Car Seat

Traveling with little ones

By Ryan Steven

Car seat safety is at the forefront of every new parent's mind. Parents who are researching what car seat is best for their baby can easily be lost in the ocean of information produced by child advocate groups, car seat manufacturers and government or commercial publications. Choosing a car seat, however, is not difficult as long as you keep a few important tips in mind:

1. Choose the seat you believe will work best for you and your baby.

Many if not all child safety seats have a car seat safety rating. While these ratings are important, all child safety seats must meet governmental safety regulations. If the seat is available for purchase, the government has determined the seat to be safe.

Parents should examine the features of each seat to determine what works best for them and their baby. This examination should start with the seat's harness system. Generally, a three point harness (two shoulder straps and one strap between the legs) or five point harness (two shoulder straps, two hip straps and one strap between the legs) is recommended, with a five point harness thought to offer the most security.

Make sure the harness straps have some sort of padding so that they are comfortable against your baby, and clip the harness together to insure that the clips are not difficult to operate. There should also be several harness slots in the back of the seat so the harness can be raised as your child grows.

Your baby will be spending a lot of time in the seat so it’s imperative that you also feel the seat's padding and determine whether your baby will be comfortable in the seat. Because most car seats come with bases that are left in the car, your child safety seat will also be a mode of transportation for your baby when he or she is out of the car. To this end, you should lift and carry the seat to make sure that it is not too heavy.

2. Try the seat out.

Many stores that sell infant seats are just as concerned about your child's safety as you are. Because of this, stores routinely allow new parents not only to strap their children into a car seat on display, but allow the parents to carry the seat to their car to insure it fits properly and securely. The staff at these stores may be able to offer suggestions about what infant seats work best in the model of car you own, and can help you install the seat you purchase.

3. Your infant car seat should be rear facing and positioned in the back seat.

Because motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death in children under the age of 14, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infant seats be rear facing. Infant seats should also be located in the back seat because frontal impact crashes are more common than rear impact crashes - and, more importantly, a deployed air bag is a danger to any child under the age of 14.

The most important part of the car seat installation is insuring that the car seat base is properly installed with use of your car's seat belts. Most car seats are equipped with slots to accommodate any type of seat belt, including lap belts and shoulder restraints. You should always follow the manufacturer's directions when installing an infant seat, and if you have difficulty with seat installation, you should contact the manufacturer of your car seat. Many hospitals, police stations, fire departments and state divisions of transportation offer car seat installation classes or will meet with you one-on-one to install your car seat and answer any questions you may have.

4. Monitor your infant car seat.

Despite the best installation, there are times when the car seat base becomes loose or needs adjustment. Check your car seat base weekly to insure that it is properly secured. You should also regularly examine how your child is positioned in the car seat to determine if the car seat straps need to be tightened or the harness needs to be raised.

Car seat selection is not difficult when you keep your child's comfort and safety in mind. New parents who follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, their physicians and retailers should have an easy time determining which seat is best for them and their baby.

It used to be we could depend on the reputation and reliability of North American cars to meet our standards - but could it be the times are changing? Here in the U.S., overseas models are continuing to rise in popularity. Find out why!

If you love your car, you’ve got treat it right – stock will never do for your hot wheels! Whether it’s for performance or just for the look, aftermarket parts can turn that car you just brought home into your own pimp ride.