14 Car Seat Safety Tips Every Parent Should Know
Most parents use their car seat a LOT—but it’s so easy to make mistakes. Here’s how to ensure you’re using it safely.
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There are aspects of parenting you can wing on the fly. Changing a diaper blowout in your trunk? You got this! Panic buying 10 pacifiers to find the one that finally calms your baby instead of methodically trying them one by one? Been there, done that.
But when it comes to car seat safety, a little knowledge goes a long way. Arming yourself with car seat know-how can help keep your baby safe on the go and help you feel more confident and empowered as a parent.
Start here: these are the 14 car seat safety tips every parent needs to know.
1. Use the right seat at the right time
A huge part of car seat safety is learning what types of car seats there are in the world—and when to use them.
Infant car seats are made specifically for younger babies. They always rear-face and most attach to a base for portability. Most infant seats can be used until your baby reaches 30 pounds or 32-35 inches (this varies seat by seat), whichever happens first.
Convertible car seats turn from rear-facing to forward-facing. They can be used from birth and most last into the preschool years. They’re heavy and bulky and don’t have bases—they attach to your vehicle using either the seat belt or the LATCH system. (More on that later.) Some convertible car seats rotate, spinning on their base to make getting your child in and out easier. There are also all-in-one car seats that transition from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat and eventually to a booster seat. They can be used from birth until elementary school.
Combination car seats are forward-facing seats that can be used either with a harness or as a booster seat.
Booster seats use a vehicle’s seat belt as a restraint. Think of a booster as the step between a car seat and a seat belt; it elevates a child in a car’s seat, making adult seat belts fit better on little bodies.
2. Rear-facing: know it, love it
Infant car seats are designed to face backward in your car. Convertible car seats start off as rear-facing, too. That’s because riding rear-facing is the safest way for your baby and toddler to ride.
Whenever possible, rear-face your child in their car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the seat’s manufacturer. Worried about bent legs as they get bigger? Don’t be—it’s perfectly safe for your child to bend their legs while riding rear-facing in their car seat.
Ben is just over 3.5 years old, 41” tall and 31 lbs. He’s still comfortably rear-facing in the Cybex Callisto G 360° Rotating All-in-One Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has a rear-facing limit of 40 pounds or 43.3”, so it’s likely he’ll outgrow the seat by height long before he outgrows it by weight. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor)
3. Read your manual. Really.
Is your car seat’s manual going to be the most riveting thing you’ve read all year? Nope. But is it really, really important that you read it? Yup.
Your seat’s manual is packed full of all sorts of critical information, from an overview of your seat’s features and how to properly secure your child in the seat to step-by-step installation instructions and care and maintenance guidance. Read it. Then read it again. And keep it somewhere handy so you can refer to it as your child grows.
4. A tight install = a safe install
A loose car seat can’t protect your child in the event of a crash. Always check that your car seat is installed tightly enough, both after your first installation and as you continue to use it.
A car seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back. You can test this by using moderate force (think the force of a firm handshake) at the seat’s belt path to move the car seat from right to left and front to back.
Check for movement at the belt path only. The car seat should move less than one inch in any direction. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor)
5. Avoid harness errors
Harness errors—buckling a child into their car seat incorrectly—are some of the most common car seat errors parents make.
When buckling your child into their car seat, keep these tips in mind:
Be sure their back is flat against the car seat’s back and their bottom is down and back in the seat.
When rear-facing, the harness straps should be at or just below your child’s shoulders; when forward-facing, the straps should be at or just above the shoulders.
The chest clip should be at armpit level.
The straps should be tight enough to pass the pinch test. You’ll know they're tight enough when you can’t pinch any extra material between your fingers.
The straps should lie flat—no twists anywhere. (Pro tip: Twisted car seat strap? Try the triangle trick.)
6. Use the right recline
Installing a car seat at the appropriate recline is important, but especially for a newborn. Newborns and younger babies don’t have head and neck control; if they’re placed in a car seat that’s too upright, their chin goes to their chest and the positioning can compromise their airway.
Always refer to your car seat’s manual to find the correct recline position for your seat. (Most seats also have some type of recline indicator built in.) As a child grows, you’ll be able to position your car seat more upright.
The recline indicator on the base of the Nuna Pipa Aire Rx Infant Car Seat. The lower recline positions (1 and 2) are suitable for smaller, younger children, and the higher positions (3 and 4) allow your older, larger baby to sit more upright as they gain more head and neck control. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor)
7. Learn about LATCH
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It’s an attachment system made up of two lower anchors and one tether anchor that was created to simplify car seat installation, and you’ll find at least two complete LATCH systems (and one additional tether anchor) in most vehicles made after September 2002.
There are two big things to remember when using LATCH to install your car seat.
Almost all car seat manufacturers allow either LATCH or a seat belt installation—never both at the same time.
Car seats installed with LATCH have a maximum child weight capacity. Once your child hits that max (the number varies from seat to seat), you’ll need to stop using the LATCH system and install your seat with your vehicle’s seat belt instead.
Two lower anchors in the second row of a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor)
8. Don’t forget the top tether
Wondering about that long strap that extends from the back of your child’s car seat? It’s a top tether, and it’s important because it limits the forward movement of a child’s head in a collision. But about half of parents forget to use it when installing their car seat.
Once you turn your child forward-facing, remember to attach the top tether when installing your seat. A heads-up: some rotating seats allow or require the use of a top tether when rear-facing, so always check your car seat manual.
The top tether on the rear of an Evenflo Sonus 65 Convertible Car Seat. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor)
9. Don’t switch seats too soon
Car seats are complicated, and it can be tempting to rush through the different stages in an effort to simplify your life—but it’s not the safest option.
Use a seat that fits your child’s age, weight, height and developmental level and max out that seat’s limits before moving up. Don’t turn your child forward-facing too soon and don’t rush to a booster seat before your child is ready (learn how to know in our Best Booster Seats guide).
10. Your car seat expires
Car seats don’t last forever. Expiration dates vary from seat to seat, but most seats expire between seven to 10 years from the date of manufacture. You can find the expiration date on a label that’s usually affixed either to the side or bottom of the seat.
The date of manufacture and expiration information can be found on labels on the bottom of this Nuna Pipa Aire Rx infant car seat. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editior)
11. Clean with care
There’s nothing more satisfying than a crumb-free car seat—but don’t get that scrub brush out quite yet.
Car seats are first and foremost safety devices, and they have very particular rules about care and cleaning. Most require a very mild soap, and some don’t allow soap at all. (Harsh cleaners like bleach wipes, stain removers or anything acidic like vinegar are a definite no.) And most don’t allow the harness straps to be submerged in water because it can compromise the integrity of the material.
When cleaning your seat, always consult the instruction manual and closely follow the manufacturer's specific directions. If you’re ever unsure—or encounter a really big mess—call your car seat manufacturer and speak with their customer service team. How to Clean a Car Seat also offers step-by-step tips.
12. Coats + car seats don’t mix
Bulky clothing, including winter coats, makes it difficult to tighten a car seat’s harness, which can reduce the seat’s crash protection abilities.
Skip the heavy coat when putting your child in their car seat. Safer options include a few thin layers (think a long-sleeved shirt and a thin, lightweight fleece), a blanket placed over a harnessed child or a coat put on backward after the child is securely buckled. If you’re using an infant seat, a car seat cover is safe as long as it goes over the seat and doesn’t interfere with the harness or buckles.
13. No aftermarket products, ever
Aftermarket products—products made by a third-party manufacturer and sold separately from your car seat’s original packaging—are a big no. They’re not evaluated under federal safety standards and they’re not safe for use.
Examples of these types of products include: infant support inserts, headrests or other comfort items that are not included with your car seat; shoulder pads or harness covers that didn’t come with your seat and aren’t made by your car seat’s manufacturer and approved for use; car seat covers or blankets that come between the back of the car seat and the child; hanging toys or mirrors; seat protectors; headrests or head positioners for booster riders; and waterproof pads.
This aftermarket car seat insert is unsafe to use. (Photo: Jen LaBracio, Babylist Senior Gear Editor, care of Amazon)
14. Be careful of secondhand seats
It’s always best to purchase a new car seat for your child. If that’s not possible, get a used car seat only from someone you trust and who knows its history. Be sure the seat has never been in a crash and hasn’t expired, and check for any recalls. If the seat is dirty, carefully follow the manufacturer’s rules for cleaning it.
