It?s important to choose a car seat designed for your child?s age and weight to give him or her the best chance of escaping injury in a crash. There are three main types of car seats -- infant car seats, infant/toddler convertible car seats, and booster seats. Below are the facts about car seat options and some tips for making educated purchasing decisions for each car-seat type:
If your baby is less than a year old, he or she must ride in a rear-facing car seat.
One choice is to buy a rear-facing infant car seat (suitable for babies up to 20lbs), that will fit your baby snugly during the first few months and often comes with a handle for easy carrying. And, if you?re looking for the utmost in convenience, select a travel system. Infant travel systems include a ready made car seat and stroller combination.
The downside to the infant car seat is that you?ll spend $60 to $150 on the seat and your child will outgrow it in 6 months to a year. You?ll have to upgrade to a convertible car seat once your baby reaches 20 lbs. If this is a concern for you, you can buy a convertible car seat that will face the rear for your newborn and can turn around to face the front for your baby once he or she reaches 20 lbs.
However, some parents feel that their newborn is ?swimming? in a convertible car seat and prefer to use an infant car seat until their baby gets big enough to sit in a front-facing car seat.
No matter what you decide to use for your infant, you?ll eventually need a convertible car seat.
Regardless of the choice you make as to whether to use a convertible car seat from day one or use an infant car seat until your baby weighs 20 lbs, you?ll need to buy a convertible car seat at some point. Convertible car seats are larger than infant-only car seats and are designed to grow with your child through the toddler years. Most convertible car seats fit babies up to 40 lbs (usually around age 4) and some convert to a booster car seat and are safe for children up to 80 lbs.
Convertible car seats range in price from $80 to $300.
For toddlers weighing more than 40 lbs and big kids, you?ll need a booster car seat.
Booster car seats are designed for children age 3 or older who weigh at least 40 lbs. They are designed to use your car?s lap and shoulder seat belts. They literally boost your child into a position that makes it safe to use the car?s seat belt system.
Booster car seats are essential to your child?s safety because using your car?s seat belts on a child without a booster seat can actually cause injury. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children who?ve outgrown their convertible car seats use a booster car seat until they are 8 years old and 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Some booster seats provide back support and you should choose one of these options if your vehicle seat is low or has no head restraint. A backless option is fine for vehicle seats that offer plenty of support behind the head.
Booster car seats range in price from $60 to $200.
The Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat (Onyx) features easy installation, Side Impact Protection, and innovative details for your child's comfort and safety. Delivering both comfort and safety up through the preschool years, it fits children in the rear-facing position weighing from 5 to 35 pounds, and children in the forward-facing position starting at one year old and 20 pounds, up to 65 pounds...
Cosco Scenera Convertible Car SeatKeep your children safe and secure with this durable Scenera Convertible Car Seat by Cosco. This covertible car seat can be used as rear-facing from 5-35 lbs. and forward-facing from 22-40 lbs...
Keep your child safe and secure in the car with the Triumph Advance LX, Harbortown from Evenflo. Designed for children two to 35 pounds in rear facing, and 20 to 50 pounds and up to 50 inches tall in forward facing, this convertible car seat allows your child to stay in a 5-point harness over a year longer than traditional car seats with a 40-pound rating, which helps keep your child safer as he grows...
The True Fit Convertible Car Seat has been given a four-star Ease of Use rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Out of 22 convertible car seats tested, the True Fit was the only one to earn a four-star rating in both the rear- and front-facing positions...
Safety 1st All-in-One Convertible Car SeatDesigned for your growing child, the Safety 1st All-in-One Convertible Car Seat will take your little one all the way from infant to toddler to child. The 3-position recline adjusts with one hand making it easy to get your child into the most comfortable position...
Designed to keep your child safe, secure and comfortable in the car, the Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat (Onyx) features easy installation, True Side Impact Protection, and innovative details for your child's comfort and safety...
Evenflo Titan Elite Convertible Car Seat The Evenflo Titan Elite Convertible seat, with a 50 lb weight rating, allows your child to stay in a 5-point harness 1.5 yrs longer than traditional convertible car seats with 40 lb weight rating...
Cosco Scenera Convertible Car SeatThe Cosco Scenera® Convertible Car Seat gives you two cars seats in one! Starting as a rear-facing car seat for babies from 5-35 pounds, it easily converts over to a forward-facing seat for children from 22-40 pounds...
Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car SeatThe Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat offers comfort for your child and exclusive convenience for Mom. This seat, along with all other Evenflo Car Seats, meets or exceeds all Federal safety standards, and Evenflo's Side Impact test standards...
Designed to keep your child safe, secure and comfortable in the car, the Britax Boulevard CS Convertible Car Seat (Davenport) features True Side Impact Protection and the innovative Click and Safe snug harness indicator...
It?s important to choose a car seat designed for your child?s age and weight to give him or her the best chance of escaping injury in a crash. There are three main types of car seats -- infant car seats, infant/toddler convertible car seats, and booster seats. Below are the facts about car seat options and some tips for making educated purchasing decisions for each car-seat type:
