Car seat safety: Rules and local resources

It could be your trip home from the hospital or a quick errand to the grocery store. Whenever you place your child in the car, you want to trust that their car seat will protect them. So, it’s important to pay attention to car seat safety.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), only 54% of car seats are installed correctly. Securely placing the car seat is vital, though, because these seats lower fatality risk by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.

At Atlantic Health, we want to help you understand car seat safety requirements. With the information below, you can choose and install the right car seat that offers age- and size-appropriate protection for your child.  

Understanding child car seat laws

Everyone in a moving vehicle must wear some type of seat belt. Your child — no matter their age, weight or height — is no different. According to state regulations, children under age 8 and 57 inches tall must use a car seat. They’ll need different seats as they grow. Remember, the back seat is the safest place for kids. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends they sit in the back until age 12.

Here’s what New Jersey law says about child car seats and when to upgrade:

• Children under age 2 and 30 pounds must be in a rear-facing, five-point harness car seat.
• Children under age 4 and 40 pounds should stay in a rear-facing, five-point harness car seat until they reach the seat’s maximum capacity. Then, switch to a forward-facing, five-point harness car seat.
• Children under age 8 and 57 inches tall should remain in a rear-facing or forward-facing five-point harness seat until they reach the seat’s maximum capacity. Then, switch to using a booster seat with the car’s seat belt.
• Children over age 8 and 57 inches tall must be properly secured with a seat belt.

If your car doesn’t have a back seat, you can use a forward-facing car seat to secure your child in the front of the vehicle. But never use a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a car that has an airbag that cannot be turned off.

Choosing the right car seat

With so many designs on the market, choosing a car seat can feel overwhelming. Between infant car seat safety, rear-facing car seat guidelines and concerns about safe newborn car seat installation, there’s a lot to consider. The NHTSA website can help you select a car seat based on your child’s age, weight and height.

Overall, you can choose from these types of car seats:

• Infant carrier: This is your baby’s first car seat. It’s a rear-facing, removable carrier that can fit on your stroller and in a seat base that stays in your car. An infant car seat has a five-point harness and offers your child the snuggest fit. Be sure their head is less than one inch from the top of the seat.
• Convertible: Your child transitions to this seat once they outgrow the infant carrier. It also has a five-point harness, but it sits taller and can accommodate a heavier child. A convertible car seat lets your child stay rear-facing longer, but it can also be used with a front-facing child.
• All-in-one: As your child grows, this seat transitions from rear-facing to front-facing to a booster seat. These seats are bulkier, and they don’t offer the same snug fit as an infant seat. But they can accommodate rear-facing children up to 50 pounds, front-facing children up to 65 pounds and children weighing up to 120 pounds in the booster seat.
• Booster: This seat helps your child transition from a five-point harness car seat to an adult seat belt. They need a booster when they’ve grown too big for other car seats. A booster raises them so the seat belt fits correctly and safely across their chest.

When choosing a car seat, remember that not all car seats fit well in every car. Find a store that will let you test whether a seat is appropriate before you buy it.

Installing a car seat safely

A secure, tight fit is the goal for newborn car seat installation. As a first step, read the instruction manuals for your car seat and vehicle. Your car may use either a seat belt or lower anchors to hold a car seat in place. If you need some help, police and fire stations have personnel who are trained to correctly secure car seats.

To install the seat properly, place it in the back seat and follow these steps:

1. For a seat belt, run the belt through the rear-facing belt path and make sure the belt isn’t twisted. Buckle and lock the seat belt. If your car uses lower anchors, connect them to the lower anchor attachments on the car seat. Make sure the straps aren’t twisted.
2. Press firmly down on the car seat and tighten the straps.
3. Wiggle the car seat. It shouldn’t move more than one inch front-to-back or side-to-side.
4. Place your car seat at the correct recline angle. Use the angle adjustor to semi-recline the seat. This position helps keep your infant’s airway open.

Be equally careful when placing your child in the seat. Start by making sure their back is flat against the car seat. Then:

1. Slip the harness straps over your child’s shoulders, making sure the straps are flat and not twisted. The straps to be placed through the slots at or below your child’s shoulders.
2. Buckle the harness and the chest clip. Tighten until you can’t pinch any extra harness material at the shoulder.
3. Place the chest clip at armpit level to keep the harness straps in the proper place.

Keep in mind that bulky clothes and blankets make it harder to tighten harness straps. Secure your child first, then add blankets or other warm items. If your child needs extra support, add rolled up blankets to the empty spaces.

Car seat transitions: Why rear-facing is best

Once your baby starts to grow, it’s tempting to place them in a front-facing car seat. You can check on them with a quick glance in the rear-view mirror. Passing a toy or soothing their cries is simpler. And they’re generally happier when they can see you and more of the world around them.

Still, it’s best to keep them in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible. Here’s why:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics updated their guidance in 2018, emphasizing that rear-facing seats are safest.
• Car seat manufacturers now make rear-facing seats for children weighing up to 50 pounds. Some infant rear-facing seats can accommodate children up to 40 pounds.
• Rear-facing seats offer the most layers of security. Every transition to another seat decreases the amount of protection around your child.
• Rear-facing seats do the best job of supporting your child’s head, neck and spine. They’re also constructed to absorb most of the force that happens during a crash.
• Research shows staying in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible doesn’t injure feet and legs or stunt their growth.

Beyond the safety basics: Registration, recalls and crashes

Correct car seat installation is only one part of car seat safety. You also need to make sure your car seat is working the way it should. That means you should register your seat and pay attention to recalls.

Register your car seat with the NHTSA to automatically receive notifications when manufacturers release safety information or recalls. You’ll need the name of the car seat manufacturer, model number and date of purchase. You can also fill out and mail in the registration card that comes with your car seat. Even if you don’t complete registration, you can check on recalls by directly entering your car seat information into the NHTSA website. If there’s a recall, most manufacturers will send you a replacement.

Crashes can also damage your car seat. If you’re in a moderate-to-severe accident, you’ll need a replacement. If it’s a minor fender-bender, you can keep your existing car seat. If your accident meets all these conditions, the NHTSA says you can safely use the car seat:

• You can drive the car away from the crash.
• The door closest to the car seat is undamaged.
• No passengers were injured.
• The airbags didn’t deploy.
• The car seat has no visible damage.

Also, keep track of your car seat’s expiration date. Temperature changes in cars cause the plastic frame to break down over time, making the seats less safe. The expiration date is located on a sticker on the bottom or back of the seat. Most seats are good for six to 10 years.

Support from Atlantic Health

At Atlantic Health, we’re committed to keeping your child safe. If you’re worried that your car seat isn’t secure — or if you want someone to double-check it — visit a convenient car seat inspection station.

You can also call the Morristown Medical Center Injury Prevention Coordinator at 973-971-6477 for more information or help.