion, Merchant and colleagues 12 have reported that about one quarter of near term infants did not fit securely into standard car safety seats despite the use of blanket rolls.

One in eight healthy near term infants had apnoeic or bradycardic events in their car seats. Most level II and level III neonatal units in United States have incorporated car seat challenges into their routine discharge assessment for preterm infants. However, there is wide variation between units in the way that the test is used.13 Neonatal units differ in their indications for testing, the duration of observation and monitoring, and the criteria for “passing” the test.

Evidence exists that neonatal unit to unit variation in the timing of hospital discharge for healthy preterm infants may be partly explained by differences in criteria for determining cardiorespiratory stability while in a car seat.14, 15 There is also considerable variation in the recommendations given to parents of infants who “fail” the car seat challenge.13 The alternatives include:

1. Delaying hospital discharge until the infant “passes” the test, usually within one week.16 Infants may pass the test then because they are bigger and more mature. Test to test variability may also play a role.
2. Modifying the seat with blanket rolls or inserts to provide sufficient postural support for the infant to pass the test. Slouching may be reduced by placing the infant’s buttocks and back firmly against the back of the car seat and by placing a blanket roll between the crotch strap and the infant. Additional blanket rolls may be required on both sides of the head and neck to provide support in the event of lateral movement. Various car seat inserts are now commercially available. Tonkin and colleagues 17 in New Zealand have designed an H shaped car seat insert that allows the baby’s head to rest in a neutral position preventing forward flexion (fig 2). This insert reduces the frequency of episodes of desaturation. Prevention of lateral slouching only through the use of a specially designed head support is less effective in preventing respiratory compromise in preterm infants in car seats.18
3. The infant travels in a more supine position. Positioning the safety seat at about 30° rather than 45° may reduce slouching and respiratory obstruction.19 Car seat inserts can be placed behind the infant’s lower back to move the infant to a more reclined position in the seat. However, it is not clear whether this position provides optimal restraint in the event of a collision. Similarly, transporting the infant in a fully supine or prone position in a carrycot with restraint straps is possible, but carrycots are not designed to withstand the forces generated in a collision. Although recumbent car beds and seats that are as effective as conventional car seats in limiting collision impact have been developed recently, availability and cost has limited their use.
4. The infant is given a respiratory stimulant such as theophylline. This intervention has been used on the premise that treating apnoea of prematurity (which may persist beyond term) improves the infant’s cardiorespiratory stability in the car seat. There is little robust evidence that this is the case, although there are case reports of infants who have had fewer episodes of apnoea or bradycardia after theophylline treatment.16

Figure 2  H shaped car seat insert that allows the baby’s head to rest in a neutral position preventing forward flexion. Permission for publication of this figure has been obtained.

Where is the safest place for a car seat?

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. Do this so your child’s head doesn’t flop forward. Babies must ride semi-reclined to keep their airways open.

Is it better to carry a baby in a car seat or carrier?

Better Brain Development with Babywearing – How? You may ask. When a baby is held upright, they are allowed to practice compensatory movements, increasing muscular strength and allowing for more control over their fine motor skills. The baby’s vestibular system (the balance center in the brain) gains a huge amount of stimulus when the parent walks, stops or turns.

• This allows the neurological pathways responsible for the development of core musculature and intrinsic spinal muscles to develop aiding in the bodies ability to balance, coordinate and stabilize itself with simple or complex movements.
• Basically, it provides a strong foundation for the brain and bodies development.

As we know, if the foundation is not strong than the other parts that are built on top may be less developed than they should be. Additionally, baby wearing allows for the developing brain to receive constant input. When carried upright, the baby is able to view the world unobstructed from a safe place and can learn about everything around them – social interactions, facial expressions, see colors and movements, etc.

Newborns rely heavily on their parents’ physiology and emotions to aid in regulating their own which leads to the parents having a better understanding of their child’s little cue (ie. hungry, tired, over-stimulated, hot, cold, etc.) When babies are close to their parents, they can regulate their breathing, heart rate, body temperature, emotions, stress levels and immunity.

Unfortunately, these positive effects cannot be experienced in a car seat. Ultimately, there is no comparison between baby-wearing and carrying a baby in a car seat when comes to a child’s development – baby wearing is far superior. But for short-term use, the car seat won’t cause that much havoc on a baby’s development.

Why is rear facing safer?

Why is Rear Facing Safer? – Rear facing is the safer option. During the most severe types of collisions — frontal and side impacts — a rear facing child is cradled by the shell of their car seat, keeping their head, neck, and spine in alignment. When forward facing, the shoulders, neck, and head are thrown forward due to tremendous crash forces that can cause severe injury and even death.

It doesn’t take much force to cause devastating injury to a developing body, and rear facing allows the car seat to absorb more force away from the child. In fact, survival is increased significantly when a child is properly rear facing. As we explained, young children do not have a developed spine to withstand the enormous forces involved with a car crash.

Front facing car seats only support the belt’s points of contact and don’t prevent the dangerous whiplash experienced by the rest of the body. You can see what we mean in this video ! Why rear-facing

What is the meaning of driving seat?

Noun.1. the seat from which a vehicle is operated.2. a position of power, dominance, control, or superiority.

How do seat belts prevent injury physics?

Seat belts – Seat belts stop you tumbling around inside the car if there is a collision. Upon sensing a collision the seat belts lock in place. When the car crashes, there is no unbalanced force acting on the person, so they continue forward (Newton’s First Law).

What is the safest seat in a car?

The center position is the safest spot in the vehicle, especially for children. If you’re a passenger in a three-row SUV, the middle seat of the middle row is the safest bet, Rader said.

What is the safest seat in a car accident?

Where is the “death seat” in a car? – Occasionally, we hear about accidents where one person died, and the other occupants were either not injured at all or suffered minor injuries. This may lead to the assumption that certain locations of a vehicle are safer than others.

If a car is making a left hand turn in front of oncoming traffic, the front passenger may be most vulnerable to catastrophic injury or death if they are in closest proximity to the collision. In this scenario, the safest seat may be the seat behind the driver. If a car is struck rear-ended (struck from behind), the safest seat may be the front passenger seat. If a vehicle is struck head-on, the safest seat may be the middle seat in the back seat.

Drivers and passengers should know that any seat with a seat belt is always safer than a seat without it. This is important to keep in mind, especially when riding in the back seat. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft are often associated with not wearing seat belts. In fact, California law does not require occupants of “vehicles for hire” to wear seat belts.

What is the safest seat for a child?

What’s the Safest Seat for Kids in Your Car? It’s the one place that no one ever (knowingly) wants to sit. Stuck smack dab in the middle like a human sandwich where there is no such thing as personal space. Even worse if you find that dreaded middle seat has a hump like a camel.talk about uncomfortable! But, as it turns out, the middle seat is statistically the safest seat in the car! Why is the middle seat safest? Simply stated, the middle seat is the furthest from impact during a collision, as well as the furthest away from air bags.

1. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat, ideally in the center.
2. The rear center seat is also recommended as the best place for kids’ car seats.
3. In fact, the AAP found that children in the rear center seat have a 43 percent lower risk of injury than children in the rear window seats.

But, what if I have more than one child? Who goes in the middle then? Your favorite child. No, no, no, we are only kidding. The safest seating position for each occupant varies by a lot of factors, like age, weight, height, type of car seat, type of seat belt, etc.

When you have more than one child, it is typically recommended to place the child needing the most protection in the center. How do you determine that? Reach out to a local, They will be able to work with you and help provide education and recommendations for your particular needs, taking all passengers (front and rear) into account.

: What’s the Safest Seat for Kids in Your Car?

What is the difference between a booster seat and a child safety seat?

It’s important to understand the differences between a car seat and a booster seat. When a child sits in a car seat, they wear its five-point harness as their restraint. A child on a booster seat uses the vehicle’s seat belt across them (like an adult does) as their restraint.

• At least 5 years old
• At least 40 pounds
• Able to sit in the booster without slouching, leaning over, or playing with the seat belt

There are many convertible seats and combination seats that allow you to use harness straps up until your child is 40 pounds or more (many can be used until kids are up to 65 pounds or 49 inches tall). These seats allow you to keep your child in a car seat with a harness for longer.

What are the benefits of seat covers?

What Are Car Seat Covers? – Car seat covers prevent stains, spills, crumbs, dust, dirt, and debris from marring the cloth or leather seating surfaces in your vehicle. In addition to mess protection, the benefits of buying seat covers for your car include:

Easy to clean either with a damp cloth or by removing and placing in the washing machine.Slower depreciation as you maintain your car’s factory condition.Customized appearance that enhances the style of your vehicle.

Parents and pet owners can especially benefit from seat covers that ward off pet hair, sticky fingers, and messy spills.

Why is the seat behind the driver the safest?

What About The Middle Back Seat Of A Car? – The seat behind the driver may also be the safest seat in other head-on collisions. Being in the back seat is usually safer than being in the front seat in a head-on collision simply because the back seat is farther away from the impact.

It is sometimes said that the middle back seat is the safest in this scenario because there is no seat in front of the passenger with which the passenger may collide. Also, the middle seat is farthest from the point of impact in side-on collisions; and farther away from the side airbags, which can cause damage on their own.

However, although a seat in front of a passenger may become an obstacle they crash into, it can also protect the passenger behind it from flying glass and other projectiles. Also, not all center car seats have a seatbelt with a shoulder strap—some only have a lap belt.

Is a car seat safer behind driver or passenger?

Install in the Backseat – The car seat should always be installed in the back seat. That is the safest spot for your baby. If you can, put the car seat in the center seat. If not, it is fine behind either the driver or passenger side. The important thing is that it is in the back, away from the airbags. Even in a minor crash, airbags can seriously injure your little one.

Jack Gloop