When your child is young, he or she will require a car seat to travel safely in an automobile. Depending on your child’s age and size, he or she may need a certain type. Determining which type to buy can be tough if you do not know the differences.
With children’s car seats, there are three main types: rear-facing, front-facing, and booster. Each of these may better protect a child in a car than a regular seat and seatbelt.
Rear-facing seats, as the name implies, do not face the front of the car. Rather, it is positioned so that the child faces the rear of the car rather than the front. This type is most common for infants.
Many safety Web sites recommend using rear-facing seats for children at least until they are a year old and weigh 20 pounds. Most sources recommend using this type until a child outgrows it though, as it provides the best protection.
When you child does outgrow the rear-facing seat, it is time to invest in a front-facing car seat. These are much like their rear-facing counterparts, but they face the front of the car rather than the back. These seats are usually for toddlers and preschoolers.
Most front-facing seats are designed for children between 40 and 80 pounds, so your child should use this type until he or she outgrows it. This is usually around age 4, but your child may outgrow it sooner or later than that.
If your child is too big to fit in a front-facing seat, he or she may require a booster seat. Booster seats are for older children, usually anywhere up to age 8 to 12. These also face forward.
A child should use a booster seat until he or she is big enough to use a standard seat and seatbelt. Most safety sources recommend using this type for your child until he or she grows to 4?9? in height. This is the minimum height requirement for most seatbelts to properly function.
No matter what car seat you use or how old your child is, he or she should ride in the backseat to avoid airbag injuries in the event of an auto accident. Unfortunately, putting your child in the backseat and using the proper car seat may not be enough to shield your children from reckless drivers.
If you or your children were injured in an accident caused by another motorist, the Milwaukee car accident attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier may be able to help you gain financial compensation for your injuries.
James Witherspoon
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