WarnockAuto’s 50 Questions You Need To Ask Before Buying A Car Seat
WarnokAuto’s 50 Questions You Need To Ask Before Buying A Car Seat
WarnockAuto.com has a goal to make people’s lives easier when it comes to their cars. WarnockAuto offers in-depth assessments of automobiles, automotive culture, and reviews, to help people with a better car lifestyle. Below, is an article they composed of a list of common questions that you may run into when buying car seats. Sources come from a variety of accredited locations. You will see Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concerning safety, installation, and transitioning between different types of car seats.
Q1: Why Do I Need A Car Seat?
In Arizona A.R.S. 28-907 defines who needs to be in a Child Restraint System. Anyone under the age of 5 is required to be in a car seat.
Q2: Why Child Car Seats Expire？
Car seats expire because materials in the car seat will break down over time. Typically, car seats have a shelf-life of anywhere between six to ten years. There is a location on any car seat that you can find to determine its expiration date. Usually, you can find them near a bar code or on a sticker.
Other typical reasons for car seat expiration dates include changing standards in manufacturing and the parts not being available anymore. We can listen to the explanation of experts from the following video.
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Q3: How Many Years Can I Use My Child Car Seat?
The number of years you can use your car seat will depend on the type that you purchase. In rear-facing car seats, you will be able to get a maximum of two years of use out of it. You get about two to four years in front-facing car seats. Three-in-one and Four-in-one car seats can get up to seven or eight years.
These numbers will vary based on the quality of the car seat. Those made of better materials will last longer. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of your car seat. If buying a used one, be doubly sure to check this. If they are unsure, do not buy it.
Q4: Is It Secure For My Baby To Travel In The Front Seat?
The safest place to put your child in when riding a car seat is in the back seat. It is not secure to place your baby in the front seat. Airbags will deploy quickly and most likely injure your child in the process. Their head is likely to bounce against the airbag, causing damage. Car seats are for preventing head movement, which is crucial in a child’s survival during a car accident.
Q5: Is It Okay If My Child’s Seat Is Loose?
A properly installed car seat should not move more than an inch. Be sure to give it a good push or tug, known as the inch test, to ensure that your child is secure. Nothing in your child’s car seat should be loose.
Q7: How Do I Securely Install A Safety Seat?
The first step is to check your automobile’s owner’s manual to see the best place to put your child. If the owner’s manual is not available, anchored car seats will need metal hooks that you can find by feeling between the top and bottom cushions. These hooks are known as the lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) system.
You will either find hooks indicating the LATCH system or a loop to put a seatbelt through. There may be arrows on your car seat to show you the best path to take when using the belt system. Either connect the latches or lead the seatbelt through the available gaps. Be sure to lock your seatbelt if that is an option.
Be sure to perform the inch test before driving in your car. Also, the latch system has weight limits that should be available on the seat or the user’s manual. The typical weight for undoing the LATCH system is 40 lbs.
Q8: How Long Do You Keep A Child In A Child Car Seat?
How long you keep your child in a car seat will depend on their growth. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests you can consider removing a booster seat once they are eight years or older.
You should base this decision more on how naturally they fit into a standard seatbelt. The belt should be snug along the shoulder, chest, and thighs. If you need to adjust the strap to account for this happening, they are probably not ready.
Q9: Why Is Rear-Facing Safer Than Forward-Facing?
Consumer Reports have stated that children aged 23 months or younger are 75 percent less likely to sustain an injury in a rear-facing seat. Rear-facing seats face the direction that the vehicle is moving. So when a vehicle crash occurs, the car seat is flung in the direction the car is most likely to continue moving: forward.
Q10: When Should I Switch From A Rear-Facing To A Forward-Facing Car Seat?
You should switch from a rear-facing to a front-facing model when a child reaches two-years or older. You can also base this decision on what you see. Are they outgrowing the rear-facing seat?
If they are, you may need to ditch the old seat sooner. Children outgrowing their car seat is not a safe experience. There are also good suggestions included in the owner’s manual of your selected safety seat.
Q11: Which Child Car Seats Can I Use On An Aeroplane?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shares that the best place to keep your child on your airplane is on an approved child restraint system (CRS). This document has more information, but the device will have to be approved by the FAA. This information can be found with the owner’s manual or usually on the available tags with your car seat.
Q12: Is It Safe To Use Second-Hand Car Seats?
There are three things you must be aware of when purchasing a used car seat. First, be mindful of any recalls on the car seat. If the car seat has a recall, it is not safe to resell. If they are not precise about the exact make and model, and have no proof of this, find another car seat.
Second, you have to be aware of the car seat’s expiration date, which will determine the longevity and quality of the parts. Finally, you need to be sure that the chair has not been through an accident. Those who have “tested” these parts in an accident may have those safety features worn out.
Other Questions
Q13: When Is My Child Ready For A Booster Seat?
This information is with the manufacturer’s owner’s manual. Move them into a standard booster seat when they are at or above the maximum weight of the suggested limit. The booster should allow the seatbelt to rest naturally on their body. The NHTSA suggests keeping your child in a front-facing seat until they can no longer fit, which can be up to 65 pounds.
Q14: Why Are Booster Seats Safer Than Seat Belts?
A study by Montana State University has affirmed that the placement of your seatbelt is paramount to a child’s survival during an accident. Because of this, most states have pretty strict booster seat laws. For example, Montana’s laws require some form of booster seat for those below age six and beneath 60 lbs.
Q15: When Can I Put My Child In The Front Seat?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends (AAP) that children stay secure in the back seat up to age twelve. State regulations will have differing opinions, so you may also base your decision upon their suggestion. Given that 35 percent of child deaths were associated with no buckles deciding to buckle up your child in a secure back-seat location is a lifesaving decision.
Q16: How Do I Install A Car Seat In A Pickup Truck?
Installing a car seat in a pickup truck can vary depending upon the type of vehicle that you have. If you plan on purchasing a pickup truck, be sure to limit yourself to extended, crew, and super cab options. Those are best suited to fit little ones securely in the seat.
Many trucks that are aware of this will have tethers in standard locations. These can include between the upper and lower seat cushions or behind the top seat. Some even have options for tethering your car seat outside. Your owner’s manual may provide more guidance.
Q17: How Long Does A Child Need A Car Seat Or Booster Seat?
The NHTSA suggests keeping children in car seats up to age 12. Some can get out early based on how large they are. You will know they are ready based on the position of their seatbelt being secure and in natural places. Do not be too eager to get your child out of their booster, as placement of belts are crucial to survival.
Q18: When Can You Switch Your Baby To The Booster Car Seat?
The answer to this question is in the owner’s manual of your safety seat. When considering most standard car seats, you can keep them in a standard front-facing car seat until they reach up to 65 pounds. Usually, this means that once they reach school age, they are ready to upgrade to a booster seat. But base that decision on a combination of their weight and height.
Q19: What Are The Laws For Child Restraint Systems?
The laws for CRSs depend on the state that you reside. Answer this question by looking up the information through your DMV’s website or by calling the local DMV branch. Each state has their own opinion. For example, Alabama requires you to keep your children younger than six in a booster seat. In California, children below age two and 40 lbs must be in a rear-facing car seat.
Q20: When Is My Kid Safe To Use A Seatbelt Instead Of A Booster Car Seat?
Your child is safe to transition from a booster seat to a seatbelt once they appear naturally placed in a seatbelt. If the belt does not rest naturally on their shoulder, chest, and thighs, they are not ready to upgrade to the next level. Some children are unable to make this transition for some time. They could be in a booster until age 13.
Q21: What Brands Of Child Car Seats Are Compatible With My Car?
To determine this, you must find out a couple of essential things. First, you need to be able to fit your car seat in your car. It is more of a problem for those with smaller cars (e.x. Versas and Fiats). Regardless, measure out a space for your car seat and use that measurement to determine the dimensions of what you need.
Second, many cars come standard with fasteners, latches, and locking seatbelts. Check to see your owner’s manual or feel between the cushions of your vehicles to find the hooks needed for the LATCH system. If this system is unnecessary, your seat still needs to be secure enough to pass the inch test.
Q22: How Can I Stop My Child From Undoing The Child Seat Harness?
The first step to prevent your child from undoing the straps is to inform them that it is unsafe. Every parent has a different strategy, use what you know works with your child. You may plan for punishments or rewards if they manage to leave it alone.
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