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Child Restraints |
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Helpful Tips |
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Back to Tips |
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All infants and young children should be secured in a child restraint that's appropriate for their age and size. A rear seat is the safer place for all children to be secured. If a toddler or older child must ride in the front seat, adjust the vehicle seat as far back as possible. During the trip, be sure the child is restrained properly, sitting up against the seat back and not leaning forward. Remember to read and follow the vehicle owner's manual and the instructions provided with the child restraint system for proper usage. Be sure the restraint you choose fits securely in the vehicle before you transport a child in it.
* Use only if necessary, as recommended by your physician. When using an infant car bed, be sure it's secured properly with infant's head resting toward the center of the vehicle. ** Never place a rear-facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle having a passenger side air bag, unless the vehicle has an air bag cutoff switch and the air bag is turned off. *** Use a booster seat until the child outgrows it, at which time the child can use an adult safety belt. Never place shoulder belts behind a child's back or under the arm. -- General Motors and the American Medical Association
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Aproximate age of child |
Approximate size of child |
Type of child restraint |
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Premature/low birth weight infants |
Premature/low birth weight infants |
Infant car bed* |
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Birth to 1 year |
Birth to 20 pounds |
Rear-facing infant restraint** |
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1 to 4 years |
20 to 40 pounds and 26 to 40 inches tall |
Forward-facing child restraint |
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4 to 8 years |
40 to 60 pounds |
Booster seat*** |