Safety remains your first priority as a parent. Whether you have one or a dozen kids, follow several car seat safety tips to protect your growing family.
Use a Rear-Facing Seat for as Long as Possible
Infants always sit in a rear-facing car seat to protect their legs, spine and brain. Even after your child grows into a convertible seat, keep them facing backward until they’re at least two years old for maximum protection.
Ensure Safety in Front-Facing Seats
When you move your child into a front-facing car seat, use the vehicle tether strap. It secures to your vehicle’s top tether anchor and reduces head movement during a crash.
Tighten Straps
Secure harness straps protect children and should not cause pain. Check the harness before every trip — only one finger should fit under the harness at your child's collarbone.
Ask a Technician to Check Installation
A certified installation technician can confirm a car seat is installed correctly. Schedule a free check whenever you install a new seat or move a seat to a different vehicle.
Use a Booster Seat Properly
To use a booster seat, your child should be at least four years old, weigh about 40 pounds, and be able to sit properly without slouching or playing with the belt. If your child isn’t mature enough for a booster until age six, it’s safer to wait.
Keep your child in a booster seat until the vehicle lap belt rests across the lower hips and the shoulder belt lies across the chest, even if that doesn’t happen until later childhood.
Track the Car Seat’s Expiration Date
Car seat plastic and components can become brittle over time, so seats include an expiration date. Whether you use the seat for one child or more, know its expiration and retire the seat when recommended by the manufacturer.
Replace the Car Seat After an Accident
Car seats absorb force in a crash and often need to be replaced afterward. Check your car seat manufacturer’s guidance to determine whether replacement is required following any collision.
Beware of Used Car Seats
Unless you’re 100 percent certain about a seat’s full history — including whether it’s been in a crash and whether it has the original manual and labels — avoid purchasing or using a used car seat. Your child’s safety should come first.
Car seat safety protects your child, so follow these tips as you install and use seats properly. For additional tips on car seat and overall driving safety, talk to your agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can my child face forward?
Children should remain rear-facing as long as possible and at least until age two, or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer for rear-facing use.
How tight should the harness be?
The harness should be snug enough that only one finger fits between the strap and the child at the collarbone; straps should lie flat without twists.
Do car seats expire?
Yes, car seats have expiration dates because materials and safety components can degrade over time; check the label or manual for the specific date.
Can I use a car seat after a crash?
Many manufacturers recommend replacing a car seat after a moderate or severe crash; consult the seat maker’s instructions to determine whether replacement is needed.