One of the greatest risks to your child is injury--serious or fatal--during a car crash. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), injuries from motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American children. When choosing a child car seat, consider your child's age, weight, height, whether or not she has any special needs arising from physical, medical or behavioral conditions, and whether the seat can be properly installed in your car. All states have laws regarding car seats, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association; familiarize yourself with the laws specific to your state.
Infants
Infants who are younger than one year old and weigh less than 20 lb. should ride in rear-facing car seats, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Rear-facing car seats may be designed to face the rear of the car only, or they may be convertible seats designed to be either rear or forward facing. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should keep your child in his rear-facing seat until he reaches the maximum weight and height specified by the seat manufacturer. Your child must meet both age and weight criteria before he can ride in a forward-facing seat.
Young Children
Once your child is at least one year old and weighs at least 20 lb., the American Academy of Pediatrics states that she can safely use a forward-facing car seat. Forward-facing car seats may be convertible seats designed to be either rear or forward facing, or forward-facing only. Read your car seat manufacturer's instructions carefully to make sure your child is within the weight and height limits for the seat.
Older Children
Children who have outgrown forward-facing car seats need booster seats to properly position adult lap and shoulder seat belts. Most states specify a minimum weight and height for use of adult seat belts alone. Even when your child can use an adult seat belt alone, he should continue to ride in the back seat until he is at least 13, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics, reports the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Special Needs
According to the Automotive Safety Program of the Indiana University School of Medicine, most car seats have a minimum weight requirement of 5 lb. If your infant weighs less than 5 lb., ask your pediatrician to help you choose the right car seat to meet your baby's needs. A number of specialized car seats and restraints are available for children with special needs, whether those needs are physical or behavioral. If your child has special needs, talk with her pediatrician about the best car seat option for her.
Installation
Choosing the right car seat for your child's age, weight or any special needs is only half of the battle. Only if a car seat can be properly installed in your car is it a good choice for your family. According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, you can tell if a car seat is installed properly if you hold the seat at the path of the seat belt and are unable to move it more than 1 inch in any direction.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Car Safety Seats - Information for Families for 2010
- Automotive Safety Program, Indiana University School of Medicine: Children With Special Health Care Needs
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Keeping Kids Safe During Crashes
- Governors Highway Safety Association: Child Passenger Safety Laws
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Child Passenger Safety Fact Sheet
