Car seats are an important safety device necessary to keep your child safe whenever traveling in your car, and all states require babies, toddlers and young children to be in an approved car seat, though the age and weight requirements may vary by state. It is important that the car seat you choose for your child is appropriate for the child's age, height, and weight, and also that the car seat meets minimum safety standards. When comparing car seats, you'll want to determine which car seats are right for your child's height and weight, how comfortable the seat is and whether the seat meets federal and local safety standards, as well as finding a car seat that works with your budget. Below are the most commonly asked questions to consider when choosing the right car seat for your child.
The type of car seat that you need depends on your child. Children up to age two (typically) are required to be placed in a backward or the rear-facing position. As a child grows, the correct seat will be determined by their weight and their height.
The size of your child will dictate when your car seat should be replaced. When comparing different brands of car seats, it is best to choose the one that has a seamless line of safety seats that transition into every stage of your child’s growth, from infant to toddler and up to the time they may be able to safely use adult seat belts.
Look at different brands of car seats with your child. Placing them in the different models available will give you a sense of their relative comfort level and whether the seat allows to free a movement or are to tight and restrictive to the child. Choose a car seat that does not pinch or harm the child while traveling in the car with you, and offers room to move around a bit, while still safely restraining the child.
When comparing car seats for their relative comfort and snugness, you should also make sure that the harness and other safety straps are easy for you to adjust but difficult for the child to unlatch. Since one of the biggest contributors to a child’s injury and death during an accident is the improper use and securing of car seats, you want to go with a brand that locks your child in place, safe and secure, and make sure the seat is installed correctly.
The best place to find published information concerning the safety standards set by the federal government for car seats is through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and ConsumerReports.org. Both of these resources provide comprehensive information about current standards for car seats, including NHTSA’s Safe Car website designed specifically to provide comparative data on car seats.
Nearly every state maintains child and/or passenger safety laws, which contain the standards for comparative purposes. Use of this information can help evaluate the differences between the car seat manufacturers in order to determine which model provides the best level of protection.
There are many factors that determine the price of a car seat. These include the name of the company manufacturing the product and its worth in the marketplace as well as the quality of the materials used in the manufacturing of the car seat. A discount car seat in the range of $80 to $199 can be as good as a premium car seat that costs $200 and above. The difference between these two types comes down to bells and whistles that are not necessary to the overall safety of the seat, but may provide more comfort.
Generally people feel that the more they spend on an item, the higher the quality. Regarding car seats chosen to protect your child’s life, this may seem to hold true, as well. However there are minimum safety standards that all car seats at every price range must meet, so spending more on a car seat doesn't necessarily make the car seat safer.