Child Safety Seat Guidelines

• Always read the instructions that come with the safety seat and the owner’s book that comes with the vehicle. In the owner’s book turn to the section(s) on safety belts and child safety seats (child restraints or car seats).
• Check your vehicle owner’s book for instructions on air bags.
• Some older vehicle owner’s books have little or no information on safety seats or the owner’s book may be missing. Contact the vehicle manufacturer for more information.
• Read labels on safety belts and safety seats.
• Check for air bag warning labels on the sun visor and/or on the front of the passenger door frame.

Positioning the Safety Seat

• Place the safety seat in the vehicle so that its base is resting flat on the vehicle seat cushion. If this is not possible, try another seating position or find a safety seat that fits better.
• Babies under 1 YOA should face the rear of the vehicle in a safety seat that is designed for their height and weight. Babies must ride facing the rear even when they are out of the driver’s view in the back seat. Parents should feel just as comfortable in this situation as they do when they put their babies down for a nap and leave the room. If the baby has special health needs that require full-time monitoring, ask another adult to ride with the baby in the back seat and travel alone as little as possible.
• Be sure the rear-facing safety seat is reclined half-way back. A tightly rolled towel or a folded sheet may be used, but be careful not to tip it too far back.
• Older children (over 1 YOA) face forward. If using a convertible seat, put it in the upright position so child is sitting up straight not reclined. The more upright position is preferred for safety. The slope of the vehicle seat will make it more reclined.
• Check for air bag warning labels on the sun visor and/or on the front of the passenger door frame.

Using the Safety Belt

There are three types of safety belts:

• Emergency locking will lock only in a crash or sudden stop. It cannot hold a child safety seat on its own. Check the label on the belt or the vehicle owner’s book for further instructions.
• Automatic locking will lock whenever you stop pulling it out. It can hold a safety seat tightly. Take the slack out by pushing the webbing back into the retractor.
• Switchable works well with safety seats. It is an emergency locking retractor that switches to an automatic locking retractor. Check the label on the belt or the vehicle owner’s book on how to use this type.

Special Considerations for Pick Up Trucks

• Pickup trucks with passenger airbags and no “shut-off” switch and no back seat cannot safely transport babies under 1 YOA. Babies this age must ride rear-facing and always in the back seat; the front may only be used if there is no danger from an airbag.
• If there is an airbag “shut-off” switch, read the pickup truck owner’s book for instructions.
• Extended cab pickups with side-facing jump seats are NOT appropriate for children, or adults for that matter, to ride. Safety belts do not provide good protection in these seats. Safety seats CANNOT be installed.
• Extended cab pickups with rear bench seats may be appropriate. Make sure almost the entire base of the safety seat fits on the vehicle seat. Make sure a rear-facing seat will fit when reclined half-way back.
• Even when a forward-facing safety seat is installed tightly with the safety belt, a child’s head could hit the front seat in a crash. A tether strap is recommended. Check the safety seat instructions and the vehicle owner’s book.
• Never allow anyone to ride in the bed of a pickup. Riding this way can cause serious injury or death even if there is a shell or topper attached. It is also dangerous with a topper because carbon monoxide fumes can kill a person.

Securing Your Child In A Safety Seat

The harness and/or shield of a safety seat or the safety belt holds your child in the seat to keep him safe in a crash. It is important that they are used the right way and are snug on the strong parts of the child’s body. If the harness is loose, your child could be thrown out in a crash. The harness must lie flat on the child to safely spread the forces of a crash; do not allow the strap to stay twisted. Always read the instructions that come with the safety seat.

Babies (Birth – 1 YOA)

• Use the infant safety seat until baby’s head reaches the top of the shell or baby has reached the upper weight limit. Then move to the convertible seat.
• Use the convertible safety rear-facing seat until the child is 1 YOA or reaches the upper weight limit.
• Make sure the infant safety seat you use is approved for use in a motor vehicle. Check the labels and instructions.
• Babies must ride facing the rear – even when they are out of the driver’s view in the back seat. Parents should feel just as comfortable in this situation as they do when they put their babies down for a nap and leave the room. If the baby has special health needs that require full-time monitoring, ask another adult to ride with the baby in the back seat and travel alone as little as possible.
• Be sure the straps are threaded through the shell not just the pad. Check the instructions.
• The harness must fit snugly on the baby’s shoulders and buckle between the legs. A snug harness is important; it holds the baby down in the safety seat during a crash.
• Dress the baby in clothes that keep the legs free. If you want to cover the baby, buckle the harness first, adjust it for a snug fit, and then put a blanket over the baby. Avoid using bulky snow suits or buntings; they can make it hard to adjust the harness snugly.
• Check if the harness is snug enough. Only one finger should fit between the baby’s shoulders and the straps.
• The plastic harness retainer clip keeps the straps on baby’s shoulders. Make sure the clip is threaded correctly so the stopper keeps the strap from sliding off. Put the clip at mid chest, armpit level.
• A new baby needs support. To fill empty spaces and give support, roll up a couple small blankets and tuck them in on each side of your baby’s body and head. If the baby still slumps down, put a rolled diaper between his legs behind the crotch strap. A product from a store like the one shown can be used if it has just a thin piece of cloth that goes behind the baby. Never put padding behind or under the baby.
• Always keep the handle on an infant seat in the down position when the seat is in the vehicle. The child could hurt his head on it in a crash.

Toddlers and Preschoolers (1 – 4 YOA)

• Use the convertible or forward-facing safety seat until the child outgrows it (when ears reach top of the seat, when shoulders are above the top slots, or when child reaches the upper weight limit). Then move to booster seat.
• Harness straps must always be at or above the child’s shoulders.
• Use the top harness strap slots on convertible seats. The top slots are reinforced to prevent the harness from breaking through in a crash. A few convertible seats have reinforcement that allows use of the center slot. Always check instructions before using anything but the top slot.
• The harness must fit snugly on the child’s shoulders and buckle between the legs. A snug harness is important because it keeps the child in the safety seat during a crash.
• Check if the harness is snug enough. Only one finger should fit between the child’s chest and the straps
• Make sure the harness will stay snug. Be sure the straps are threaded correctly through the shell not just the pad. Check the instructions.
• The plastic harness retainer clip keeps the straps on the child’s shoulders. Make sure the clip is threaded correctly so the stopper keeps the strap from sliding off. Put the clip at mid-chest, armpit level.
• If possible, adjust hip straps or shield to stay low on the hips.

Early Elementary Years (4 – 8 YOA)

• Most children under eight are not big enough to fit the adult safety belt properly. A belt that rides up on the tummy can cause serious injury. A belt that is put under the arm or behind the back can also cause serious injury.
• Use a booster seat until the child reaches the upper weight limit or the child can sit comfortably without slouching on the vehicle seat and the lap belt stays low on the hips and the shoulder belt stays across the chest and shoulder.
• Make sure the booster you use is approved for use in a motor vehicle; check the labels and instructions. Booster seats designed for use at the dining table do NOT keep kids safe in a crash.
• Use a belt-positioning booster ONLY with a lap/shoulder belt. It cannot be use with a lap belt alone.
• If a child’s ears come above the top of the vehicle seat back, use a high back booster if possible. A lap and a shoulder belt must be used.
• If the booster comes with a clip or strap to hold the shoulder belt in place, make sure to thread it correctly.
• A shield is for use when only a lap belt is available. A better option would be to use a vest or harness with a tether strap.

Older Children (Over 8 YOA)

• Make sure your child knows how to sit properly in the vehicle without slouching.
• Make sure the lap belt stays low on the hips and the shoulder belt crosses the chest and shoulder. Keep the belt snug. Teach your child to push the belt down on the hips.
• If no shoulder belt is available, make sure your child sits straight against the vehicle seat back. Keep the lap belt low and snug across the hips or thighs. If the lap belt rides up onto the tummy, it could cause serious injury in a crash. However, it is much safer for anyone (except small babies who cannot sit up) to use just a lap belt than to ride loose.
• If the shoulder belt rubs against the side of the neck, it’s uncomfortable for the child but not harmful. Try using a soft folded cloth over the belt or use a soft belt cover that is use only to cover the shoulder belt at the neck.
• If the shoulder belt stays loose when it is pulled out, make sure there is no more than one inch of slack. Too much slack can cause serious injuries in a crash. Teach your child how to take up the slack by pulling on the shoulder belt to reset it.
• If the shoulder belt fits so badly that it goes across the neck or face, have the child use a belt positioning booster. If a belt positioning booster is not available or the child is too heavy, a lap belt in the rear seat could work better.
• Never use pillows or books to raise a child to fit the belt. Using these will not keep the belt in the right place in a crash and could cause serious injury to a child.
• Never put a shoulder belt under a child’s arm or behind a child’s back. Doing this could cause serious internal injury in a crash. The lap belt of a lap and shoulder belt combination is not designed to work alone.
• Children who have outgrown safety seats are better protected by lap/shoulder belts than by lap belts alone. So, if several children are riding in the back and there are shoulder belts, let the older ones use the shoulder belts. Put the child riding in the safety seat in the middle where there is only a lap belt.