The Britax Roundabout, a popular convertible car seat.

All About Car Seats

There are three main types of car seats on the market today. First, the infant car seat is designed for the youngest of children, up to 20 or 22 pounds. Most of these seats have two parts, the base which stays strapped in to the vehicle's safety belt system and the carrier which snaps out and allows the baby to be carried without unfastening the infant from the harness (very important if Baby has finally fallen asleep!) The infant car seats are designed to be rear-facing, where the infant faces the rear of the vehicle. It is important for infants to be seated rear facing for the first year of life, until the muscles of the neck are strong enough to withstand the force an accident could impose on them.

A second type of car seat is called the convertible seat, and is designed for newborns through toddlers, or up until 40 pounds. This seat is designed to be used rear-facing for the first year of life, or up until the weight restrictions (usually 30 pounds). After this, the seat can face forward until the child reaches the upper weight limit, usually 40 pounds, although some car seats can be used longer. The most popular type of harness system for infants and toddlers is the five-point system, where the child is clipped by a series of three clips designed to evenly disperse the force of impact. The five-point system is highly recommended, although other systems (such as the three-point or overhead bar) may still be available.

After the child graduates from the convertible seat, it's time for a booster seat. These seats no longer use a separate harness system, the child and seat are both strapped directly into the vehicle's seat belt. The booster is designed to raise the child up in the seat so the vehicle's harness can function correctly. Booster seats should be used until the child is 80 pounds, at which time the child will be ready for the use of the regular seat belt. While some boosters are rated for children as light as 30 pounds, it is important to keep children in the 5-point restraint systems for as long as possible.

seatcheck

The links available from this site are provided for convenience only.

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The History of Seat Belts

More on Seat Belts. . Seat Belts - Safety Belts History . Nils Bohlin - 3-Point Seat Belt ... they were very different from today's car seat.

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SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. Safe Ride Helpline

Aircraft Travel Boosters & Belt Fit Car Seat Checkup FAQs / Best safety seat Helpful Handouts Identify your safety seat "If I had known then..."

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Keep Kids Healthy - Children's Car Seat Safety Guide

Browse tips for correctly securing babies, toddlers, and kids in a car seat.

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Car-Accidents.com-Seat Belts

Seat Belts are the best protection in a car accident. Failure to wear a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. 63% of people killed ...

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National Safety Council - Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign

NSC provides air bag safety tips, updates on child safety seat legislation, and a guide to joining the campaign.

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Don's Car Seat Page

...belts lock. Some seat belts lock only in emergencies and require either a locking clip or a car seat with built-in lockoffs to keep the seat...

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used car parts and accessories from the UK - Carparts-uk.com

Homepage Used car parts Dismantled vehicles Dealer log-in Used car parts - links Actual Systems Used car parts and accessories from the UK Welcome to what must be considered the greatest ...

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Baby Car Seats, Inc.

Baby Car Seats, Inc. shopping directory Shop for baby car seats, and child car seats Choose your price range Choose your brand Baby Car Seats (By Brand) Britax baby car seats Cosco baby car ...

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Seat Belts and Car Seats - First Aid for Minor Emergencies

... The importance of seat belts and car seats: Seat belts and car seats save lives ...

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