Installing a car seat is not as easy as it seems to be, all new parents can attest to this…actually any parent can let’s be honest! And the scary fact is most children aren’t riding as securely as they should be. The good news is I have some information to share with you from the experts, that will help you avoid the most common error and ensure your child’s safety!

If you have had a child before and have never followed these car seat safety rules and new had an issue, you’re lucky. But just because something worked for you doesn’t mean you can’t improve what you’re doing to better ensure safety for your child because that is the ultimate goal!

Most Common Mistakes:

Loose Installation:

• Always read the manuals for the car seat, I know we all think we can figure things out without help but the truth is when it comes to safety you want to make sure you’re doing EVERYTHING correctly. Generally speaking there should be no more than 1” of movement at the belt path when you give it a firm shake.

The wrong recline angle:

• Getting the recline angle just right on a rear-facing seat can be tricky, but it’s crucial. Babies have big, heavy heads and weak neck muscles: If the seat is too upright, your babe might end up chin to chest, which can interfere with breathing. Plus being reclined also protects your baby’s spine in the case of a crash.

• More advanced seats now come with a built-in indicator that will tell you if you have installed it properly, but your seat doesn’t have that the rule is generally a 45-degree angle.

Loose or poorly positioned straps:

• If you are a parent you have probably experienced a wailing child saying that their straps are too tight, which then you might have pulled over loosed them and then got some peace and quiet. I’ll be the first to tell you not to do that. Yes, the screaming is annoying, and their seat belt probably isn’t too tight, You shouldn’t be able to grip the strap at all; if you can, it’s too loose.

• Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level—any lower means the clip isn’t doing what it’s designed to do

Moving to a forward-facing or booster seat too soon

• In each state, there are different requirements based upon height, weight, and age, but those are bare minimum requirements. As long as the child can comfortably remain seated rear-facing, they should remain that way because it is safer.

Using the wrong seat for your kid or your car

• Your manual will be able to provide you with information about the height and weight your child should be at in the car seat you have. Every baby has different body types but it is a good reference point to go off.

Using a second-hand car seat:

• Unless you know with 100% certainty that a seat has never been involved in even a minor fender-bender or that there are no missing or damaged parts, it’s best to avoid it. You might be saving a buck but it’s more important to save your child’s life.