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Car Safety Seats
 

Each year thousands of young children are injured in car crashes. Car safety seats help to prevent injuries. This information will teach you how to buy and use car safety seats properly. 

The following resource is provided courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

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Car Safety Seats
 

Drawing of a car seat.

The type of seat your child needs depends on several things including age, size, and type of vehicle. To be sure your child is using the most appropriate seat, read on.

Types of Car Safety Seats At a Glance

The chart below is a quick guide to where to start your search. Once you've found your car safety seat, it's important to read more about the seat in this guide.

Age Type of Seat General Guidelines
Infants Infant-only and rear-facing convertible All infants should always ride rear-facing until they are 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.
Toddlers Preschoolers Convertible, combination, and forward-facing Children 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds can ride forward-facing. It is best to ride rear-facing as long as possible.
School-aged children Booster Booster seats are for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing car safety seats. Children should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit correctly (usually when a child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age).
Older children Seat belts Children who have outgrown their booster seats should ride in a lap and shoulder belt; they should ride in the back seat until 13 years of age.

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See also:
    Healthy Kids, Healthy Care
    American Academy of Pediatrics

Car Safety Seats. AAP. 2008. English.