This post is all about New Car Seat Safety Tips and Traffic Jams! I take baby safety and Car Seat Safety, seriously, and I practice it every day of the year. Whether I am in a traffic jam with fighting kids and tons on my mind or driving on an open road, I try to always ensure my kids are safe in our moving vehicle.
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New Car Seat Safety Tips
We can all use reminders about car seat safety tips, including ways parents can become car seat safety pros. I know I am not perfect and there are things I am constantly learning about car seats and child/baby safety in the car, on a daily basis. This is a good time to brush up on this, for every parent!
My little one recently transitioned from a baby car seat to a convertible car seat and he could not be any happier! I received the wonderfully safe and comfortable NextFit™ Mystique Convertible Car Seat from Chicco. This is one VERY nice-looking convertible car seat.
It is SO user-friendly too. The NextFit is the easiest convertible car seat to install accurately and securely in a wide range of vehicles. My hubby had no problems installing it in our van either, which was a breath of fresh air.
I always rely on him, to install car seats. The straps that sit against the baby are comfy and they have pads at the top to ensure the baby’s neck does not get hurt.
My baby boy is obviously still rear-facing and will be until he meets all requirements to be front facing. I love that this car seat is designed for rear-facing use from 5-40lbs AND forward-facing 22-65lbs. So this car seat will get some good use!
My little one is obviously very comfy in his new car seat and it fits him so much better. My boy is very tiny for his age, so I wanted a car seat that will fit him well and keep him safe and this convertible car seat does all of that.
Become a Pro at Using Car Seats (New Car Seat Safety Tips!)
Tips from Chicco’s Child Passenger Safety Advocate, Julie Prom
· Keep your child rear-facing in their car seat until at least 2 years old, that’s right TWO years old. Are your kid’s feet touching the seat back? Do they look a little cramped? That’s OK! Kids are a lot more flexible than adults. Kids need to stay rear-facing for as long as possible to protect their heads and neck in the event of a crash. Kids are fragile, and they are best-protected rear-facing, even if that means they have a little less leg room. To ensure a child can stay rear-facing as long as possible, purchase a convertible seat when your baby outgrows the infant seat.
· Worried baby will have a fit if he or she can’t see out the front window? Well, don’t. Too often, parents turn their children forward-facing too soon because their kids throw tantrums or seem bored. However, if your child’s never been forward-facing, they don’t know what they’re missing. Kids generally throw tantrums because they want to get out of the car, or they’re bored. Instead of putting them in danger and facing forward too early, bring car-friendly toys or snacks to keep your little one entertained.
· Parents often utilize the portability of infant car seats to help transport baby in and out of the house, to and from doctors’ appointments, while shopping, and more, but it’s important to ensure the harness is properly buckled even when you’re not in a vehicle. It’s in the least expected moments that the baby can squirm just enough, or someone walking by can accidentally bump into the car seat.
· Do NOT place a car seat on top of a shopping cart. We know, you see this every day in the grocery store, but it is a major safety risk! While it seems convenient, infant car seats are not designed to be secured to the top of shopping carts, and because the car seat is not properly attached, one bump could cause your infant car seat along with the baby to topple off the top of the cart, or the weight from the car seat could cause the cart to tip over.
· Even when your child fits the height and weight guidelines to use a seat belt instead of a full harness with their booster seat, that doesn’t mean they should. Maturity matters – most children younger than 5 years old are not mature enough to sit without a full harness. You know your child best, don’t make the switch until you’re confident your growing child will sit still and safely without a full harness.
· Colder weather is on the way, which means big sweaters and puffy coats. Don’t buckle your child into a car seat with bulky clothing and add-on products like car seat bunting. The added stuffing can interfere with the harness fit and crash performance of the seat. A good trick is to buckle your child in without a hKaytis or her jacket and then put it back on backward over the harness.
Sarah L says
40 years ago car seats were not mandatory for kids. These are good tips.
Laura says
These are such important tips. Saftey really is key. Especially when it comes to the little ones.
Laurie Fraz says
Buy the soft seatbelt covers for your neck, then even if you have to hit the breaks suddenly your neck won’t get dug into by your seatbelt.
Sarah Oswald says
When my kids were babies the rules for car seats was alot different than they are now. They are also alot easier to use and made alot better.
Melissa says
I’m a huge advocate for car seat safety. More people need to have theirs inspected and for Petes sake, buckle them in properly!
Maryann D. says
Car seat safety was so important to me. I was always worried about not having my kids correct in the car seat, so I always double checked them.
michelleelizondo says
Yes be safe and have your kids in car seats. Stupid idiots think its not necessary. And some idiots go forward facing for babies.
tat2gurlzrock says
These are awesome tips. That is a great list!
Angela Saver says
Thanks for the great tips! It’s important for us all to review from time to time!
vickiecouturier says
wonderful tips,,i have 14 grandchildren so I need all the help I can get
gracefulcoffee says
Great tips!! I’m sure lots of parents appreciate this post :]
shannon fowler says
amazing tips! i find myself having to educate a lot of new parents about this in my job
Cheryl says
I think you’ve covered the best of them.
Mia says
Great tips. Ease of use is important for me so that I know I am getting kids in correctly.