Selecting the Right Car Seat

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Car Seats Series 1b of 5: Selection part 2

Did you know that 59% of car seats and 20% of booster seats are misused in a way that could reduce their effectiveness, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration?

Car crashes are the leading cause of preventable death for children ages 1 to 13. There is a lot that can be done to further prevent these deaths.

Selecting the right car seat is the first step in car seat safety.

But which car seat is the right car seat?

There is no one answer because it depends. Generally speaking, the right car seat is the car seat that fits your car, fits your child and you can install correctly every time.

You might be thinking more expensive equals better. Rest assured, that may not necessarily be the case — more on that later.

And what may work for your situation may not work for your friend’s. Selecting the right car seat for you starts with determining which stage your child is in.

The 4 Stages of Car Seats

There are 4 stages of child restraint usage: rear facing , forward facing, belt positioning and seat belts. The type of seat you need will depend on your child’s age and size.

We go through the stages of car seats in detail in part 1 of Selection — Types of Car Seats by Stage.

Briefly, I’ll go through the stages here.

Rear Facing –

Newborns start out in a rear-facing car seat. Experts recommend children stay rear facing for as long as they fit a rear-facing car seat but at least until age 2. Many states in the last 10 years or so updated their car seat laws to require children be in a rear-facing car seat until age 2.

Rear-facing car seats are considered safest because the seat cradles the child’s head, neck and back in forward impacts.

Many parents start their babies in an infant carrier type car seat then can keep their child rear-facing longer in a convertible car seat.

Forward Facing –

When a toddler outgrows their rear-facing car seat by height or weight, they move into a forward-facing car seat. Most children can stay in a forward facing restraint until they are 5 or 6.

Belt Positioning –

Most people think of this stage as the booster seat stage. But technically it’s the belt positioning stage and there are other options other than a booster seat. When a child outgrows the forward-facing restraint, the child moves to this stage.

A belt positioner properly positions the adult seat belt to the child. A booster does this by lifting a child up. A RideSafer vest does this by bringing the seat belt down to fit the child.

Seat Belt –

When a child is big enough to fit the seat belt properly without a device, they can move to just the seat belt. Typically this is when a child is at least 4’9″ tall, though it can vary by car or even by seating position in a car. For instance, in my Mini, a child needs to be at least 5′ to fit the seat belt in the back seat. You want to test proper seat belt fit before getting rid of the booster seat.

Remember, children under 13 should always ride in the back seat.

What to look for when selecting the right car seat

As you may recall, the right car seat is the car seat that fits your car, fits your child and you can install correctly every time. And for many parents it also has to fit their budget.

Car seats come in a wide range of prices. Remember, all legal car seats have to pass the same basic crash tests and safety standards for that type of seat.

Some car seats may come with extra “safety” features and extra bells and whistles. Those extras may or may not be worth the extra cost. More expensive seats may not necessarily perform better in a crash.

(Watch out for knockoff car seats which are infiltrating online marketplaces like Amazon. These seats are illegal and not safe. Learn what to look for to verify if it is a legitimate car seat.)

Fits your child

When selecting the right car seat, first read the labeling — required on all car seats — to decide which car seats your child will fit in based on stage, weight and height. Your child needs to be within all the limits for the seat to be a proper fit.

If your child is older and if you can, you may want to have your child sit in the seat in the store to test the fit and feel. Can you harness properly? How easy is it to adjust the harness to fit your child?

Fits your car

Remember part of selecting the right car seat is the right car seat fits your car. Unfortunately not all car seats fit well in every vehicle. (If only it would be that easy!)

Most in-store retailers will allow you to test out a car seat in your car. Some request you either have an employee present or leave an ID in exchange. You want to test the car seat in your car not only to make sure it will fit in the car but also to make sure you can easily and properly install it. Because you have to be able to install it properly every time.

Many people are buying car seats online. Be sure to check the return policy in case you are unable to get a proper install in your car.

Even if you feel like you did a great job with the install, we suggest having a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician check it just to make sure or to get extra little tips for a better install.

To Buy or Not to Buy Used

Car seat experts do not recommend buying a used car seat from a stranger or a consignment shop. You don’t know if it has ever been in a crash or if the seat was maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Whether you choosing to save money or save the environment, remember when you buy a used seat, you are trusting the previous user’s answers with your child’s life. Need more reasons to not buy used? Read Think Twice: Why Buying a Used Car Seat isn’t worth the Risk.

After selecting your car seat and purchasing

New child restraints come with a registration card. It’s important to register your new car seat. This way the manufacturer can reach you if there is ever a recall on your car seat. Also many manufacturer’s require registration to be able to handle warranty issues.

You can mail your registration card into the manufacturer. Or you can register your new car seat online for many manufacturer’s. Sometimes manufacturer’s even offer an extended warranty period for people who register online.

Previously in the series: Car seat Series #1a – Types of Car Seats by Stage
Next up: Car Seats Series #2: Direction – Rear-Facing versus Forward-Facing

By Amie Durocher, Creative Director at Safe Ride 4 Kids and certified CPS Tech since 2004

Copyright 2022 Safe Ride 4 Kids. All rights reserved. You may not publish, broadcast, rewrite or redistribute this material without permission. You are welcome to link to Safe Ride 4 Kids or share on social media.

We originally published this post in January 2017. We updated the article for accuracy and comprehensiveness.