Travel & On-The-Go
No piece of kids gear matters more than the car seat, and few are used incorrectly as often. Understanding car seat stages, how to install the seat you have and how to buckle your child correctly every ride protects your kid far more than the price tag. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a car seat finder, recall lookup and inspection station locator at nhtsa.gov/carseat.
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Send a MessageFrom birth, keep your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the highest height or weight limit of their seat in rear-facing mode. That often means well past age two.
After outgrowing rear-facing, use a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness and top tether until they reach that seat’s harness limits.
Once they outgrow the harness, a belt-positioning booster helps the adult seat belt fit until they pass the seat belt fit test, often between ages 8 and 12.
The lap belt sits low on the upper thighs and the shoulder belt crosses the chest and shoulder, not the neck. Kids under 13 ride in the back seat.
Harness straps should be snug. Use the pinch test: if you can pinch a fold of strap at the collarbone, tighten it. The chest clip goes at armpit level. For rear-facing seats, straps come from at or below the shoulders; for forward-facing, at or above.
Bulky winter coats compress in a crash and leave the harness too loose. Buckle your child in regular clothes and lay a coat or blanket over the straps instead. Never leave a child alone in a vehicle, even for a minute.
Car seats have an expiration date, typically printed on a label or molded into the shell. Plastic degrades and standards change. NHTSA recommends replacing a seat after a moderate or severe crash; check your manufacturer’s guidance for minor crashes. That is why a secondhand seat is only safe if you know its full history: no crashes, not expired, no recalls, all parts and the manual present.
Register your seat with the manufacturer so you hear about recalls, or look it up anytime at nhtsa.gov/carseat.
All car seats sold in the U.S. must meet federal safety standards. The best seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and that you can install and use correctly every time. Check the fit in your car before you buy if you can, especially if you need three across or have a small back seat.
Certified child passenger safety technicians can check your installation, often for free; find inspection stations through NHTSA. For travel with a seat, see travel gear and the travel and on-the-go hub. New dads can find more early-days prep in newborn care essentials and bringing baby home.
FAQ
As long as possible, until they reach the maximum rear-facing height or weight allowed by their car seat. For many children that is well beyond their second birthday.
When the adult seat belt fits properly: back against the seat, knees bending at the edge, lap belt low on the thighs and shoulder belt across the chest, for the whole ride. This often happens between ages 8 and 12.
Yes. Most seats have an expiration date on a label or stamped into the plastic. Replace expired seats and seats that have been in a moderate or severe crash.
Use NHTSA’s inspection station locator at nhtsa.gov/carseat to find certified child passenger safety technicians near you. Many checks are free.
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