Car Safety Seat Information

All recommendations on this handout come from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the State of Illinois.

For more complete information including a list of currently available seats, see http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Auto Safety Hot Line- 888/DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236), from 8 am to 10 pm ET, M-F.

Click here for local fire and police departments that perform safety seat inspections and help with installation.

Important safety rules

• Always use a car safety seat.
• Never place a child in a rear-facing safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has an airbag.
• The safest place for all children to ride is in the back seat.
• Set a good example - always wear your seat belt.
• Read the owner's manual that came with your car on how to correctly install car seats.
• Price doesn't always matter. Higher prices can mean added features that may or may not make the seat easier to use.

Rear-Facing Seats

• The AAP recommends keeping infants and toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat.
• The harness should be in the slots below your baby's shoulder.
• There are 2 types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats.
• Infant-only seats can be used for infants up to 20 to 30 pounds or 26-32 inches, depending on the model.
• Convertible Seats can also be used forward-facing for older and larger children, therefore these seats can be used longer.

Forward-Facing Seats

It is recommended to wait until a child is 2 years old before converting them to a forward-facing position.It is best for the child to ride rear-facing until he/she reaches the highest weight and height limits allowed by the car safety seat (usually around 30 pounds).

Adjustments that need to be made if you used your convertible seat rear-facing:

1. Move the shoulder straps to the slots that are at or above your child's shoulders. This is different from rear-facing seats.
2. Move the seat from the reclined to the upright position if required by the manufacturer of the seat.
3. Make sure the seat belt runs through the forward-facing belt path.

Booster Seats

Your child should stay in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster. You can tell when your child is ready for a booster seat when one of the following is true:

1. He/she reaches the top weight or height allowed for the seat.
2. His/her shoulders are above the harness slots.
3. His/her ears have reached the top of the seat.

Booster seats are designed to raise your child so that the lap/shoulder belt fits properly. This means the lap belt lies low across your child's hips and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of your child's chest and shoulder. Correct belt fit helps protect the stomach, spine and head from injury. The belt should not lie across the neck or the abdomen.

Booster seats should be used until your child can correctly fit in a lap/shoulder belt, which occurs when they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. This generally occurs between 8-12 years of age.

Seat Belts

Your child is ready to use a seat belt when the belt fits properly. This includes:

1. The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat.
2. The lap belt is low and snug across the hips, not the stomach.
3. The child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle's seat back with his/her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and can stay in this position comfortably throughout a trip. This is usually when a child reaches about 4 feet 9 inches in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age.

The State of Illinois requires the child be at least 8 years old before removing the booster seat. The child should remain in the booster seat beyond the age of 8 until the height requirements are met.

Never tuck the shoulder belt under the child's arm or behind the back. If there's only a lap belt, make sure it's snug and low on the child's thighs, not across the stomach. Try to get a lap/shoulder belt installed in your car by a dealer.

Installing a Car Safety Seat

Is the child buckled into the car safety seat correctly?

• The harness should be snug, the plastic clip placed at armpit level, and the straps should be flat.
• Never place blankets between the straps and your baby.

Is the car safety seat buckled into the vehicle correctly?

• Is the seat belt routed through the correct belt path and is it tight enough? (If you can move the seat more than an inch side to side or toward the front of the car, it's not tight enough).
• Is your rear-facing seat reclined enough? Your infant's head should not flop forward. If it does, tilt the car safety seat back a little. Your car safety seat may have a built-in recline adjuster for this purpose. If not, wedge firm padding, such as a rolled towel, under the base.
• Do you need a locking clip? They come with all new car safety seats. If the seat belts in your car move freely even when buckled, you need a locking clip. If you're not sure, check the manual that came with your car.
• Some lap belts need a special heavy duty-locking clip. These are only available from the vehicle manufacturer. Check the manual that came with your car for more information.

Common Car Seat Questions

Should I use the seats in shopping carts?

Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but your baby could tip over or fall out of the cart. Consider using a stroller, backpack, or front pack while shopping.

What if my car has side bags?

Side air bags improve safety for adults in side impact crashes. However, children who are seated near a side airbag can be at risk for serious injury. Read your vehicle owner's manual for recommendations that apply to your vehicle.

Can I use a car safety seat on an airplane?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the AAP recommend that when flying, children be securely fastened in car safety seats until 4 years of age, then be secured with the airplane seat belts.

Many airlines require that the seat be FAA approved. Look for the sticker on the seat.

Can I use a car safety seat that was in a crash?

If the car safety seat was in a moderate or severe crash, it needs to be replaced. If the crash was minor, the seat does not automatically need to be replaced.

A crash is considered minor if ALL of the following are true:

1. The vehicle could be driven away from the crash.
2. The vehicle door closest to the car safety seat was not damaged.
3. No one in the vehicle was injured.
4. The air bags did not go off.
5. You can't see any damage to the car safety seat.

What about using a used car safety seat?

Do not use a car safety seat that:

1. Is too old. Do not use seats that are more than 10 years old.
2. Has any cracks in the frame of the seat.
3. Does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number.
4. Does not come with instructions. You can get a copy of the instruction manual by contacting the manufacture.
5. Is missing parts.
6. Is a shield booster. Major injuries have occurred to children in shield boosters.
7. Was recalled.

*** Always read and follow manufacturer's instructions!!!******