Car seat with head insert purchased with the seat and a blanket.

Studies show up to 80% of children are in car seats improperly.  Car seat checks are available at police stations, fire stations, and with the highway patrol, all by appointment only.  Bring your children to be sure they are safely in the car!

How do I use a car seat properly?

For many years it has been recommended that all infants should be in the back seat, rear facing until 12 months and 20-30 pounds.  New safety data support keeping your child rear facing until he/she exceeds the size of the seat, which is usually 30 pounds.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly supports optimal safety for children and adolescents of all ages during all forms of travel.

1. All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat (CSS) until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their CSS.

2. All children 2 years or older, or those younger than 2 years who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their CSS, should use a forward-facing CSS with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of their CSS.

3. All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their CSS should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle lap-and-shoulder seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.

4. When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap-and-shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.

5. All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.

Children over 1 year and over 20 pounds may sit forward facing by Kansas law (longer is encouraged as above).

Use a 5-point harness until the child's shoulders reach above the last harness level.  Many seats have the option of going to a booster after 30-40 pounds or using the harness, but the harness is safer.

When Can My Child Ride Without a Car Seat (with 5 point harness)?

Children under 4 years or 40 pounds must be in a 5 point harness by Kansas State Law.  (Regardless of size!)  After a minimum of 4 years and 40 pounds, they might move to a booster seat. The current safety standards recommend remaining in the 5 point harness until the size limits of the seat are met (which varies by seat).

When Can My Child Ride Without a Booster?

Continue to use a booster seat until your child is 4 ft. 9 in., about 80-100 pounds, or between 8 and 12 years old.  This insures that your child is safe in the back seat and is required by Kansas State Law.  Safety experts most often say height is most important.  Think of an amusement park:  they don't care how old a person is, but the person must be a minimum height to safely ride the roller coaster.  Height matters!  For a quick test to see if your child fits outside a booster, click here.

When Can My Child Ride in the Front Seat?

No child under 13 years old should sit in the front seat.  You must be a teen or adult to sit up front!  Size matters too, since not all 13 year olds are tall enough for the air bag to hit in the chest instead of the face. They must also weigh enough if there are automatic sensors to keep the air bag on.  A minimum weight is an easy way for the car companies to estimate size, but there are short heavy kids that are still too small for the air bag. Some parents report that they just turn the air bags off so the kids can sit up front to be safer, but this is not safe. Why did they design air bags in the first place? Front seat passengers have a much higher injury/death rate in accidents. Back is always safest, and when a person is sized correctly they can sit with a working air bag in the front.

Other Car Seat Tips:

The handle of an infant seat should be up or down while driving according to manufacturer directions.  Click here for more information on Carrier Handle positioning.

Make sure seat belt fits snugly, so only 1-2 fingers can slip underneath.  Never use multiple layers of clothing or thick coats in a car seat.  Cover your baby or child with a blanket or car seat cover if it is cold outside, but remove it as the car warms up.

If you are in a car accident, you must replace your car seats.  Check with your insurance company for information on cost reimbursement.

Never purchase a used car seat - you cannot verify if it has been accident free.  It is illegal to sell a used car seat... do not put yours up for sale in the garage sale!

A car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side.

Have an identification sticker on your car seats. Need one? Just ask when in our office!

What about car seat checks?

If uncertain how to put in car seat, call the fire department, local police department, or the highway patrol.  The City of Overland Park offers free car seat checks the first Wednesday of each month from 8am to 4pm.  RSVP is required.  Click here for details.

Register your seat!

Register all new car seats so that the company will notify you if there is a recall.  Click here for  information about registering.

Where can I learn more about car seat safety?

2012 Car Seat Safety Tips from Healthy Children

The Car Seat Lady has many pages of tips for choosing seats, traveling by plane/bus/and trains, and more!

Why does a child under 4 ft 9 inches need a booster?  Click here.

Still not wanting to stay in a booster seat?  Watch this video!