Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-f
acing
in the vehicle until they are two years old or until
they reach either the height or weight limit of their rear-
facing child restraint. Two types of child restraints can
be used rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child
seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle.
It is recommended for children from birth until they
reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rear-facing
or forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child seats
often have a higher weight limit in the rear-facing
direction than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible
child seat.
WARNING!
● Ne
ver place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying passenger front air bag can
cause death or serious injury to a child 12 y
ears
or younger, including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
● Never install a rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat of a vehicle. Only use a rear-facing child
restraint in the rear seat. If the vehicle does not
have a rear seat, do not transport a rear-facing
child restraint in that vehicle.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgr
own
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing
direction are for children who are over two years old
or who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height
limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children
should remain in a forward-facing child seat with a
harness for as long as possible, up to the highest
weight or height allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a belt-
positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts fit
properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent over
the vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is
against the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning booster
seat are held in the vehicle by the seat belt.
WARNING!
● Im
proper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in
a collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions e
xactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
● After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle,
do not move the vehicle seat forward or
rearward because it can loosen the child restraint
attachments. Remove the child restraint before
adjusting the vehicle seat position. When the
(Continued)
WARNING!
vehicle seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
● When your child restraint is not in use, secure
it in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH
anchorages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do
not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden
stop or accident, it could strike the occupants or
seatbacks and cause serious personal injury.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder
belt comfortably, and whose legs are long enough t
o
bend over the front of the seat when their back is
against the seatback, should use the seat belt in a rear
seat. Use this simple 5-step test to decide whether the
child can use the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back
of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the
front of the vehicle seat – while the child is still
sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder
between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible,
touching the child’s thighs and not the stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole
trip?
SAFETY 157
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