Choosing a Baby Car SeatAll babies must use a car seat when travelling in a car. Most children in the age range 6 - 11 will also have to use either a booster seat or a booster cushion. Exactly what the child must use depends upon the group into which they are classified, and this is chiefly determined by weight and size. The reason that toddlers, babies and young children must use car seats is primarily safety, and to a much lesser extent, comfort. Children who are not properly secured will be thrown around inside the vehicle, if an accident happens, causing injury to themselves and other passengers. They could also be thrown through the windscreen, or one of the other windows. Types of car seatChild restraints can be categorised, according to the weight of the children for whom they are suitable. The categories pretty much correspond to different age groups, but it is the weight of the child that is most important when deciding which child restraint to use. Children of the same age can vary considerably in weight. Rearward-facing baby seatsRearward facing baby seats are suitable for group 0 (babies up to 22lbs, or roughly birth to 6-9 months) and group 0+ (babies up to 29lbs, or roughly birth to 12-15 months). It is safer to place rear facing car seats on the back seats of a car, but it is all right to put them in the front passenger seat so long as there is no passenger airbag. It is best to keep your baby in a rearward-facing seat for as long as possible because forward facing seats do not provide so much protection for the baby's head, neck and spine. Only switch to a forward-facing seat when the maximum weight for the baby seat has been exceeded, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat. Forward-facing child seatsForward facing child seats are suitable for group 1 (children weighing 20-40lbs, or roughly 9 months to 4 years) When your child outgrows his rearwards facing car seat, it is best to switch to a Group 1 seat with an integral harness. If there is a crash, the large area of the harness helps to reduce the risk of injury. The toddler should be stopped from sliding out of the harness by the bottom attachment which passes between the legs. Forward-facing car seats are best put in the rear of the car, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front, but they can be used in the front if you wish - subject to specific manufactuerrs instructions. It is safest to keep your toddlers in their car seat until they have outgrown it. Your infant should only be moved to a booster seat when they have exceeded the maximum weight for the child seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat. Booster seats and booster cushions
Booster cushions may be suitable for Group 2 and Group 3, although some are only approved for Group 3. Make sure that your child is within the specified weight range of specific booster seats or booster cushions. Some booster seats can be converted into a booster cushion. They are designed to do so by detaching the back rest. The manufacturers instructions will give specific advice about when and how this can be done. There is no integral harness to hold the infant in position with either booster seats or booster cushions. The normal car seat belt passes around both the child and the seat; because of this the seat belt must be properly adjusted. In particular:
It is probably best for a childs first booster seat, or cushion, to have a back, as they often provide a better fit for the seat belt. Booster seats with side wings may also provide more protection, if there is a side impact, as the child's head is protected. The height of the side wings can be adjusted on some seats, as the child grows. It is safer to use both booster seats and booster cushions in the rear of the car, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front, but it is permissible to use them in the front. |