Grandparent Carseat Tips

By: AARP Foundation | Source: AARP.org | June 2008

According to Safe Kids, automobile accidents remain the number-one cause of death for children ages 3–14 in the United States. Every state has laws requiring children to be restrained in car-safety seats, but many grandparents have questions about what seats are appropriate for their grandchildren.

Shelia Phillips, a grandmother raising six grandchildren, wasn't initially aware that her six-year-old granddaughter still needed to be in a car seat. After learning about car safety for children, she thinks about safety above all else. "It takes me seven to 10 minutes to get all my grandchildren strapped into their car seats," estimated Shelia. "But their safety is so important. If you love them, you'll strap them into a safety seat." Here's what the experts recommend:

• An infant should be in a rear-facing car seat until the baby reaches age one and weighs 20 pounds.
• Toddlers need forward-facing car seats (convertible or combo seats) until the harnesses no longer fit properly.
• Young children should use booster seats with lap- and shoulder-safety belts until they are tall enough to use just safety belts.
• Older children should always wear seat belts.
  

Visit www.seatcheck.org or call, toll-free, 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration listing of locations where you can have your child safety seats inspected. Certified technicians can help you install the seats properly and ensure that all straps and harnesses are threaded correctly.

Using a car seat for your grandchild is not only required by law, it is also crucial in protecting your grandchild in the event of a car accident. But choosing the right car seat for your grandchild's age and stage in life is just as important.

Infants: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, all infants should ride in rear-facing car seats until they are at least one year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. Ideally, they should remain in a rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of the car-safety seat.

In this category of safety seats, there are two types: infant-only seats and convertible seats.

Infant-only seats are small and have carrying handles. Often they are part of stroller systems. Many come with a base that can be left in the car. The infant seat snaps into and out of the base.

Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, then "converted" to forward-facing seats for toddlers and pre-school-age children. Although offering a longer use time, these seats are larger and do not come with carrying handles. Convertible seats typically have higher rear-facing weight and height limits than infant-only seats, making them ideal for bigger babies. In addition, they offer several harness types:

• Five-point harness–attaches at the shoulders, hips, and between the legs
• Overhead shield–this padded, tray-like shield comes down over the child
• T-shield–a padded, t-shaped or triangle-like shield that attaches to shoulder straps
  

When using rear-facing seats, remember the following safety tips:

• Never place a rear-facing safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a front-passenger air-bag. If inflated, this bag can cause serious injury or death to an infant.
• Be sure that the car seat is tightly installed into the rear seat of the automobile. If you can move the seat more than an inch side-to-side or front-to-back, it's not tight enough.
• Install the seat at the correct angle so the infant's head does not fall forward.
  

Toddlers and Pre-School-Aged Children: Once your grandchild is at least one year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds, he can ride in a forward-facing seat until he outgrows it, at approximately four years of age and 40 pounds.

Currently, there are five types of forward-facing safety seats:

• Convertible seats match the above description.
• Forward-facing toddler seats can be for children between 40 and 80 pounds, depending on the model of the seat.
• Combination forward-facing or booster seats can be used with a harness for children up to 40–65 pounds (depending on the model) and without the harness as a booster for children up to 80–100 pounds, depending on the model.
• Built-in seats are sometimes manufactured into certain vehicles. Weight and height limits vary, so be sure to check your owner's manual or contact the manufacturer.
• Travel vests can be worn by children between 20 and 168 pounds and are an alternative to traditional forward-facing seats.

When using forward-facing seats, remember the following safety tips:

• Make sure the seat is tightly installed and the harness straps are snug.
• When switching a convertible seat from rear- to forward-facing, be sure to move the shoulder straps to a height at or above the child's shoulders. Ensure that the seat belt is located in the proper belt path.
• Be sure a tether strap is attached to the top of the car safety seat to an anchor point in your vehicle to keep the top of the seat and child's head from moving too far forward in the event of a crash. (Check your owner's manual for anchor locations in your vehicle.) Most vehicles manufactured after 2000 have these tether anchors built in.

School-aged children: Booster seats are necessary for older children who have outgrown their forward-facing seats. Here's how to tell if your grandchild is ready to graduate to this booster seat:

• She reaches the top weight or height recommended for her seat with the harness.
• Her shoulders are above the top harness slots.
• Her ears have reached the top of the seat.

Booster seats simply raise your grandchild to a height that allows the lap and shoulder seat belts in your vehicle to work properly. Booster seats should be used until your grandchild can fit properly into a lap and shoulder seat belt, when the child reaches approximately 4 foot 9 inches tall and is between eight and 12 years of age.

When using a booster seat, remember the following safety tips:

• The lap belt should lie low and snug across the child's upper thighs.
• The shoulder belt should cross the middle of the child's chest and shoulder.