What Kind Of Car Seat Should My Child Be In?

Everyday car accidents happen, and sometimes babies are involved in these accidents. This is something that should make you think twice whenever driving your car with your little on in it.

The baby car seat isn`t a caprice! Contrary to the opinion of many of us that “In our time, we didn`t need such things,” it`s really unacceptable for a child to be exposed to any risks while traveling with the car in the arms of his parents. The agglomeration in traffic, poor infrastructure or the rush which characterizes almost every driver out there, these are all prerequisites for a possible accident. In order to convince you about the usefulness of the car seat for a child, we even date to suggest you to check out either one of the online tests made by car seat manufacturers in which are present the forces acting on a child in case of an impact while involved in a car accident.

Why Is the Baby Car Seat Necessary?

First of all, because it`s required by law for children up to 3 years old. Children up to 12 years old aren`t allowed to sit on the front right seat of the car.

In case that the child isn`t placed on the car seat, according to the law, you may receive a fine just as in the case of failure to comply with the obligation of the passenger to wear the seat belt.

Among this particular aspect, the car seat represents an investment for your child`s safety. Lots of times parents forget to use it on a regular basis. For instance, in order to avoid moving the baby car seat from one car to another when the family owns to cars, buy a car seat for each car. The safety of your child requires is as it`s more important than self-investment.

What Kind of Car Seat Should my Child Be In?

In theory, the baby car seats available on the market meet the safety standard provided by law, so just about any model out there is good to use. However, this doesn`t apply to second-hand models which were already been used, because they may no longer meet the legal standards or have already went through accidents.

Even if the seat is a model adapted according to the law, an improper installation might still put the little one at risk. You need to also take into account whether your baby`s car seat is suitable for your baby`s weight. You can use it until he exceeds the weight limit, then you may start using car lifts, which can be found along with protective harnesses.

Car uplifts help the little one be safe while wearing a proper seat belt in the event of a possible accident. In case that the child uses a seat belt for adults, he may damage his organs in the chest at impact.

The textile material needs to be easily detachable. After the child will grow a little more, he`ll gain a fabulous ability to dirty everything around him. It`s good for the fabric which covers the seat to be easy to remove and placed back. You`ll probably have to wash it at least once per week, so your little one can “destroy it” in 45 minutes while you driving him with your car. Or maybe your child is one of the good ones!

What Are the Different Types of Car Seats?

Some car seats can transform as the baby grows, meaning that they`re assimilated to several car seat groups.

As a general rule, don`t rush the little one from one chair to another. Passing to the next seat group is done when:

• The weight of the child exceeds the maximum weight allowed by the present seat.
• The head of the child exceeds the upper part of the seat (no matter if his knees bend or not).

Mistakes Made when Buying the Car Seat

Buying a Second-Hand Car Seat

When you want to buy a car seat that has already been used, it`s essential to know the history of that product – if it suffered any accidents, if it had any manufacturer faults, through how many repairs has went – to know of its degree of damage.

Here are a few things to remember when buying a second-hand car seat:

• Not to be older than 6 years.
• To come with instructions, such as the certificate attesting the manufacture date and model series.
• To be in a good functioning condition, show no damage or missing parts.
• To not be involved in any accidents in the past.

If you don`t trust the person selling you the seat or in the information that he gives you, don`t purchase it. It`s not worth it to put the life of your child at risk.

Choosing a Car Seat Inappropriate for the Child`s Age

There are several types of baby car seats: basket, shell, etc. Each of this type is adapted and designed for a particular age or weight of the little ones. – Read this!

Lots of parents don`t really take into consideration that babies need to be transported with certain types of car seats. These are safer as they have a specific inclination that doesn`t endanger the development and health of the spine. After babies reach 13 kg, they can be moved in car seats for specific age or weight groups.

Choosing a Car Seat Incompatible with the Car

Lots of parents are so preoccupied by choosing an appropriate car seat according to the weight and age of the child that forget to pay attention to another important detail: if the product can be properly installed in their car. To get rid of any concern, buy a car seat equipped with universal clamping system, which will make it compatible with any car model you may drive or at least with a large part of the models available on the market.

Tips & Advice

• Avoid second-hand car seats! Generally speaking, you cannot be sure in what conditions they are or whether they`ve been involved in an accident or not.
• The most expensive car seat isn`t the safest for your child if you don`t give yourself some time to read the instructions or you don`t install it properly.
• When you purchase a car seat for your little one, you need to also buy all the accessories that go with its installation. If a specific item doesn`t fit your car, the car seat is obviously unsafe.
• Cheap car seats leave the impression of bargain, but it might be covered with poor quality materials that might make the baby sweat and, thus feel uncomfortable. It doesn`t seem like an important thing, but a child who doesn`t feel comfortable might make a lot of noise and distract you from driving the car.
• A baby car seat costs anywhere between $50 and $500, depending on the weight for which was built! It seems a lot, but the life of your child is worth a lot more than $500, right?