New parents have so many things to consider as they plan toward welcoming their new baby. One of the biggest considerations is choosing their car seat. Because safety is such a huge part in selecting a car seat we were able to speak with Car Seat Mari, Mari Hodges Geist, to get some tips from a true expert.

Car Seats have the job of securing your baby in as safe a position and situation as possible. That is, provided that the seat is appropriate and installed correctly. Both of these aspects must be present for the car seat to do its job of managing the energy placed upon them in a vehicle accident. The next step is to secure your infant properly into the seat so that its maximum safety options are in place.

Some parents get caught up in a specific brand or the look of the seat. These are not valid points on which to choose the correct car seat. While you may want to get recommendations from trusted individuals you need to look at specific factors when choosing your seats. Don’t get caught up in the look of the seat, it is the function, technology, and safety of the seat that is critical. When doing research be aware of the source of the information – not all information sources are equal. Take time to get information from several sources and discuss with experts when appropriate.

New parents are looking for an infant carrier that is appropriate to fit into their car. Consideration of the seat placement of the driver is often overlooked but is important when looking at space for the space for your child and car seat. Not every car seat works for every car configuration. Take time to find out what options are best for vehicle and seat. Parent’s lifestyle matters when making a choice as well as understanding the safety and technology of each car seat option. Are you looking for stroller compatibility? Do you need to change the seat between vehicles? Are you able to get the carrier in and out? Is it easy to lift?

Seats have height and weight thresholds for different stages that children move through. Understanding these requirements is important. Consider that taller parents often have longer babies meaning that the height threshold will be met more quickly. In general, most infant seats height thresholds are met before the weight capacity which means understanding those thresholds are vital.

Rear facing is critical! There is no question that infants must be rear facing and children should remain rear facing for as long as possible for the safest situation in a collision. There are a number of criteria that children must meet to move to forward facing. As children grow other car seat options are needed. Often parents move to minimal booster seats or letting children go without support other than the seatbelt far too soon. We’ll look at these criteria in another article.

Car seat technology is all about energy management and safety. Understanding what this technology is and how it works in interaction with your vehicle is important. Each car seat and each vehicle has its own recommendations and instructions relating to technology and installation. You should read these instructions and information carefully. Here are some terms you should become familiar with.

• LATCH Connectors – Since 2002 this type of connector was used to provide a simple and reliable method of attaching car seats to vehicles.
• Load Leg – a metal support leg that comes down the edge of a rear-facing car seat’s base and rests on the floor of the vehicle.
• Anti Rebound Bar – is a piece near the foot of the car seat (near the baby’s feet) that controls the rebound during and after a crash. Rebound is movement after the initial crash.
• Double Side Impact – seats are designed to handle side-impact collisions with construction, padding, and support of the car seat which provide a safety for the infant.

Mari explained that 4 out of 5 car seats are misused or installed improperly. While seats and vehicles come with detailed instructions on installation and safety information parents are still unsure. Safe and correct installation is not intuitive for most parents, even though they think they understand. It’s not a matter of competence. Parents often “fool” themselves that nothing will happen, that they are good drivers, but it’s not how they should be thinking. It is important to have an expert teach parents the correct way to install the seat. Having an expert guide new parents through the process will assure them that they’ve done everything they can to feel confident going forward.

We now know that rear-facing is best and Mari explained why. Infants are cartilage. It takes years to develop the structural strength of vertebrae. Add to this that a baby’s head is 25% of its body weight. Think of it as a toothpick holding up a bowling ball. Prematurely turning them to forward facing increases injuries by 77%. Rear-facing protects their head, neck, and spine. Today’s car seats are made to provide the safety and support they need. It takes time to develop strength, not weight. Often parents think that if their child is “large” for their age they can manage forward facing, but it just isn’t true. Remaining rear facing to the upper maximum of the seat thresholds is always – always – best.

Mari Hodges Geist “Car Seat Mari” is a CPST (Child Passenger Safety Technician)  and CPST Trainer based in Houston, TX. She can be reached through her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/carseatmari/).

 

 

 

Photo: Car Seats for the Littles