|
Vehicle seats and seat belts are built for the comfort of adults, not to secure a child car seat correctly. Some seat belts need a different buckle or a special locking clip to safely secure a child car seat. Some child car seats cannot be used safely in certain seating positions. Air bags can cause serious injury or death to infants in REAR-FACING child car seats. This booklet shows you how to solve problems you may have installing your child car seat correctly and securing your child safely in the car seat. What Should You Do? Read this booklet to learn how to correct common mistakes. Read your vehicle owner's manual and the instructions that come with your child car seat. Try the child car seat in your vehicle, moving it to a different seating position if necessary. 
| Look for and read labels on seat belts and sun visors and follow instructions. The information could save your child's life... | |
| | |
Scooped out seat cushions and belts forward of the seat crack... | 
...can make it difficult or even impossible to install a child restraint.. | 
...seat belt fit is also poor on this five-year-old. Lap belt crosses over stomach, shoulder belt is under chin. |
Even if the seat of the car is flat, seat belts that come out forward of the seat crack... | 
...can make it difficult to secure a child restraint tightly... | 
...a car bed should not be used at all with this type of seat belt. |
Door mounted seat belts should not be used to anchor child restraints... | ... your auto dealer can install a special lap belt designed to lock the child restraint in place |
| |
| | In the front seats of some cars, the inboard buckle is too far forward. A Special add-on buckle, obtainable from the dealership, corrects a serious compatibility problem. | |
|
|
 This is a 'free-sliding' latch plate. A locking clip is required to keep the lap belt tightly secured.
| This is the end of the belt that has the latch plate. The latch plate locks into the buckle...
| ...this is a 'locking' latch plate; once the belt is tightened it will keep the lap belt tightly secured without a locking clip.
| ...NOT on the other side. Using the clip as shown here would not hold the child restraint in a crash. | ...a locking clip should be installed just above the latch plate as shown here... |
 As the label explains, some seat belts can be locked...
| ...by pulling the shoulder belt all the way out and then releasing it.
|
Infants and Airbags Don't Mix A rear-facing infant must NOT ride in a seat that has a airbag... | ...at nine months, this baby is NOT old enough to ride facing forward...
| ...when an airbag is present, a baby must be placed rear-facing in the back seat. |
A shield is a poor choice for a newborn. Straps don't fit... | 
...a five-point harness provides a far better fit... | | 
...for the first few months, an infant-only safety seat is a good choice. | |
| 
Don't wrap the baby up before putting on the harness... | 
...straps must go on first, covering must go on last. | 
| Child restraint is too upright for newborn. Baby's head flops forward.. | ...a rolled towel tucked under the front of the restraint tips it back a little. |
| Rear-facing, use harness slots below shoulder level... | ...NOT above shoulder level. |  | Twisted straps and missing harness retainer clip downgrade protection...
| ...straps must lie flat and be held on shoulders with a harness retainer clip.
|
| 
At age two, this child is too young for a booster... | 
...a regular child restraint should be used until outgrown. | 
| Built-in child safety seats do away with installation problems... | ..the seat on the far side is used here as a booster, because this child weighs over 40 pounds |
This shoulder belt comes across the throat... | 
...but tucking it under the arm isn't the answer; it could cause life-threatening injuries in a crash... | 
...for a better fit of the lap and the shoulder belt, raise the child up on a belt-positioning booster. | 
| |
| 
...sitting upright against the seat back keeps the lap belt below hip bones, touching the upper thighs. | 
This 11-year-old is slouching; the lap belt goes over his stomach. In a crash, this could lead to serious or fatal internal injuries... |  | A shield booster should be used when only a lap belt is available... | ...a rolled towel tucked under the front of the restraint tips it back a little. |
 | If the child's ears are above the top of the seat back... | 
...a booster with a high back should be used... | ...this booster ensures perfect fit of both lap and shoulder belt and provides comfort and support for the sleeping child. |  | Call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free number, 1-800-424-9393. Be sure you have the make, model number and year or date of manufacture of both your vehicle and child car seat when you call.
|
|
Traffic and Safety 
