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and the top edge of the seat
-do not use LATCH to install a car seat in the center of your car if your car does not have dedicated center latches or your car and car seat both allow for latch borrowing.
-car seats you need to be installed using seatbelt only once the weight of your child in the seat combined exceed 65 pounds, your car seat manual will tell you the weight limit of your child that requires seatbelt installation
-read your car seat manual to understand whether your seatbelt should be locked or not when you install it, some of them require the seatbelt to remain unlocked
-fire stations and police stations do not universally have certified car seat technicians to check your install. You can search online for someone who is certified (CPST) to teach you how to install your seat, not to do it for you
-THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE SEEN is that people buckle the chest clip on the seat and leave it at their child’s belly. The top of the chest clip should be aligned with the armpits. If you get into an accident and the chest clip is around your child’s belly, you risk damage to organs.
-do not add aftermarket parts like head supports to your car seat. Restricting an infant’s head in a car seat can cause positional asphyxiation. A proper install is the best way to protect them from asphyxiating in a car seat.
-forward facing car seats MUST have the top tether installed to prevent unnecessary head excursion and internal decapitation. Read your car’s manual to understand where the top tether anchors are located.
These are great reminders. Thank you. I often recommend safeintheseat on Instagram when I see they aren’t doing something correctly. I think as long as you very very gently word your advice, people will be appreciative. I cringe thinking about how I put my first in his car seat..
She is great! I wish more of her content were free but I get that she’s trying to make a living off of it.
For other people looking for virtual resources in addition to @safeintheseat, the facebook groups Car Seats for the Littles and Car Seat Safety for the Littles can help you out.
This drives me nuts too! Especially the chest clip as all of the car seats I own have a reminder literally next to and visible while I am locking my kid into their car seat. I think for a lot of it is people not understanding why it’s important. Honestly, if I was royally screwing up something as critical as car seat installation, I’d want someone to educate me. To me, it’s honestly black and white as to what is right and wrong and would be life or death.
Subject Expert
This is why I never post pictures of my kids in a car seat 😐
I haven’t reached out to any of these people who have incorrect installs or use, because I don’t want to shame or embarrass them. I totally get why you don’t want to post a photo of your kids in a car seat.
The single best thing you can do to really improve your install and use is to read your car seat(s) manual(s) really, really diligently.