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Understanding the Vehicle
Child Restraint Systems
(CRS)
NOTE:
A child restraint system can help
protect a child in a vehicle so ensure
that the child restraint selected has a
certification label applicable to FMVSS
225 in the U.S., or CMVSR 210.1 in
Canada.
Everyone in your vehicle must be
buckled up all the time, including babies
and children. Every state in the United
States and all Canadian provinces
require that small children ride in proper
restraint systems. Please be reminded
that you can be prosecuted for ignoring
this law.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child, even
a baby, can become a projectile inside
the vehicle. The force required to hold
even an infant on your lap could become
so great that you could not hold the
child, no matter how strong you are. The
child and others could be badly injured
or killed. Any child riding in your vehicle
should always be in a proper restraint
system suitable for the child’s size.
There are different sizes and types of
restraint systems for children from
newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt.
Always refer to the manual provided
with child seat to ensure it is the proper
type according the traveling child. Use
the restraint system that is correct for
your child.
Infants and Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children
ride rearward-facing in the vehicle until
they are two years old or until they reach
either the height or weight limit of their
rear facing child seat.
Two types of child restraint systems can
be used rearward-facing: infant carriers
and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rearward-
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 rearward-facing or forward-facing
in the vehicle.
Convertible child seats often have a
higher weight limit in the rearward-
facing direction than infant carriers do,
so they can be used rearward-facing by
children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still younger than at least
two years old.
Children should remain rearward-facing
until they reach the highest weight or
height allowed by their child seat. Both
types of child restraint systems are fixed
to the car by the lap/shoulder belt or the
LATCH child restraint anchor system.
Refer to "Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren (LATCH)" in this section.
WARNING!
•
Never place a rear facing infant seat
in front of an airbag. A deploying
Passenger Advanced Front AirBag can
cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child
in a rearward facing infant seat.
•
Only use a rearward-facing child
restraint in a vehicle with a rear seat.
Older Children and Child
Restraints
Children who are two years old or who
have outgrown their rear-facing 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 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. These child seats are also fixed to
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