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Can an Infant Car Seat Be Placed in Front Seat?

As children outgrow their car seats as infants, they can move into convertible or all-in-one car seats. These car seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing but they need to meet certain age and weight specifications.

It is not recommended to place car seats in front of airbags on the car seat, because the force of the airbag can be fatal to infants and children.

1. The 1.5 Inch Rule

The answer to this question is no. The reason is quite simple: If an accident occurs the child's head could be hit by an airbag if in the front seat. The airbag can injure or even kill a baby.

This is the reason why infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing only. In a crash the back of the seat will rest against the rear of your car seat. This will provide the most protection for the infant.

A rear-facing car seat safeguards your child's head and neck better than a front-facing car seat that offers only little protection. The headrest also stops the child from sliding off the shoulder straps during a crash and the harness holds the chest clip high above the shoulders of your child.

It's important to keep it in mind that there are ZERO known instances of children in forward-facing seats breaking their legs when they hit the rear of the seat. This happens when children's feet are lifted and then get stuck against the rear of the seat, putting tremendous stress on the bones of the legs. There is no reason to put your child at risk of this.

There are numerous programs throughout the country that allow qualifying parents to receive free or discounted infant car seats. This is a great opportunity to ensure your child is placed in a safe seat before they outgrow it and can be used safely for many years.

The majority of the modern infant car seats come with an adjustable base that they can click into and out of, which makes them much easier to use than older models. This feature is particularly useful for traveling with young kids since you can keep the car seat installed and ready to use even when you change vehicles.

Before you put your child in the car seat, find out if the back of the car seat will be in contact with the vehicle seat's back by measuring the middle of the seat and measuring with a tape to determine. This space can be tested with many things, such as the blade of a key or length wireless earbuds. Check the instructions for the car seat and the owner's manual for your vehicle to see if the angle can be adjusted to remove the space.

2. Harness Position

In the infant car seats and bouncers, swings strollers, as well as other equipment for children, infants and preemies may fall into a dangerous position with their chests and chins touching. In a crash they can be injured by the chest clip or crushed by the straps of the harness that are too loose or not placed over their shoulders. Make sure that the straps are positioned just below the shoulders of the child, and then come up over their shoulders. Make sure they are tight to prevent this. The straps should be secure enough to be able to pinch any excess fabric together which is known as the Pinch Test. Bulky outer layers like winter coats can interfere with this so be sure to take them off prior to you buckle your child into their seat.

The chest clip is designed to break in an accident, but it could cause a child's throat to collapse in the event that it's too high or when the chest straps are too loose. The chest clip shouldn't be located in the neck opening. Instead it should be placed at the armpit level.

In the event of a crash, rear-facing infants are likely to slide up the seat and the harness straps must be able to cradle the neck and head of the child. This is why it's very crucial that the straps are placed over the shoulders. If the straps are too high they could slide over the lightweight baby car seat's ears or slide through the neck opening and if they are too loose, they can slide toward the child's nose.

Make sure the shoulder straps are in the slots that are above or below the shoulders of your child and they fit comfortably. Infants may require an infant insert (often included with the car seat), to lift their shoulders until they can fit into this slot. Some infant car seats include angle indicators or adjustors that could assist you in this. You can also check the instructions included in the seat.

3. Rear-Facing Only

While some parents might be tempted to flip their infant car seat newborn car seat to face forward because of their child's legs becoming too short in the rear-facing position, there is really no reason to do it. Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing, as the child's spine and neck are protected in the event of an accident. Forward-facing children are more susceptible to serious injuries because their bodies are thrown into the vehicle.

Many infant car seats also have an angle indicator built-in so that you can ensure the seat is installed correctly. It is also important to ensure that your child's head is on the seat flat, and that the straps are over their shoulders, not under their arms. You should be able to squeeze a tiny bit of fabric at their shoulders to ensure whether the harness is secure enough. Check the crotch strap to make sure it is at the same height as the armpits and not at the waist. It is also recommended to read the manual for your infant car seat so you are aware of how to use it correctly.

Most manufacturers recommend that kids ride rear-facing until at least one year old or until they reach the weight and height limits. Some states have laws requiring infants to be rear-facing for at least two years.

Install the infant car seat on the middle seat of a best car seats for newborns that has only one rear seat. This will allow you to see your child comfortably through the rearview mirror, without having to bend over. Installing the car seat on your driver's side can make it easier to get your child in and out of the seat.

If your vehicle has two back seats, the infant Car seat in front seat car seat can be set on either side, as long as it's not the airbag's front on the passenger side. However, if you have to decide between installing the infant car seat on the right or left side of the vehicle, you can put it on the driver's side.

4. Booster Seats

All children who outgrow their infant car seat due to weight or height must use a booster seat until the seat belt is properly fitted. This is only possible when the child is at a minimum 4'9" tall and has reached the top of the headrest.

Booster seats can help position the shoulder and lap belts properly. They can also limit the distance that a child's head moves during a crash, which decreases the risk of injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 4-8, and head motion is the biggest culprit.

If a booster isn't used correctly the lap belt can slide across a child's abdomen and cause serious injuries in an accident. This can be prevented by using a booster that has lap belt guides to prevent the lap belt from slipping over arm rests or sliding up on a child's belly.

Many boosters have small handles, armrests or guide slots to position the lapbelt low and flat on the child's upper legs. This ensures that the lapbelt starts and stays on the hipbones of a child's strength instead of moving upwards into their abdomen area during the event of a crash.

Some booster seats are also equipped with a seat belt locking mechanism to ensure that the belt is in place when the child is in it. This can help in preventing the lap belt from moving over a child's abdomen. This can help keep the seat belt from being pulled up over a child’s face. This can lead to airway obstruction and hypoxia as well as neck strain.