Car Seat 101

A car seat might be the most important thing you purchase for your child. We spend more time in our cars now than ever before and to make things worse we’re driving faster. Although the number of accidents are on the rise the number of injuries and fatalities are decreasing. The reason for that is the car seat. Here are a few tips to keep in mind about car seats:

• No matter how far you may be driving, always buckle your baby in (even if you’re just driving around the corner.)
• Always buy a new car seat and try it out in your car before your baby arrives. If it doesn’t fit your car or it’s difficult to install, return it to the seller
• Car seats should always be used in the rear seat and if possible, in the center of the rear seat is best. Never place a child in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a car that has a passenger air bag.
• An infant should ride in a rear facing seat at a 45 degree angle until they are 20-22 pounds and 1 year old. Check the limits on your seat as noted by the manufacturer.
• The harness straps on a rear facing infant car seat should be slightly lower than your baby’s shoulders and you should NOT be able to fit more than 1 finger behind it.
• Children under 13 are safest in the back seat.
• Set a good example—always wear your seat belt.
• When you find a seat you like, try it out. Put it in your car and adjust the harnesses and buckles.
• All car safety seats available for sale in the United States must meet government safety standards. Don’t decide based on price.
• The best seat is the seat that fits properly in your car, fits your child and is easy to use. (i.e. Babies in infant car seats must recline enough so that their head doesn’t tilt forward which could possibly obstructing their airway, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the government agency that regulates car seats sold in the U.S. But if the seat leans too far back when installed, infants can be injured or ejected in a crash. These variations can be a result of the car, so make sure your car seat fits in your car)
• Remember that each car seat is different. It is important that you read, understand and follow the manufacturer’s directions. They are often printed on the side of the seat for convenience. You should become familiar with these directions since you will probably be taking the car seat in and out of the car frequently.
• Adjust the seat as your child grows.
• To make sure your car seat is positioned correctly in your vehicle, consider getting a free car-seat inspection. For a technician near you, go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov. contact a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243) or www.seatcheck.org.
• Remember that any car seat is better than no car seat at all.

The following Infant Car Seats are some of the best rated infant car seats as per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Consumer Reports and my favorites as well.

Baby Trend Flex-Loc $90
Chicco Key Fit $160
Compass 1410 $130
Graco Snug Ride w EPS $90
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP $220
Safety 1ST Starter DX $70

The Baby Trend Flex Loc $90
This infant car sear which fits babies from 5-22 pounds and 28.5” was rated #1 when tested by Consumer Reports. It even passed their enhanced and side impact tests. It has EPS energy absorbing foam for head protection in the event of a collision and a one hand easily adjustable 5 point push button harness to keep them secure. The seat comes with a boot for those of us who live in the north and need extra warmth in the winter months.

Although the seat only weighs 8.5 pounds, the base is somewhat heavy. So rather than move it from one vehicle to another, you can purchase an extra one for your second car or use the car seat belts to secure it and forget the base altogether in the second vehicle.

Parents have complained that they sometimes have difficulty getting used to the funny shaped handle. The bigger problem with the Flex Loc is that they’re sometimes difficult to find unless you want to purchase the whole “travel system” which includes the Baby Trend stroller. But, I would suggest that you keep on trying because this one is a winner.

The Chicco KeyFit $160
The KeyFit will safely accommodate an infant from 4-22 pounds (because it has a removable newborn insert) and as tall as 30”. It has a 5 point safety harness with one hand adjustability, is lined with EPS side impact energy absorbing safety foam and although it did well in the most recent Consumer Reports testing it failed when it came to the LATCH system test (so use it with your car seat belt.)

This seat is Italian, so I’m not surprised that they’ve used Italian woven fabrics to make the thick padding look good, but the designers really did their homework when they created a leveling foot to allow for an uneven back seat and they also added a smooth underside to protect your car’s upholstery.

Parents are saying that almost all features of the top-rated Chicco KeyFit were easy to use, including the recline adjustment device. They like the ability to leave the carry comfort grip handle in its upright position when they’re driving, since most other car seats require them to put it down. They also seem to like the easy to adjust straps.

This seat is compatible with the Chicco Cortina stroller and weighs in at 9 pounds, which is a bit more than most.

Compass Infant I400 Car Seat $130

While the Compass Car seat is the new kid on the block, it’s designed by a group of former Evenflo guys and has lots of features that make the seat parent friendly as well as highly rated by Consumer Reports.
This lightweight (8.4lbs) EPS foam lined, 5 point harness (which adjusts from the front) infant car seat will safely hold a baby from 4-22 pounds and up to 30” tall. The shell is made from high impact polypropylene which allows the seat to be roomier inside than most seats (even though it has a triple layer of padding to add comfort for your baby) while still having the same exterior dimensions.
The Compass has 7” deep wings designed to safely contain your child in the event of a side impact. Parents appreciate the easily adjustable shoulder belt positions, the built in head support and comfortable handle. They also find the seat angle adjuster easy to get to and use.
The only draw backs are that the Compass must be used with its base, so it’s not easy to move from one vehicle to another and it only fits into a Compass stroller.
Although this seat costs a bit more than some of the others, I think it has plenty to offer in terms of safety and ease that makes it well worth the investment.

Graco SnugRide EPS $90

Like most other infant car seats, the Graco SnugRide will hold a child up to 22 pounds and 29” tall. It’s equipped with a 5 point safety harness, EPS foam lining, easy to use handle, and a head rest. Some of the SnugRide models have an all weather boot and a double headrest for extra warmth and support.

Parents, find it easy to get their baby in and out because of the adjustable front straps and they like the little window in the canopy so that they can check on their baby every so often. They don’t like the single crotch position and having to lower the handle when they’re driving, but they make due.

Graco claims that the SnugRide is America’s favorite infant car seat, which could be due to the Graco name, the price and the fact that it works with most strollers and stroller frames.

They give you a lot of value for the money and there are so many different models of the SnugRide that it makes sense that it’s the most popular one on the market. But, be careful when you purchase this seat that you’re getting the model with the EPS foam.

SnugRide is highly rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and also passed the Consumer Reports enhanced testing…which is not something many of the car seats have done.

Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP $220

Perego has been making car seats now for several years. It was a natural progression for them since they already made the stroller for it to fit into.

The Primo Viaggio infant car seat has a 5 point safety harness and like most others, holds a baby that weighs up to 22 pounds and is a maximum 30” tall.

This seat features SIP Side Impact Protection for greater protection in the event of an accident and did well in Consumers Report tests with a seat belt, but failed when using the LATCH in the Consumer Reports enhanced tests.

Parents who like this seat say they find it easy to work. They like the great microfiber fabrics, the light weight (8lbs), the automatically adjustable harness and the ability to move it from one car to another because it works with or without the base. They have complained about is the ‘recline’ of the seat. Some babies can not lie back enough to get comfortable and fall asleep. If your baby can’t fall asleep in the car where can he sleep?

All and all it’s a great seat if you don’t get scared away by the hefty price tag.

Safety 1ST Starter DX $70
The Safety 1ST Starter DX car seat is more basic than the others on this list. It does however pass the Consumer Reposts testing and the gets a good rating from the NHTSA.

Like most of the others, it has a 5 point harness system, accommodates a baby from 5-22 pounds but only 29” tall. It has a three position adjustable base, a head rest, four harness heights and not much else. But at only $70 it got a good rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and if safety is all you’re focused on that’s a big plus. This might be the perfect second infant car seat for dad’s car or maybe even Grandma’s.

FYI…
EPS Foam is what is used in the liner of bicycle helmets to absorb energy, to reduce the effects of a crash, and provide superior protection.

Latch is an acronym for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. The Federal Government established the LATCH system because not all seats fit into all cars. With LATCH, instead of anchoring the car with the seat belts, it’s anchored to two anchor bars in the lower seatback. Now all infant and convertible car seats have the LATCH system built in, but you must still be careful that your car seat fits your car’s LATCH system. If your car does not have a LATCH system, then make sure that your seat fits properly with the seat belts.