

Alpha Technology Associate, Inc., National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “ Child Restraint Ease of Use Ratings 2015 Rating Year, Submission 1,” June 9, 2015.Waizmann, Hannah, Cincinnati Children’s, “ Growth, Range of Height and Weight,” April 2019.Hoffman, Benjamin D, MD, American Academy of Pediatrics, “ New Child Passenger Safety Seat Guidance Advises Kids to Ride Rear-Facing as Long as Possible Drops Age Criterion,” August 20, 2018.Alpha Technology Associate, Inc., National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “ Child Restraint Ease of Use Ratings 2019 Rating Year, Submission 1,” January 9, 2020.Alpha Technology Associate, Inc., National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “ Child Restraint Ease of Use Ratings 2020 Rating Year,” December 17, 2020.Spurrier, Juliet, MD & Wend Schmitz, Baby Gear Lab, “ Best Infant Car Seat with Crash Tests of 2021,” June 17, 2021.Gravitz, Lauren, The Washington Post, “ Knockoff Car Seats Are Infiltrating the Market, and They Could Be Deadly,” November 5, 2019.Although there’s no guarantee that a child will be totally unscathed after a car accident in any car seat, we believe crash test data will help parents make more informed decisions. The NHTSA keeps its crash test data under wraps, but we found and compared third-party data to help you better compare the relative safety and performance of each car seat. In other words, lower crash test numbers are better. The resulting HIC number must be less than 1,000. The head’s acceleration is measured over the course of 36 milliseconds and run through a mathematical calculation to determine the “head injury criteria” (HIC). If too much force is exerted on the dummy’s head or chest during the crash test, the car seat is deemed unsafe and never hits the shelves.Īccording to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213), too much force occurs if the chest area accelerates faster than 60 g-units within 3 milliseconds. The NHTSA conducts crash tests on car seats to determine if they’re safe enough to be sold in the US. This could be the back seat’s lap belt or lap and shoulder belt. Once your kiddos reach 4 feet 9 inches, they are generally big enough to use an adult seat belt in the back seat of your vehicle. See our recommendations for the best booster seats.ġ2 years and up: Until your kids are 13, the back seat is the best place for them to sit. These seats are best for kids between 40 and 80 pounds and up to 4 feet 9 inches. Depending on your child’s weight and height, they can use a belt-positioning booster or a backless booster seat. This can reduce head and neck injuries in case of a crash.Ĩ to 12 years old: This is typically when your child can transition from a forward-facing car seat to a booster seat. When installing these seats, it’s especially important to fasten the top tether of your car seat to the vehicle’s seat. These seats generally fit kids from 40 to 60 pounds. Infant car seats have a shorter life span, fitting babies up to 12 months, while convertible models can fit older children up to 35 pounds (depending on the car seat model).Ĥ to 7 years old: Once your child reaches preschool age, they can typically sit in a forward-facing car seat. You can find convertible car seats that fit from infancy to 3 years old. Infants to 3 years old: Babies and toddlers need to sit in a rear-facing seat until they reach the weight limit on the car seat. No matter what stage your child is at, the best car seat is a properly installed car seat.
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Either way, the car seat needs to be easy to install and hold your child securely. 24 There are convertible car seats that shift and change with your child’s growth stages, or you can purchase a new car seat for every phase. As your little ones grow up, they need a car seat that fits them correctly.
