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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat? As children get older, they can move out of their car seats as infants, they can move to convertible or all-in one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain weight and age requirements. It is not recommended to put car seats in front of airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag could cause fatal injuries to children and babies. 1. The 1.5 Inch Rule Many parents inquire if an infant car seat may be placed in front of the driver's seat. The answer is always no. The reason is simple: If a crash happens and the child is in the front seat, they could have their head struck by an airbag, especially if they are in the front seat. The airbag can cause injury or even kill a baby. Infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing. The backrest of the seat is positioned against the back of the seat in the event of a crash, providing the best protection for your baby. A rear-facing car seats protects your child's head and neck more effectively than a front-facing one that offers only little protection. The headrest prevents your child from falling out of the shoulder straps during a crash. The harness keeps the chest clip high above the shoulders. It is important to keep in mind that there are ZERO reported instances of children sitting in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they strike the rear of the seat. This happens when a child's feet fly up and get caught against the seat's back, which puts tremendous pressure into the leg bones. This is not something you want to put your child at risk of. There are a variety of programs in the US that offer infant car seats at a reduced price or at no cost to parents who qualify. This is a great chance to ensure that your child is in a safe car seat before they grow out of it. It can be used for a number of years. The majority of the modern infant car seats have a base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful when traveling with children as it allows you to keep the car seat on and ready to go, even when switching vehicles. Find the middle of the seat and measure it with a tape. This space can be tested with many objects, including the blade of a key, or the length of the wireless earbuds. Review the instructions for your car seat and the owner's manual of your vehicle to see if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space. 2. Harness Position In baby car seats, bouncers, swings, strollers, and other equipment for children, infants and preemies could be in a dangerous position with their chins touching their chests. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by harness straps that are too loose or have not been placed over their shoulders. To avoid this, ensure that the straps on your shoulder begin a little below and then come up over the child's shoulders and ensure that you tighten the straps. The straps must be tight enough to squeeze the fabric together. This is called the Pinch Test. Winter coats and other heavy outer layers can interfere with the Pinch Test, so take them off them before you buckle your child in their seat. The chest clip is designed for a crash, but it can compress the neck of the child if it's too low or are not tight enough. The chest clip shouldn't be placed in the neck opening. Instead, it should be at the armpit level. In the event of a crash, children who are facing rearwards will slide up the seat. The harness straps must be capable of supporting the head and neck of the child. This is why it's very important that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are placed too low, they could slide through the neck opening of the baby or over their ears. If they are too loose, they can be able to reach the face of the child. Make sure the shoulder straps are at or above your child's shoulders, and that they fit snugly. Newborns might need an infant insert (often included with the car seat), to raise their shoulders so they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats have angle indicators or adjustors that can help you with this. You can also check the instructions that come in your seat. 3. Rear-Facing Only Some parents may be tempted by the fact that their child's legs are getting shorter in the rear-facing seat, but there's no need to do this. The rear-facing position is much safer than a forward-facing position because in the event of a crash the baby's body will tense against the seat and their spine and neck will be supported. Children who are facing forwards are thrown backward against the vehicle and can cause serious injuries. Additionally, many infant car seats have an angle indicator built-in so that you can make sure that the seat is properly installed. It is also important to make sure your child's head rests flat against the seat and that the harness straps are placed over their shoulders, not under their arms or twisted. To check if the harness is too tight, you should be able hold a small amount material at the shoulder of your child. It is also important to check the crotch buckle strap to be sure it is level with the armpits, rather than at the waist. It is also an excellent idea to go through your infant car seat manual so you know the proper method to use it with your child. infant car seats best recommend that children use rear-facing seats in their car seats until they reach at least 1 year old or until they reach the weight and height limit of their particular car seat. Some states have laws that require infants to remain rear-facing until two years old. If you own a vehicle with only one back seat, you can install the infant car seat in the middle so you can easily see your child through your rearview mirror without having to lean back. Installing the car seat on the driver's side also makes it easier to get your child in and out of the seat. If you own a car that has two back seats you can install the infant car seat on either side so long as it's not behind the passenger side airbag. If you have to decide between installing the infant car seat on the left or right side of the vehicle, put it on the driver's side. 4. Booster Seats Children who have outgrown their infant car seat due to their weight and height will need a booster until the vehicle's seat belt is properly fitted. This can only be done when the child is at a minimum 4'9” tall and has reached the top of the headrest. Booster seats aid in positioning the lap and shoulder belt properly. Booster seats also help reduce the amount that a child's neck moves during a collision, reducing the chance of injury. Head movement is the most common cause of motor vehicle accidents that are the top killers of children ages 4-8. If a booster isn't used correctly, the lap portion can travel over a child’s abdomen and cause serious injuries in an accident. This is avoided by using a belt guide on the booster that prevents the lap belt from sliding up onto a child's stomach, or getting over armrests. A lot of boosters have handles that are small or armrests, or guide slots that help place the lap belt low and flat on a child's upper legs. This ensures that the lap belt begins and stays on the child's strong hip bones, instead of slipping into their stomachs during an accident. Certain booster seats feature a seatbelt locking mechanism that secures the seatbelt when a child sits in them. This will help to prevent the lapbelt from slipping up and over the child's abdomen. This can to stop the seat belt from being pulled up over a child's face. This could cause hypoxia and airway obstruction, as well neck strain.