Having a baby is an exciting adventure, full of new things for you and your family to figure out. There are so many things that you might not know about, and there are so many things that you will figure out in the moment. It is hard to research all you need to know. But one thing you will certainly want to know all about is car seats. We have a comprehensive list of topics all about car seats.
Types of Car Seats
Infant Car Seat
Rear-facing
From the day that your baby comes home with you, you will put them inside a rear-facing car seat. These seats are meant to fully protect the baby and are convenient for parents. The seats usually have a base that comes with the seat to lock into the car, so you can easily take the car seat in and out. These car seats should always face the rear.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you keep your baby in a rear-facing seat for as long as you can. Each car seat has their own weight and height limits, so you should pay attention to those specifications when deciding to move your baby up.
Convertible Car Seat
Rear-facing to Forward-facing
In the most recent years, a new type of car seat has become popular. The rotating car seat can move from forward facing to rear facing. This is supposed to be helpful with getting your child in the car, but also for you to use even longer. They also can be better to use for parents or guardians with mobility issues.
There are some definite pros to this, but also some cons. These seats can be difficult to handle and install. They also are much more expensive, and can be prone to breaking easier. There also were occasions that some of the Evenflo Revolve360 seats that were involved in car accidents separated from their base. It is not clear if this is from flaws in the seats or improper installation.
Babylist.com has a video all about the pros and cons of convertible car seats vs. rear-facing car seats.
Stroller Car Seat Combo
Rear-Facing
The Doona Car Seat & Stroller is a car seat that has the stroller attached. This makes it really convenient to get your baby in and out of the car to go into a store or other locations. It is a heavier car seat and the height and weight limits are lower, so you might grow out of the seat quicker. There are other strollers that will connect your car seat, if that is the convenience you are looking for in a stroller and car seat combo. These might be very helpful for parents who use Uber often or public transit.
3 in 1 Car Seat
Rear-facing, Forward-facing, and Booster seat
This is a car seat that can be in any of the three formations. These are nice because you should only need to buy one car seat for your child for their life. Some of these will be able to hold your child until they reach 50 pounds. The con is that some different brands are difficult to use and hard to understand. Some parents do not enjoy this option as much because you are not able to take the car seat out of the car if your baby is sleeping. Also, they do not connect to strollers as well
Combination Car Seat
Forward Facing
When your child gets big enough to move into a forward facing seat, there are a lot of options. Most of the forward facing seats have an option to have the booster seat attachment. This means that you don’t have to buy another seat as your child grows up.
Booster Seat
Forward facing
Kids often move into a booster seat around 4 years old, or when they get to around 40-65 pounds. Your kids will stay in the booster seat until they can sit in a seatbelt properly, sometimes until 8 years old.
Safety standards
You should make sure that you are following the height and weight regulations on your car seat. All car seats have different regulations, so you should make sure that you know what your car seat recommends.
All car seats should also have a 5-point harness system, over the shoulders, hips, and between the legs. The straps should be tight around your child, but not suffocating. If the straps are loose, they can also cause strangulation. The recommendation is less than 1 inch of movement. You also need to make sure that all the pieces are in the right location. The chest clip is up high on the chest, not near the belly. You should also look out for an expiration date on the car seat, around 6-10 years.
As previously stated, AAP recommends that you keep your child rear-facing for as long as you can based on the car seats recommendations. They also say that any sort of headrest or strap cover that is not approved by the manufacturer can be unsafe. Always go to the manufacturer of your car seat to look for additions.
It is important to follow the safety instructions, to make sure that you limit any issues that could occur in an accident.
Installation tips
Rear Facing Installation Tips
You should make sure that you install the car seat before the baby arrives, so you know that you have it installed correctly. Read through the instructions thoroughly. Plan out the best spot to put the car seat. The back seat in the middle position is the safest place, as it avoids front and side impacts. If the middle seat does not have a LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, system, or a good fit, then use the window seat.
Make sure the angle of the car seat is also correct. The car seats should have a recline indicator, like a bubble level, to make sure you have the seat level. This is usually at 30-45 degrees, so you keep your babies airways open. If the seat is too far upright or flat, your child might not be able to breath or be in danger from an accident. Also, make sure that the car seat does not press against the front seat too hard.
Forward-Facing Installation Tips
Make sure the harness straps at or above the child’s shoulders. You also need to make sure that there is always a top tether.
Booster Seat Tips
When you have buckled your child in a booster seat, you should make sure the lap belt should be flat across the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt needs to be across the chest and shoulder. You should make sure that if your car has low seat backs or no headrests, you get a high-back booster.
When you are buckling your child in, make sure the straps are not twisted and check the fit all the time. Also, if you are putting your child in their car seat in the winter time, it is important to make sure that your child does not have too many layers on. The layers can prevent the safety points from protecting your child.
Car Seat Lifespan
Car seats usually last from 7-10 years, from the date of the manufacture. This lifespan does depend on the brand of car seat as well. You will find the expiration date on the label.
What to do with your car seat after an accident?
After a car accident, you need to get your car seat checked out before you throw it away or keep using it. According to Safe in the Seat, “in a collision, your car seat is put under a lot of stress to protect your child, and there can be plenty of damage under the surface, making the car seat unfit to handle another crash”.
Depending on the type of accident you were in, will depend on what you should do with your seat. A minor accident means that the
- No one in the vehicle sustained any injuries
- The door closest to the car seat was not damaged
- No airbags deployed
- Car can be driven away
- No visible damage to the car seat
After you know what kind of accident you have been in, check your car seat manual and what they recommend to do with your car seat.
It is most likely that you will need to replace the car seat, which can be expensive. Talk to your insurance before purchasing the new car seat to see if they will replace it. If it is not covered at first, and you are working with an attorney, speak with your attorney team about getting the car seat replaced and included in the settlement. We have an article for more information of how to take care of your property damage. When you are replacing the car seat you have a few options.
- Look into car seat recycling in your areas
- Consider the Target or Walmart car seat Trade-in event. You can take your car seat in and receive a 20% coupon for other baby essentials.
If you are going to throw away the car seat make sure that you follow these steps, so it is not used by anyone else, putting other children in danger
- Cut the straps
- Remove all soft goods
- Write DO NOT USE with a Sharpie
- Put all parts and pieces in a black trash bag
- Toss it.
Recalls and Maintenance
Recalls
Car seat recalls can happen at any time. This is when the manufacturers found out that they no longer meet the safety standards or they have found a defect. You can register your car seat to receive notifications about a recall. You can also go to nhtsa.gov/recalls, look up your car seat by model number and manufacture date, to see if there are any recalls. The manufacturer’s website will also have updates.
If your car seat is recalled, make sure that you stop using the carseat, unless told otherwise. You can contact the manufacturer for replacement parts, repair kits, or a new seat. These recalls don’t always mean that you need to throw it away.
Maintenance
If you want to extend your car seat’s life, you should do some maintenance. Wash your car seat with some soap and water and cloth. You can take off the shells and padding to wash them, and then clean up crumbs as it can cause some problems with the buckles and such.
Best Car Seats Ranked
Babylist.com ranked the best car seats after testing, for 2025. We have their list here for best car seats for all ages.
Best Infant Car Seat: Chicco KeyFit 35 Infant Car Seat-Onyx
It is safe, easy to install, with extra safety features, and well priced.
Best Convertible Car Seat: Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Car Seat
Budget-friendly, has safety features, and easy to install.
Best Rotating Car Seat: Evenflo Revolve360 Extend All-in-One Rotational Convertible Car Seat
Easy to install, safety features, well-priced, and can be used for 10 years.
Best Booster Seat: Graco TurboBooster 2.0 LX Highback Booster Seat
Budget-friendly, easy to install, and long time use.
Contact Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks, P.C.
For more information about your legal options following a serious motor vehicle collision, be sure to contact our team of auto accident attorneys today. The legal team at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks, P.C. will help you in your time of legal need.
