As those of you who either know me in person or read this blog regularly know, I am passionate about car seat safety, and I am a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. I have prepared this car seat primer, which I update periodically, to provide basic information and clear up some misconceptions. If you have questions after reading this information, please feel free to ask in the comments section or e-mail me privately at bookmama1 at gmail dot com.
• The number one thing you can to do is to read your car seat manual. You should also read the child restraints portion of your vehicle manual. If you no longer have the manual for your car seat, visit the manufacturer’s web site – most make their manuals available online.
• The child seat’s harness should be snug enough that you can’t pinch any slack at the top of the child’s shoulders. For rear-facing children, the harness should be threaded through the highest slots that are below the child’s shoulders. For front-facing children, the harness should be threaded through the lowest slots that are above the child’s shoulders.
• It’s a chest clip, not a belly clip. The harness retainer clip should be even with the child’s armpits.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear-facing until age 2 or longer. The old “front facing at 20 lbs AND 1 year” guideline was truly just the bare minimum. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) actually says it’s best to leave a child rear-facing until the maximum weight allowable by the seat. For most current seats, that’s at least 35 lbs., and there are many that can accomodate a rear-facing child up to 40 lbs or more. (On a budget? The Cosco Scenera accomodates children rear-facing until 40 lbs. and can be found for around $40. So rear-facing can truly fit in any budget.) Allie gladly rear-faced until shortly after her fourth birthday, and I anticipate that Jenny will rear-face just as long. Most children can happily and comfortably rear-face until age 2 or longer.
• Never, EVER put a rear-facing car seat in front of an air bag unless you have an actual on/off switch for the air bag. An airbag that deploys into a rear-facing car seat will cause severe injuries and will very likely be fatal.
• There are many seats available that will keep kids harnessed beyond the former standard of about 40 lbs. Adam had a Britax Regent and a Graco Nautilus; he fit in the harness of the Nautilus until right around his ninth birthday (and would have probably still fit in the Regent at age 10.5). Allie has used a Radian and a Graco My Ride, which both have high rear-facing weight limits and 65-lb. forward-facing limits. The Graco Nautilus harnesses to 65 lbs and then turns into a good booster. Other higher-weight harnessed seats include the Sunshine Kids Radian and the True Fit. For the child who’s not likely to reach 50 lbs until 5 or 6, seats like the Evenflo Maestro have nice high harness slots and then turn into decent boosters.
• Car seats expire. Yes, it’s true that car seats expire. Most expire after 6 years. It makes sense when you think about all the use these things get, the extreme hot/cold temps, etc. Just think what a plastic toy would look like after 6 years of that much use!
• The 3-in-1 seats are NOT “the last seat you’ll ever need” even though that’s how the manufacturer markets them. These seats are great for rear-facing because they have a 35 lb limit, but most kids outgrow the harness by height around age 3 – far too early to use the seat in booster mode. And the seat doesn’t make a very good booster, because the closed belt loops don’t allow the car’s belt to retract easily and the shape of the seat holds the belt too far from the child, often positioning it on their belly instead of over their thighs, which is the correct position. I actually had the Alpha Omega for Allie (I was seduced by a great price) and had such a hard time with it (could never get a tight install in any spot in my car) that we replaced it with a Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe.
• Puffy coats are a no-no because in an accident, they can compress, causing the child to move more or potentially even slip out. A good rule of thumb – if the harness fits snugly without the coat and you have to loosen it to buckle up with the coat, it’s too puffy. We made Adam take his coat off, buckle him in, and then he put his coat on backwards. He thought it was hilarious and it kept him just as warm. Another good trick is to put the child in the car seat with the coat unzipped, pull the sides of the coat out to the sides of the car seat, and then buckle up. We dress Allie and Jenny in polar fleece jackets, buckle them in, and then cover them with thick fleece blanket for warmth if needed.
• The 30 lbs minimum weight listed on most belt-positioning booster seats allows kids who are WAY too young to sit properly in a booster to do so. Kids should be in a harnessed seat until they are least 4 years and 40 lbs., longer if possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children should use a harnessed seat until they outgrow it by height or weight, and then they should stay in a booster until they’re 4’9″, usually between 8 and 12 years old. See below for further details on when you can safely move your child out of a booster seat.
When is my child old enough/big enough to use just the vehicle seat belt? There is no magic age, height, or weight. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has developed a set of guidelines to help parents and caretakers determine when a child can safely use the vehicle seat belt. If your child meets ALL of these guidelines, then he or she can safely use the vehicle seat belt. If one or more of these guidelines is not met, your child should continue to use a belt-positioning booster (such as the Graco TurboBooster or the Britax Parkway) or a harnessed seat.
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the shoulder portion of the seat belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
- Is the lap portion of the seat belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Will the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Wow! Great info, very concise and easy-to-read and understand.
This is great. You just answered so many of my questions. I was considering putting the Baby into a booster seat because she meets the weight and height guidlines but now I think I’ll leave her in her car seat for another year or so.
Also, I didn’t know about the puffy jacket rule. My girls usually take theirs off because they feel uncomfortable in the car with them on but now I’ll make sure that they ALWAYS take them off first.
I have another question but I’ll email it to you later…
I like your updates! This is really a helpful resource. Thanks!
Great info. I took a car seat safety course when my twins were born and I often find myself answering questions of unsure mom friends.
One question I have for you is regarding 5 year olds in boosters. My twins were in a high back booster with the belt only until this summer we bought a new minivan. I can no longer reach the back row where they are, so I bought them the short booster (bum only) so they can buckle themselves. They are tall (over 45″ so almost 4 ft) and over 50 lbs. Do you think I am compromising their saftey? Tell it to me straight.
PS – They cant sit in the middle row as my 3yr old sits there (still in 5 point harness booster with latch installed so tight it doesnt move a millimeter)
Thanks for your question, Melissa.
A backless booster is safer than seatbelt-only (which your 5-year-olds are surely too small for), but a high-back booster would provide them with even more protection. Many models (such as the Graco TurboBooster or the Britax Parkway, for instance) offer side impact protection for the child’s head. They also position the belt over the child’s upper body better than a backless will. In addition, if the seat does not have headrests, it’s extremely important that your kids have the head support provided by a high-back booster – this is what will protect them from whiplash in the event of a crash.
Honestly, if they can buckle themselves into low-back boosters, they should be able to buckle themselves into high-back boosters.
Please let me know if you have other questions!
I found a post you made elsewere about obtaining a manual when I was seaching. I was wondering if you ever got a manual for your safe voyage stroller. I didn’t get one either!
Thanks
Sara –
You know, I never did get a manual for that stroller! And I know that several other people on one of my car seat boards didn’t get a manual either. Here’s what I think happened: This stroller was also available as part of a travel system, with the Fisher Price Safe Voyage infant seat. The stroller box I got said “travel system” but it clearly didn’t come with an infant seat. So I think that they broke up the sets, and the instructions were with the infant seats. Fortunately, my hubby was able to figure out how to put the stroller together. He said it wasn’t too hard. I love the stroller!
I’m so glad I ran across your blog. My child’s seat will be 6 years old next month. I am so overwhelmed by all the available options but the one that I’m leary of has the highest ratings. The backless booster by Graco. Is it really safe? If we were in an accident and got hit from the rear would she be airborne? What about when she falls asleep in the car? Would she slump over onto the seat? I’m so confused.
By the way, you’re right on the money about the Alpha Omega. Great seat but now look where I am. She’s going to be 6 and now we need a new seat because she’s not ready for just a seat belt. I really hope you can enlighten me.
Thanks for your question, Monique.
A backless booster is safer than seatbelt-only, but a high-back booster provides with even more protection. Many models (such as the Graco TurboBooster or the Britax Parkway, for instance) offer side impact protection for the child’s head as well as providing support for kids who still fall asleep in the car sometimes. A high-back booster will also position the belt over the child’s upper body better than a backless will. In addition, if the vehicle seat does not have headrests, it’s extremely important that your child have the head support provided by a high-back booster – this is what will protect her from whiplash in the event of a crash.
Please let me know if you have other questions! I’m happy to help, and am glad to know that you’re not planning to move your daughter to seatbelt-only just because she outgrew her previous seat.
Regards,
BookMama
Has anyone been able to get a hold of a User Manual or instructions for the Fisher Price Safe Voyage stroller? I just received mine, ordered from Albee baby, with no instructions! With so many people receiving strollers with no instructions, hopefully someone would have come across a set by now? HELP!!
To my knowledge, no one has received instructions with their stroller. However, from everything I hear, it’s easy to put together. (Hubby put ours together, so I don’t have firsthand knowledge.)
Wow, all your information has been really helpful but now I’m so confused as to what is the best seat to buy. My son is about to reach the maximum weight on his infant carrier and will be one in a month. I had planned on buying the new graco nautilus 3-in-1 but after reading your recommendation on keeping them rear facing as long as possible I’m not sure that this forward facing only seat is the best for him. He’s already 30 inches long and grows about an inch a month so I’m not sure how long he can stay rear facing based on his height. I guess now I’m trying to decide rather to get the graco or go with the fisher price voyager. Please give me your opinion.
Thanks
Amanda
My e-mail reply to Amanda:
Hi Amanda –
Thanks for your comment and your question. I’m glad you found my information helpful, but I also understand that it can be overwhelming.
The good news is, he’s not going to keep growing an inch a month. I’ve never heard of a 22-month-old who was 40 inches tall. 🙂
I would definitely not buy the Nautilus for your son at this point. It IS a great seat, and I just bought one for my 7-year-old son. But it’s not right for a one-year-old. The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe is a great seat too – I have one for my daughter, and it would allow you to rear-face your son for a good long time, probably until at least two. However, this seat has been discontinued and the ones that are still in stores are about two years old (which does NOT affect the safety of the seat) – that means the seat would expire when your son is 5, and you’d need to buy another seat of some sort.
If those are the two seats you are most interested in, I’d suggest these two options:
– Buy the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe, keep him rear-facing until he turns two or outgrows the seat rear-facing, then use it forward-facing until it expires (unless he outgrows it first), then follow it with a dedicated high-back booster.
– Buy a Scenera (not the overhead shield version) now for about $45, and keep him rear-facing until he turns two or outgrows it rear-facing. Then buy a Nautilus. At that point, it should be the last seat he needs – it expires in 6 years as a harnessed seat or high-back booster, but you can use it as a low-back booster for another three years.
There are, of course, tons of other options, but I figured I’d focus on the two seats you’re interested in.
I hope this is helpful.
Regards,
BookMama
I accidentally deleted this comment/question, but I like to have my answers posted here in case they can help someone else, so here is the original question and then my reply.
I have a three-year-old, who is at 39 lbs (the max for his convertible car seat is 40 lbs). I definitely want to keep him in a harness for as long as possible. So I’m looking for a high-back booster with a harness. I notice a lot of seats give one weight range for using the harness, and then another one (with a much higher weight limit) for using the seat as a “belt positioning booster.” Do you know if you can continue using the harness in one of these seats as long as the straps are long enough? Is this safe?
Thanks!
Thanks for your question. (FYI, I accidentally deleted your comment from my blog.) For any forward-facing harnessed seat, the harness is outgrown when the child hits the weight limit OR the shoulders are over the top harness slot OR the tips of the ears are above the top of the seat. In your example, you MUST stop using the harness once your son hits the weight limit, regardless of whether he still physically fits in the harness. Using the harness past the weight limit could cause the harness to literally rip of out of the seat shell in a crash.
Your son is a big boy! I would definitely recommend a “combination” seat (harness-to-booster) with a higher weight limit. At this point, there are really only a few seats that fit that bill:
Graco Nautilus. This is pretty budget-friendly seat, considering how long it will last your son. It has high top harness slots and an harness weight limit of 65 lbs, then it turns into a great booster until 100 pounds. Graco has also said that it can be LATCHed in booster mode and that the backless booster part of the seat has an expiration of 9 years (they are in the process of updating the manual). My 7-year-old has this seat and still fits with the harness, with a couple of inches until his shoulders hit the top slot. (He is a small guy, though, but I just wanted to give you an example of how long it can last some kids.)
Britax Frontier. This is a brand new seat and is not the most afforable, though it does have a 9-year expiration, which can be handy if you have other children to hand it down to. Installation initially proved tricky with some vehicles, but Britax has approved an alternate belt path that has pretty much solved all of the installation issues.
Safety 1st Apex/Biltmore: Another budget-friendly seat, but the top slots are a full 2″ lower than the Nautilus and the Frontier. Also, you MUST use this on a vehicle has a headrest or a high seatback, because the Apex’s headrest is not reinforced.
I hope this is helpful! Feel free to post again if you have other questions.
Regards,
BookMama
Wow-I did not know that there were booster seats available past the age of 6. When my little one was little I bought the best on the market at the time which was the Britex Roundabout I believe it was. At that time the side impact safety and going to 40lbs was the top of the line. Later the graco boosters (I don’t know the models) were the top of the line options. I will look into trying to get my 8 year old back into a booster. She is petite for her age at only 51lbs. What brand and model do you reccomemend for that age? Do they have any for the much older kids, maybe features like a way to plug into the car’s game jacks and then mulitple “gaming/video” outlets in the seat that would let them plug their games etc. in. Gaming light, music etc. We do a lot of long 20 hour road trips and that is the only time that she is allowed to use her Ninetendos etc.
I looked into the car seat “laws” in our state and town and learned that they are only required to be in a car seat/booster until the age of 3 and then in the back seat until 18. Wow-that is lacking. Also, I moved her out of the booster because her Doctor said that she was big enough???? How do you know?
Thank you,
Amy
Hello,
Are you all aware of the WHALE Program Website?
W.H.A.L.E.™ stands for “We Have A Little Emergency.” This car seat safety program was developed by Connie Day, a caregiver from Virginia. In the event of an automobile accident that incapacitates the adult driver and passengers, rescue personnel will have a difficult time identifying children riding in car safety seats. In some situations, these adults may not be related to the child passenger; therefore, conventional means of obtaining information will be useless. In these cases, W.H.A.L.E.™ can make a significant difference.
For more information, please visit http://www.whaleprogram.org
All my best,
Neal Therrien
Great blog entry, I’m particularly interested as I have family saying I should start putting my 4 month old (17lbs) into the 9 months old/20lbs carseat now. I wonder, do you have any references about putting babies in carseats too young that I can show them?
They don’t believe me when I say it’s not safe, thanks.
Can I put a forward facing car seat in the front seat with an airbag? How about a booster seat?
Tana
I am feeling extremely frustrated over the car seat VS booster seat debate. My son is 3 1/2 years old and over 30 pounds and tall for his age. I found a high back booster seat that said it was for 3 – 10 years old and 30-100 pounds. I figured it would be ok because the belt fits over him fine – again he is tall. He understands not to unbuckle himself so I am confident that he is mature enough to handle the new seat. I understand that a 5 point harness is always the safest bet – even for you and I. But I am trying to understand how the carseat companies get away with stating that the booster seat is ok for a 3 year old. I am also trying to figure out what to do when he excedes the height requirment before the wieght.
Where can I find the actual studies that have been done that are setting these standards?
Thanks
Excellent, well researched advice. Great Blog…
Hi,
Great info! I currently have a Graco Snugride (good to 22lbs & 29 inches). My 9 month old son is approaching both these restrictions, so I’m researching the next step. Ideally, I would like this next carseat to be the only one I need to buy for him… is that possible without compromising his safety? What seat(s) would you recommend?
I’m thinking a convertible that will keep him rear-facing for as long as possible, and then forward facing until he’s ready for a booster. Ideally, if the carseat converted to a booster, that would be even better, although I saw your comments above about 3-in-1s, so maybe not? I’m not opposed to buying a separate booster once he outgrows this next carseat, I just don’t want to have to buy another carseat before he’s ready to go into a booster.
He’s about 25th percentile for weight & 75th for height, so should be around 30lb and 100cm at 3yrs, if he stays on track, and around 45lb/120cm at 6yrs?
I’d appreciate your advice and recommendations.
Thanks!
Hi there!! I have a question for you regarding booster seats – hope that’s ok!
My son is seven (turned seven in April of this year) and is 74 pounds. He’s also tall for his age – not sure exactly how tall but I’m 5’4″ and he comes up to my shoulder. So he’s a solid boy.
We’re in NL which has the regulations of a booster seat until 9 years old, 80 pounds or a minimum of 4’9″. He’s going to be 80 pounds before he’s 9 – does that mean it’s ok to take him out of the booster?
I’ve noticed that he’s outgrowing it length wise but fits fine in it. I want to keep him in it as long as possible but also need him to be comfortable – and safe!
I tell people about the puffy coat rules all the time (and remind my son every winter when he asks for one and I get him something less puffy but still warm) and they’re all shocked at it!
Thanks so much!
Alison
Hi Alison –
I apologize for the late reply. If the law where you’re located states that a child has to be in a booster until age 9 OR 80 lbs. OR 4’9″, then your son can *legally* move out of a booster when he hits 80 lbs.
However, weight is really a pretty poor indicator of seatbelt readiness (and actually, so is age). The most important factor is whether the adult seatbelt fits him correctly, and that doesn’t happen with most kids until around 10 or 12. (Book Boy is still in a booster seat because the seatbelt fits him poorly, and he will be for a while yet.)
I highly recommend keeping him in a booster seat until he passes the five-step test, which I’ve pasted below for your easy reference.
Regards,
BookMama
*When is my child old enough/big enough to use just the vehicle seat belt? *There is no magic age, height, or weight. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has developed a set of guidelines to help parents and caretakers determine when a child can safely use the vehicle seat belt. If your child meets ALL of these guidelines, then he or she can safely use the vehicle seat belt. If one or more of these guidelines is not met, your child should continue to use a belt-positioning booster (such as the Graco TurboBooster or the Britax Parkway) or a harnessed seat.
1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the shoulder portion of the seat belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap portion of the seat belt as low as possible, touching the highs?
5. Will the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Thanks so much! He’s starting to look uncomfortable in the booster seat but I want him to be safe. Those 5 points are great!
As always, your advice is very very appreciated!
Alison – if your son is getting too tall for his high-back booster and there is either a vehicle headrest or tall seatback behind his head to offer whiplash protection, you could reasonably move him to a backless booster.Depending on what seat he has now, you may be able to remove the back – check the manual that came with the seat.
Andrea
Thanks – the back is removable but he doesn’t have a head rest behind him – we only let him ride in the middle seat for safety reasons. I’m going to have to do some testing with him and the seat and see what works best. Thanks so much for your advice!!
Fantastic Compilation!
I have a question for you. My son is 5 years old and 38 pounds. He is currently in an evenflo chase dlx, which expires early next year. I really want to put him into another 5-point harness, but think he is close to outgrowing his current seat and am not sure how long another 5-point harness seat will work for him. He is 41 inches tall, but still a tiny little guy. Would he be safe in a high back booster? It seems so scary to me, but I don’t want to buy a new seat, just to replace it in 6 months. Thanks!
Anonymous –
I’m sorry for the late reply, but I’ve been away from my blog.
Your son is pretty small – if he were my kid, I’d be inclined to keep him in a harnessed seats.There are a few five-point harness seats that will last your son a good long time (barring any unpredictable growth spurts) and then convert to decent high-back boosters. Two of the most popular are the Graco Nautilus and the Britax Frontier. The Evenflo Maestro is also a nice, affordable higher-weight seat, but it doesn’t make a great booster. It has a lower weight limit (50 lbs.) than the other two, but nice high top slots and I’d wager that 50 lbs. would get your son to age 6 or 7.
(Remember, a forward-facing harnessed seat is outgrown when a child reaches the weight limit OR the tips of the ears are above the top of the seat OR the shoulders are above the top harness slot, whichever comes first.)
Hope that helps! – BookMama
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These are excellent tips. Especially the ones about car seats expiring, and about not using puffy jackets. These are two things that could cause a huge amount of problems that a lot of people probably don’t know about.
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My son’s last well check was in June of ’14, he was 37lbs and 39in! He hasn’t had to see his Pediatrician since then and his next well check is in June ! Therefore, I’m not sure of his current weight and height at this time! He has a Cosco high back booster with a 5 point harrness! I know forsure he wouldn’t stay in position in a regular booster even if he met the weight and height requirements, plus……he still sleeps in his seat!
I’m very confused as to what kind of seat he should be in, any advice is welcome!
Thank you!