How to Choose A Britax Car Seat
An infant car seat is the first seat your child will ever ride in. Its purpose is to safely harness a child in the event of a crash.
Do you really need (to buy) a car seat?
The answer to this question is yes. The infant car seat is so vital to protecting your little one from injury and can even save their life. Did you know that motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of children in the Unites States? Many countries across the globe have mandated that children up to two years or more be placed in car seats, not only in cars, but other vehicles as well. Another point to note is that car seats help to prevent injury that can occur from sudden braking.
Placement of the car seat
The car seat is typically placed in the back seat, for maximum safety. It is dangerous to place in front of the car because inflated airbags can suffocate your child.
Installation
When installing a car seat, be sure to do the following:
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Read and re-read, until you fully understand them.
- In the right slot, pull the belt through and make sure that it is nice and tight, to ensure that it is secured.
- Place the straps over your child’s shoulder and make an adjustment to the harness so that one finger can fit snugly.
- Some safety seats have a metal slide that is used to adjust the length of the straps so you have to pass the end of the strap through all of the openings, and then back through the first opening to finally ‘lock’ it. Warning: if you don’t lock it, your child is in very great danger of being ejected out of his seat in the event of a crash.
What to look for when buying one
- It is easy to install: If you don’t do it correctly, your baby is at risk.
- Belt adjustments: you should avoid seats that require you to adjust the buckle from the back of the seat. Get a car seat that lets you make adjustments from the front and have raised belt slots that allow you to buckle up easier.
- Adequate restraints: You should look for an infant car seat that would safely harness your child at five points- each shoulder, each thigh, and the final strap should be between your baby’s legs.
- It has a LATCH system: (short for Lower Anchors & Tethers for Children) this is designed to make installation much easier by directly attaching it to the vehicle, instead of using a seat belt to secure it.
- It is washable: Where there is a baby, a mess is soon to follow and it would be wise to buy a car seat with a machine-washable detachable cover.
- It is comfortable: The seat should be well padded and have plenty of head support, giving your child a much better ride to enjoy.
