Parents ask us more questions about car seats than all other safety topics combined. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions with answers.
1) Do I really have to wait until my child is 2 to turn their convertible car seat around? Yes. And you don’t have to be in a hurry to turn them around at 2 years old. Wait until they reach the height and/or weight limit for rear-facing for the seat.
2) My child is tall, and their legs touch the back of the seat when they’re rear-facing. Is that okay? Yep. The reason to keep their seats rear-facing is to protect their necks and spines. Don’t worry about their legs touching the seat.
3) Which car seat do you recommend? We don’t recommend any specific manufacturers or seats. If you need help choosing a seat visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat. You can put in your child’s birthdate, height and weight and the site will recommend the right type of seat for your child.
4) I want to be extra safe. Should I use both the LATCH and the seat belt to install my child’s seat? Generally speaking, no and you should use one or the other, but we recommend consulting your vehicle owner’s manual for installation instructions.
5) Does using the top tether really matter for forward facing car seats? Yes – use the seat’s tether. The tether helps keep the child’s car seat back from moving during a crash
which makes it less likely for them to suffer head and neck injuries. Tether anchors can be difficult to locate so make sure to consult your vehicle owner’s manual for information.
6) Should I get my child’s car seat checked? Absolutely and we’re here to help. Call our Buckle Up program at 312-227-7081 or carseats@luriechildrens.org for information about car seat check-ups.
The short answer is that our Buckle Up team is here to help. Please reach out at 312-227-7081 or carseats@luriechildrens.org