For most parents, there is no amount of money that is too great for a proper car seat for their loved ones. According to figures produced in 2005 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these well meaning parents do not correctly apply child safety seats 79. The study states that although it was accidental, many people jeopardized the very person they were trying so hard to protect by messing up the application of the safety restraints. Many people, in the study, allowed the harness straps and safety belt attachments to be too loose. Unfortunately, the NHTSA also calls these misuses ‘critical’ because of the potential for injury.

So how do you make sure you keeping your newborn safe?

Always use the correct seat for your baby’s age and weight and in the correct position. For children who are a year old and not yet 20 pounds, they can usually be placed in a rear-facing position in their car seats. For both their size and their design, infant-only seats are carefully crafted especially for the smaller children. Make sure your infant car seat is placed in the back seat of your car, and only in the rear-facing position.

Many parents do not see the purpose of an infant-only seat, choosing instead to go with a more flexible convertible seat. Out of necessity to accommodate a growing child, these car seats are larger and more bulky. Convertible seats allow parents to put any child that would be placed in a rear-facing infant-only seat in the same position. You can go ahead and place any child that is 20-40 pounds in a front-facing position. Far more important than the style of seat is that the parent use it exactly as it was designed to be used.

The car seat should buckle into the car, and the baby should buckle into the seat. Of the critical components that the study by the NHTSA found, the biggest majority dealt with parents who did not have the harness strap in the right slot or fitting snuggly enough. If strapping the harness into a slot position in a convertible, the appropriate slots are above or at the shoulder; if using an infant car seat, the appropriate place is below. Harness clips should hold the untwisted straps around armpit level – for exact placement double check the guide that came with the seat.

Recline the seat back at 45 degrees, and slip the safety belt through the right path for the position you have the seat in. Purely for security basis, a rolled up towel slid beneath the base of the seat helps. Tighten the seat belt, as needed, to ensure the restraint is secured to your vehicle. The vehicle ownership manual and the car seat manufacturer guide will help you install your car seat in a LATCH system car. You should feel free to buy a used seat, but you should pay attention to the age and condition of it.

You should feel free to buy a used seat, but you should pay attention to the age and condition of it. Do not purchase a seat older than five years, and do not purchase one that does not include instructions. Inquire from the previous owner if the seat has ever been in an accident, and if it has, do not buy it; also make sure you are only purchasing a seat that has all its parts.