Why and when to use infant car seats for kids?
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Car accidents can be fatal. Hence, one has to be cautious while driving. This becomes an important concern when you are traveling with kids. Ensuring care safety protocols is important. One such addition that you need to make is choosing the right infant car seat.
An infant car seat ensures your baby’s safety in the back seat while you are driving, and even in crashes, these offer optimum security. While safety is possible for little older kids aged above 12, below that, kids require proper harnessing and vehicle traveling security, as per Australian government rules. Besides, the government elaborates standard safety and restraint rules for kids in cars.
How to understand which restraint is best?
While the government has a well-regulated and elaborate law defining restraints for kids while driving as an essential safety measure, there are still many occasions when safety measures should be taken as per the right situation. All kids are not alike, in their growth rates or their behavior. While behavior is not a factor in choosing the right car seat restraint for a baby, growth is definitely. You must check the varied types of car seats available in the market for different age categorizations. But, age is not the only factor to consider. A child’s height is also a determining factor in choosing the right restraint.
- Find a car restraint as per both height and age of your child. If your kid has a lesser height than his age, find a seat as per his height for the best fit.
- Do not invest in new restraints just because your child is now in the age group for a new restraint. Wait until your child outgrows the restraint he is currently using.
- Correct installation is very important for car sets for which you must follow manufacturer instructions.
- Comfort and support to the neck and back are important, especially when traveling long distances.
When should you shift your child to the front seat?
According to experts, the back seat of a car is most safe for a child aged below four years. Moreover, if your car has more than two rows of seats, ideally, you must position your child in the back seat.
Even if you have to make your child sit in the front seat for any reason, he must be more than seven years old and, of course, must use proper restraint.
Is an infant car seat in a taxi or bus?
It is not applicable for all buses to carry a capsule or front seat for kids or children. You must check the local or state laws to know more about the regulations regarding carrying restraints on a bus for an infant. Even if you are traveling in taxis or rented cars, even if there is no law for infant restraint, you must buy an infant car seat to restrain your child’s safety.
Besides, road safety experts across the world recommend using proper restraints for babies even when you are availing public transport like buses, taxis, etc. many taxis also offer infant seats; however, you must carry your child’s seat for the seat the taxi might offer may not fit for your child.
Concluding thoughts
Therefore whenever you are traveling and using a restraint, make sure you have installed it properly, buckled your child, and crosschecked the harnesses. Even for a short trip, do not compromise on safety and precautions with your child. And one of the most important facts is while purchasing any infant car seat, make sure it complies with the Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754. You must verify the state restraint standards offered for infants while purchasing any restraint from a store or online.