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Travel Safety 10 min read
Car Seat Safety: A Parent's Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about choosing, installing, and using car seats correctly at every stage.
Key Takeaways
- 1Keep children rear-facing as long as possible
- 2Ensure the harness is snug — you shouldn't be able to pinch excess strap material
- 3Never place a rear-facing car seat in front of an active airbag
- 4Replace car seats after any moderate or severe crash
Choosing the Right Car Seat
Rear-Facing (Birth to 2+ years)
- ✅Required for all infants and toddlers until at least age 2
- ✅Keep rear-facing as long as the seat's height and weight limits allow
Forward-Facing (2–5 years)
- ✅Use with a harness until the child outgrows the seat
- ✅Make sure the harness fits snugly
Booster Seats (5–12 years)
- ✅Use until the seat belt fits properly without a booster
Installation Tips
- ✅Read both the car seat manual and your vehicle manual
- ✅Use either LATCH or the seat belt — not both
- ✅The seat should not move more than 1 inch side to side
- ✅Many fire stations offer free car seat inspections
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