The Fundamentals
How Your Car Seat Fits in the Car
3c - Rear-Facing Seats
As with all child safety seats, a tight installation is important (see "How Injuries Happen"). Although there are different types of installation methods and different types of seats, the basic method is the same as is the goal: Get the seat installed tightly. When installed there should be no slack in the belt anchoring the child safety seat to the car whether that's a safety belt or a LATCHÂ strap. The best way to achieve this is to get the child safety seat in the correct position, apply some weight on it with a hand or knee and then pull the slack out of the belt. When you remove the weight from the seat, the air that returns to the vehicle cushion will push against the seat, but the belt should not loosen against the pressure, with the result being in a tight fit. Because each child safety seat is unique, the best advice is always to carefully read and follow the child safety seat manual. These manuals will cover the different safety belt systems as well as LATCH.
Keep these points in mind when using a rear-facing child safety seat:
- The child safety seat must be installed on a vehicle seat that faces forward.
- The seat back should be in a semi-reclined position (see the child safety seat manual).
- The handle, when present, should be in a locked position. refer to the manual for acceptable positions when driving.
- Never put a child safety seat in a front seat with an active air bag. In fact whenever possible, install your child safety seat in the back seat of the vehicle.
- As with any child safety seat, make sure the child fits in the seat correctly (see "How Your Child Fits in the Car Seat").
