Car Seat Safety Tips

After learning we were pregnant with our first child, I couldn’t wait to start shopping for all the fun baby things. At 20 weeks we found out we were having a boy and that’s when the baby registry frenzy kicked into high gear. Prepping for a new baby can be really fun, but also overwhelming for any new parent. We want to buy all the right things, and that’s why it’s important to do our homework.

The consumer reports site became my best friend. Once I found baby gear items I liked, I would check out the safety information on that brand and product. It would help me make a smart decision, especially since baby gear items are more like an investment. Those items tend to be used for years, even possibly with the next child, and so on.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chicco.

Here are some helpful car seat safety tips from Chicco’s Safety Advocate, Julie Prom:

• Rear-facing is safest.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend rear-facing as long as possible. Parents should keep child rear-facing until at least 2 years old, longer if the car safety seat weight and height limit allows. Young children are fragile and are best protected in a rear-facing car seat. To ensure a child can stay rear-facing as long as possible, purchase a convertible seat when your baby outgrows the infant seat.
• Most children younger than 5-years old are not mature enough to sit without a full harness. Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until at least 5 or 6 years old.
• Most common mistakes can be avoided by simply following manufacturers’ instructions. All car seats must meet stringent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be sold in the U.S. It is when they are not used correctly that makes them unsafe. Always read and follow the instructions for the safety seat. Also, read the vehicle owner’s manual section on child restraints.
• Always use the top tether when installing a forward-facing car seat. The tether reduces movement of a car seat in a crash and helps to achieve a tight installation.

Below is an infographic that includes important ages and stages information for car seat safety.

The Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat is a smart choice because it’s backed by an award-winning company, and protects your child as they grow.

Here are some benefits to the Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat:

Protects your child through the next stage of growth.

Chicco, the Italian company that created the award-winning, top-rated KeyFit infant seat is launching its first convertible seat designed for the North American market.

Just like Chicco’s #1-rated KeyFit® infant car seat, the NextFit™ is designed to help parents easily install their convertible car seat correctly – every time.

Fits your vehicle. Fits your child.

The NextFit truly is the easiest convertible car seat to install accurately and securely in a wide range of vehicles because of its innovative safety and convenience features.

The NextFit grows with your baby, easily adjusting to fit baby as he or she grows from infant to preschooler (from 5 to 65 lbs).

Simply. Accurately. Securely.

Simply: No need for rolled towels or tubes to position your convertible car seat correctly in your car! The NextFit’s ReclineSure™ 9-position Leveling System adjusts with one hand for an accurate fit in a wider range of vehicles and vehicle seats.

Accurately: Just like the KeyFit, the Chicco NextFit takes the guesswork out of installing the seat thanks to the two RideRight™ bubble levels which clearly indicate the correct seat angle in both rear and forward-facing modes.

Securely: Parents of any size or strength can easily install the NextFit correctly with the SuperCinch™ LATCH tightener, which uses force-multiplying technology to help achieve a tight and secure fit – no strong muscles required.

Remember that purchasing baby gear, such as a car seat is like an investment. It’s vital that you have a high-quality car seat that ensures your child’s safety on the roads.

Disclosure: I received a promotional item to thank me for participating in this campaign.