Selecting The Right Car Seat

You keep the car in good repair. You monitor road and weather conditions. You wear lap and shoulder belts for all your trips. You drive defensively. Now, with delivery just six weeks away, you are preparing for a tiny passenger. Safe travel is of top concern.

Is there one certain infant car seat that is the “best”? No. Is the cost of the seat a gauge of its safety? No. Can someone else choose the seat for your newborn? No. The best car seat is the seat that fits your child and the car...and is used properly each time you travel.

Basic seat requirements:

• Seat fits your child’s specifications (i.e., height, weight, special needs). (Most infant seats fit a child whose weight is at least 5 pounds.)
• A label lists manufacturer’s name, model number, date of manufacture.
• Seat has not been recalled by the manufacturer.
• Seat is less than 6 years old.
• A label states that the seat has met the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213)
• Seat has not been involved in a moderate or severe crash.
• All seat parts are intact.
• Instruction manual is available.

Before you go seat-shopping:

• Learn your car. Grab a flashlight and the car manual; climb into your car’s second row of seats. (The middle is the safest position; infants face the rear of the car.)
• Find the “child passenger safety” section of your car manual. Read it slowly. You will learn some new words!
• If you will be using the center seat belt, find the two parts of the belt (the long strap with the latch ...the short strap with the buckle); hook them together. Get acquainted with the wind-up system of that seat belt.
• For cars made after 2002, there may be recessed bars for attaching “LATCH” hooks. [LATCH = Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children] . Find out where the LATCH bars are located.
• Think about your travel. Will there be daily car trips? Will you be transporting other passengers, pets, or cargo? How many cars will be used for your child? How long-legged are the people who will be riding in the front seat? (Infant seats are rear-facing and their long backs extend toward the front row seats. Sometimes the front row passenger needs to move the front row seat forward.)
• Learn the parts of a seat and the product choices. Useful references: American Academy of Pediatrics “Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2008” (www.aap.org) ...National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ( www.nhtsa.dot.gov, 1-888-DASH-2-DOT).

At the store:

• Take your time. Talk with the sales person. Often sales are final, but some stores allow you to try the seat in your parked car before purchase.

Installation help:

• To find a certified child passenger safety technician convenient to your zip code, dial 1-866-SEATCHECK or visit www.seatcheck.org.

Diane DuBois , RN, Community Education Instructor, St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Photo of Britax Companion Infant Car Seat.