A lady who happened to be a pediatrician was enquired what aspects went into her decision to purchase a car seat. Her reply: 1st factor - safety; 2nd factor - safety; 3rd factor - safety. While protection is the main concern for all parents, there are other factors to consider like the child's age and weight. This will determine the best baby car seat to consider.

Types of Car Seats

* Rear Facing Car Seat - These seats face to the rear of the vehicle. They are a must for toddlers one year old or less and weigh 20 pounds or less. The baby is secured with a built in harness and on an incline to provide maximum protection from a crash without interfering with breathing.

* Convertible Car Seats - These seats are convertible in that they can either face to the rear or to the front. The advantage of these types of seats is that they can be utilized as the child becomes older than one year eliminating the requirement to purchase a new seat. When facing to the front, they can accommodate toddlers up to 40 pounds.

* Child Booster Seats - These seats have a built in harness and secure the little one only in the front facing position. When the child reaches 40 pounds, the harness could be removed and the seat can be used with the vehicles' safety belts. You should use a booster until the young one reaches 80 pounds and is at least 57 inches tall - the minimum height for utilizing the car safety belts safely without a booster.

* Belt Positioning Booster Seats - These seats do not have an integrated harness and are designed to be used only with the car safety belts. The purpose of these seats is to lift the child so that the car safety belts are positioned properly across the child's shoulders and the lap belt fits across the thighs.

When Can My Kid Make use of Seat Belts?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children can begin to make use of seat belts at age 8 and older or taller than 4'9". All children aged 12 and under should always ride in the back seat.

The Academy of Pediatrics recommends switching to seat belts when the child has outgrown the booster seat and ride in the back seat until age 13.

In all cases, ensure the shoulder belt lies across the shoulder and not the throat. The lap belt must be low across the hips and not the stomach.

As you can see, selecting a safe car seat involves many factors mostly related to age and weight. By following the guidelines above, you should be able to confidently shop for the correct seat for your child.

A last reminder - after you buy a Car seat, be sure to submit the registration card so that you will be notified in case of a re-call.

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