Carseat Checklist for All Ages
Use this checklist of carseat tips to make sure your child is riding as safely as possible in your vehicle.
Under Age 1
- place child in the back seat every ride
- use an infant seat or a convertible seat
- seat always faces the rear of the vehicle (infant seats with handles always face the rear) 1
- carseat (or infant seat base) moves less than 1″ when you tug at the belt path
- use the belt path under the child’s thighs on a convertible carseat
- chest clip is at arm pit level
- use the harness slots at or below the shoulders
- harness is snug at all times, even on infant seats used as carriers in stores and restaurants
- buckle *all* the buckles, not just the chest clip
- nothing between child and carseat/harness straps (no thick coats and blankets go on top, after child is harnessed)
- outgrown when child reaches weight limit OR when head is within 1″ of top of carseat
- switch to rear-facing convertible after infant seat and and use until head is within 1″ of top of rear-facing carseat (read carseat owner’s manual)
- feet touching back seat is not a reason to turn forward (broken legs are actually more common for forward-facing children)
- Next step: convertible carseat or rear-facing weight limit is reached
Age 1-3: Rear-Facing to Limits of Carseat, then Forward-Facing
- place child in the back seat every ride
- use a convertible seat
- seat always faces the rear of the vehicle 1
- carseat moves less than 1″ when you tug at the belt path
- use the belt path under the child’s thighs on a convertible carseat
- chest clip is at arm pit level
- use the harness slots at or below the shoulders
- harness is snug at all times, even on infant seats used as carriers in stores and restaurants
- buckle *all* the buckles, not just the chest clip
- nothing between child and carseat/harness straps (no thick coats and blankets go on top, after child is harnessed)
- outgrown when child reaches weight limit OR when head is within 1″ of top of carseat
- switch to rear-facing convertible after infant seat and and use until head is within 1″ of top of rear-facing carseat (read carseat owner’s manual)
- feet touching back seat is not a reason to turn forward (broken legs are actually more common for forward-facing children)
- Next step: convertible carseat or rear-facing weight limit is reached
Forward-Facing: Ages 2-8
- place child in the back seat every ride
- always rear-facing in the vehicle to maximum limits of rear-facing convertible seat first
- use a forward-facing carseat (infant seats with handles cannot be used forward-facing)
- carseat is upright with nothing propping it
- use the harness slots at or above the shoulders
- chest clip is at armpit level
- harness is snug at all times
- buckle *all* the buckles, not just the chest clip
- carseat moves less than 1″ when you tug at the belt path
- use the forward-facing belt path behind the child’s back
- seat is outgrown when: tops of ears are above top of seat OR maximum weight limit is reached OR shoulders are above top harness slots
- Next step: carseat with higher weight harness or belt-positioning booster seat for child over age 4 AND 40 lbs.
Belt-Positioning Booster: from Over Age 4 AND 40 lbs. to Age 9-12
- place child in the back seat every ride
- use a carseat with a higher weight limit harness
- use a belt positioning booster seat with a lap/shoulder seat belt until the Safety Belt Fit Test is passed, which happens around ages 9-12 2
- highback boosters provide good support and head protection for everyone and feel more like a carseat, which is good for younger kids transitioning to a booster
- lap/shoulder belts must be used with booster seats; no lap-only belts. A center seating position isn’t safest if it has a lap-only belt because there’s no upper body restraint.
- seat belt should fit child properly in booster: shoulder belt squarely over shoulder or slightly closer to neck, lap belt low and touching top of thighs
- if your big kid balks at sitting on a booster, look at the Safety 1st Incognito Kid Positioner—it’s designed to look like the vehicle seat
- kids should always wear a seat belt on the way to and from school, no matter the distance; backpacks belong on the floor or in the trunk area
- Next step: vehicle lap/shoulder seat belt
Vehicle Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt: from Age 9+
- back seat is the safest place to ride, but at around age 13 kids can start riding up front (airbags can kill before then)
- child should ride in a booster seat until the child is around 4 feet 9 inches tall and all steps of the Safety Belt Fit Test are passed; then he can ride in a lap/shoulder belt
Safety Belt Fit Test
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
According to our surveys, Clark County has a misuse rate of over 98%. These tips don’t replace a visit to one of our free events—come let us show you how to install your own carseat and make sure your child is riding safely!
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat (CSS) until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their CSS’s manufacturer. Most convertible seats have limits that will permit children to ride rear-facing for 2 years or more.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends rear-facing through age 3.
- Nevada law states that children must ride in appropriate child restraints until 6 years of age and 60 lbs.; however, children won’t fit the vehicle seat belt correctly to not suffer injury in a crash until the above 5-step test is passed, which happens around ages 9-11. Booster seats are the safest way to make sure your child is restrained when he has outgrown his carseat but is too small for the vehicle seat belt alone
