Infant Car Seat of Booster Car Seat?

By: Sally Thatcher.

Having a car safety seat for your baby is a must, and some features are more important than others. Like most parents, you simply want to keep your child safe and healthy. So purchasing a high-quality car seat is essential. But with so many models, styles and brands on the market, it can be difficult to decide which one's right for your family. And if you don't understand the features that are most important, the task is even more difficult. It's a good idea to focus on the safety features that matter most when shopping for a child safety seat.

The single most important feature of any car seat is the 5-point attach. Most car seats feature one of two kinds of attachments: the 3-point harness and the 5-point harness. A 3-point harness is probably okay, but the 5-point harness will do much more to keep your baby safe and secure in the car seat. With more attachments, the 5-point harness further restrains the child in case of ejection.

We all know that small children are required to be in a car seat, but all the different guidelines for weight and seat orientation can be confusing. Car safety seats on the market today have a dizzying array of features, but the basic types of seats are categorized into four main positions: rear-facing, combination, front-facing and booster seats.

Even older children are candidates for child safety seats, including children who weigh around 60 pounds. A nine-year-old, for example, might be a candidate for a car safety seat made for an older, larger child. In general, a standard car seat will accommodate a child that weighs 20-25 pounds. If your child is about 10 pounds heavier, you'll probably need to purchase a car seat that is geared for larger children.

Most experts agree that the safest type of car safety seat is the rear-facing seat. It's a good idea to select a car seat with a higher weight limit so that it will last longer as your son or daughter grows. You can also purchase a car safety seat that is "booster only" if your child is closer to 40 pounds. Whatever your child's size, it's vital to properly install any kind of child safety seat.

Your older child's booster should allow for the shoulder belt to cross the center of the shoulder and chest. Avoid crossing it over the neck. The lap belt should ride across the hips. If your car has low seat backs without headrests, use a high-back model. You may be able to find a model with adjustable head supports and extra padding.

All car seats for babies and small children are examined and tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Car seats are tested on a number of features, including the ease and readability of the instructions. The government's suggestions from these tests are carefully considered by car seat manufacturers, and they work hard to update and enhance the design of their products. More information can be found on NHTSA's web site.

If you want to find a model that got straight A's, you can definitely find the one that's right for you. eBay and Froogle are two good sources of information to start your search. When you find the car seat that fits your needs, make sure it received an acceptable safety rating from the NHTSA.

Article Source: http://www.yesparenting.com/articles

SallyThatcher enjoys the outdoors and in her free time and contributes to safest infant car seats and cheap Graco car seats Visit her websites today.

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