Car and Booster Seats for Your Toddler
Child safety seats provide the best protection
While using any restraint is better than none, your young child can be badly injured in a crash if placed only in a seat belt rather than a child safety seat or belt-positioning booster seat.
When a head-on crash occurs, the vehicle's front end crushes, absorbing crash energy and making it a softer stop for restrained occupants. Properly restrained children come to a more gradual stop. Any child not restrained or loosely restrained will continue to move forward at the same speed of the vehicle before the crash and then abruptly hit the car's interior.
When should you use a forward-facing car seat for your child?
When your toddler (at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds) reaches the highest weight allowed by your rear-facing seat, you need to switch to a child safety seat designed to be used forward-facing.
Keep your toddler in the rear-facing position up to the maximum weight allowed by your convertible seat as long as the top of her head is below the top of the safety seatback. Check your car seat instruction manual or seat label for your seat's weight and height limits for rear-facing use.
If you have been using an infant-only car seat, then you will need a new seat. If you have been using a convertible seat in the rear-facing position, you'll need to make a few changes to make it forward-facing. Be sure to read your car seat manual to learn what changes need to be made when switching the seat from rear to forward-facing.
And remember, always install the safety seat in the back seat of your vehicle.
There are four types of forward-facing car seats.
Convertible safety seat
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Convertible safety seat
When you switch this seat to the forward-facing position, it can be used for a toddler up to about 40 pounds, although some have higher limits. Check your car seat manual or seat label for its height and weight limits.
Combination seat
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Combination child seat/belt-positioning booster seat
You can use this seat with the internal harness until your toddler weighs about 40 pounds. You can then remove the harness and convert the seat into a belt-positioning booster. We encourage you to use a car seat with a full harness until the seat is completely outgrown.
Child seats up to 50 or more pounds
These seats allow kids to remain in the seat's harness beyond 40 pounds. All of these seats have a top tether that attaches to a tether anchor in your vehicle. Some require use of this tether if your child remains in the harness up to a higher weight limit. Check your car seat instruction manual or seat label.
Built-in child seats
Some vehicles have integrated child seats. They can be used for children who are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. These seats have a five-point harness system. Some built-in seats convert to belt-positioning booster seats for older children once the internal harness is completely outgrown. Check your car owner's manual for weight and height information.
Shield boosters
The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend that children weighing 30 to 40 pounds use a shield booster seat. Kids less than 40 pounds are best protected in seats with a full harness, such as a convertible child safety seat or combination child safety seat/booster seat.
Using harness straps correctly
Forward facing child safety seats have three types of harnesses:
- 5-point. This is the most common type of harness. It buckles between the legs and uses two straps to hold your child at the shoulders and two straps to secure the hips.
- Tray or overhead shield. This padded shield swings over the head and buckles between your toddler's legs.
- T-shield. This seat has a "T" or triangular plastic piece that is permanently attached to the shoulder straps and rests on the abdomen. It then buckles between the legs.
Harness straps at or above your child's shoulders
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The harnesses in forward-facing seats have several harness slot positions. These slot choices allow you to move the straps as your child grows. When your child is in the forward- facing position, the harness straps should be threaded through slots at or above your child's shoulders. If the top slots are below your toddler's shoulders, the seat is too small. She may need a different seat or may be ready for a belt-positioning booster. Be sure to read your car seat manual to learn how to correctly use the harnesses.
Harness retainer clip
Harness retainer clip
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The harness retainer clip holds the straps in the correct position on your child's shoulders. Position the clip so the top of it is level with your child's armpit.
Here are some suggestions to keep harness straps properly positioned:
- Harness straps should be threaded through slots at or above your child's shoulders.
- Harness straps should fit snugly. The straps should lie in a straight line without sagging and should not be twisted. You should not be able to pinch a fold in the harness material when it is buckled.
- Be sure that the top of the harness retainer clip is level with the child's armpit.
The smaller or larger child
Sometimes a toddler is smaller or larger than "at least one year and at least 20 pounds." If that's the case, here's what to do:
Under age 1, but more than 20 pounds
Use a convertible seat with a higher weight/height limit until your child reaches at least age 1. Keep your toddler rear-facing up to the maximum weight allowed by your convertible seat and as long as the top of her head is below the top of the safety seatback. Check your car seat instruction manual for weight and height guidelines.
Over age 1, but not yet 20 pounds
Smaller children need to be rear-facing until at least 20 pounds, even if they have reached 1 year of age.
If you are using a rear-facing infant-only seat, continue using this seat as long as your baby hasn't outgrown the seat's height limit or her head hasn't reached the top of the safety seat. Another option is to use a rear-facing convertible seat that is suitable for heavier and/or taller babies. Check your car seat instruction manual for your seat's weight and height limits.
Children should remain rear-facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children should remain rear-facing as long as possible.
Some children reach 40 pounds before their 2nd or 3rd birthday. These children may be too heavy for a traditional forward-facing child safety seat with an internal harness (most harnesses can be used until 40 pounds), but are too "young" to sit in a belt-positioning booster seat (they can wriggle out of the booster seat while the car is moving). In these cases, safety experts recommend that you use a forward-facing child safety seat with an internal harness that accommodates heavier children.
It is not a safety problem if your child's legs bend at the knees or touch the back seat of the car.
How to choose a forward-facing child safety seat
Follow these suggestions to help choose the best seat for your child:
- Before you buy the seat, try it out in your vehicle to make sure it fits correctly.
- Make sure the seat meets national standards. The label on the seat should say: "This child-restraint system conforms to all applicable U.S. federal motor vehicle safety standards."
- Put your child in the seat to see how it fits.
- Before you use the seat, talk to a Certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician or visit a car seat checkpoint before placing your child in the car seat the first time. Some retail stores have Certified CPS Technicians on staff to answer customers' questions.
- For more information click on choosing a car seat, at the American Academy of Pediatrics website.
Don't forget to mail back the registration card
After purchasing your new car seat, remember to send in the manufacturer's registration card so that you can be notified if the seat is recalled or has other safety problems.
Moved since you sent in the card? Call NHTSA's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 for a form that will be sent to the car seat manufacturer to update your address.
Installing your car seat
With so many vehicle and safety seat models available, it can be difficult to install a child safety seat correctly. That's why it's important to carefully read your vehicle owner's manual and your car seat instruction manual.
View a short video on choosing and installing toddler car seats.
This video will open and play in a new window.
Some tips for installing your car seat are provided below.
The rear is best.
The safest place in the vehicle for your child's car seat is the rear seat position that allows you to install the safety seat tightly and correctly.The angle is important.
Read your car seat manual to learn the best incline for your child's seat. When changing a convertible seat from rear to forward-facing, you need to make sure that the seat is in its most upright position — not reclined as it was when you used it as a rear-facing seat. Check your car seat manual for the correct positions. A sleeping child may be more comfortable in a slightly reclined seat.Get a tight fit
Installing a car seat too loosely is one of the most common mistakes parents make. You may have two options for installing car seats: seat belts and LATCH. If you are having trouble getting a tight fit, try using your body's weight to press the seat down while you tighten the seat belt or LATCH. Once installed, the seat should not be able to move more than one inch in any direction, when holding it at the belt path.
Seat belts
The seat belt must be locked to make sure it stays tight. Some vehicles manufactured before 1997 may require the use of a locking clip to lock the seat belt. Newer vehicles have built-in locks within the seat belt system. Be sure to read your vehicle owner's manual to learn how to use your seat belts correctly with a child safety seat.
LATCH
All rear- and forward-facing safety seats and vehicles made after September 2002 come with Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). Most rear-facing car seats have only the lower anchors, not the tether strap.
LATCH makes it easier to install your forward-facing car seat through use of built-in straps and hooks on the safety seat and anchor hardware in the vehicle that allow you to attach the seat to the vehicle without using your vehicle seat belt.
Learn more about LATCH.
Child resistance to car seats
Finally, as your toddler grows, you may be faced with times when she will not want to stay in her safety seat. Here are a couple of suggestions to try:
Don't negotiate on safety
Sitting in a car seat isn't negotiable. If your child tries to squirm out of the seat, find a safe place to pull the car over. Explain that you will not continue driving until she is safely seated in her child safety seat.
Let kids know why safety seats are important
Explain why she is in a child safety seat. Let her know that her car seat will help keep her safe in a crash, just like the seat belt you are wearing helps keep you safe.
Seating more than one child
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that all children ages 13 and under ride in the back seat of a vehicle.
If you have more children than back seat seating positions, contact a certified child passenger technician for help. If you don't have enough seating positions for all of your children, arrange to use a vehicle with enough seating positions to keep all of them safe.
Getting help to install your car seat- Watch a short video to learn how to choose and safely install a car seat for your toddler.
This video will open and play in a new window. - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's forward-facing child seat installation tips
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's convertible child seat installation tips
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's combination child seat/booster seat installation tips
Is your child's car seat safe?
You will need to check the safety of your toddler's car seat under certain conditions.
After a crash: Do I need to replace the seat?
Safety experts and many car seat manufacturers recommend replacing your child's safety seat after a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends replacement following a moderate or severe crash. Visit the NHTSA website for a detailed explanation of how to tell if your crash was moderate to severe.
Recalls
Sometimes a defect shows up after safety seats are sold. The manufacturers will then recall the seats that have been bought. Check these websites to find out if your child safety seat has been recalled:
Used seats
New seats are best, but if you must use a second-hand child safety seat, keep the following in mind.
- Check the date of manufacture. Look for the manufacturing date on the seat's label. Makers usually recommend not using seats more than 6 to 10 years old. Check with the manufacturer to be sure.
- Seats with obvious cracks, holes, dents, or missing parts are not safe to use (unless you can get replacement parts from the manufacturer).
- If you don't know its history, don't use a seat. It may have been in a crash.
- You will not be able to check on seat recalls, and you will not know its age.
- Avoid seats without an instruction manual unless you can get a replacement from the manufacturer. Check the seat maker's website.
