Choosing a car seat is one of the most important purchases you'll make. At A Room Of Their Own, we recommend that you follow the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines for car seat safety that are based more on size and weight of your child than on age. All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Safety Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer. Many parents have traditionally used their child’s one-year birthday as a time to turn the car seat around, but studies have shown that most infants are still too small at this age to ride as safely in a front facing seat during a vehicle crash. And remember that Georgia law requires that an infant be in a rear-facing seat for at least one year and must weigh at least 20 pounds.
Use a three-point harness as long as possible. It is best for most children to ride in a seat with a harness to at least to 4 years of age. If your child outgrows his seat before reaching 4 years of age, consider using a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights.
School-aged children should use booster seats up to age 12, depending on their size and weight. Children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age. The owner’s manual that comes with your car safety seat will tell you the height and weight limits for the seat.
Here are a few other basic points to make the search a little easier.
- First, buy a new car seat, not a used one. Technology is constantly improving, so this is not the time to cut corners and take a hand-me-down. Plus, you can't be sure if a used seat has already been in a crash or has been recalled.
- When shopping for a newborn, look for an infant-only, rear-facing seat. Young babies fit in these best, and because these seats come with carry handles, they make a new parent's life much easier.
- Look for a car seat marked "JPMA-certified". To narrow your search, you might also read real-people reviews on Web sites such as www.epinions.com. Books like Consumer Reports Best Baby Products are also helpful. And we hope you will ask one of our sales associates at A Room Of Their Own for opinions and feedback we have received from other parents.
Once you've bought a seat, you're not done -- now you have to install it and make sure it fits well in your particular car. Check with your local hospital or fire station to find classes on how to properly install your seat.
