Once we have a baby, we’re always looking out for their safety.  We want them to be safe around the house, in their crib as well as in the car with us.  For them to be safe in the car with us, we need to make sure they are always safely strapped in their car seat.  If you didn’t know already, 3 out of 4 car seats are installed improperly in some way.  Whether this is a minor imperfection or a major one, they aren’t installed as safely as they should be.

To ensure the safety of your child, be sure to consider a few of these car seat installation tips!

Position:  It’s important that you find the safest position in your vehicle.  The safest place to put a car seat is usually behind the passenger or the driver’s seat.  You never want to put them in the front of the vehicle, and you should avoid putting them in the middle in the back row.

Facing:  If your child is under 20 lbs AND one year of age, they should be 100% rear-facing.  Keep your little one rear-facing as long as you can to make sure their neck is strong enough to support their head.

Vehicle guide:  Take a look at your vehicle’s manual/guide.  They should discuss safety tips for installing your child’s car seat.  Although it doesn’t talk about the specific car seat you’re installing, it’s important to read it.

Car seat guide:  Now, take a look at the manual that came with the car seat.  It should show you step by step directions on how to install the seat properly.  Not to mention, it will talk about your specific car seat and tips you can use for installing it.

Tight:  You always want to make sure your child’s seat is tightly strapped to your vehicle’s seat.  It should never be leaning to one side, tipping or be easy to move.

If ever you think your car seat isn’t installed properly, be sure to take it to a fire station or police department to make sure it gets approved by them!