What are 3 rules to having a baby in a car seat?

Answer 1

have a baby back facing till 20 lbs and 1 year, make sure the green line is level on the car seat, make sure staps are secure and snug, Be sure to install the car seat correctly, make sure you're wearing seat belts yourself, and Never leave your baby or a child alone in an automobile

Answer 2

1) Rear facing AS LONG AS THE CARSEAT CAN STAND IT (check the weight limits)

It is the safest, just because your baby is one and 20 lbs does not mean to turn them around. That is a MINIMUM!!

2) Have the straps tight enough on the baby. If you can pinch a fold in the strap, it is too loose, and put the chest thing at armpit level (the slider that holds the straps together)

3) Make sure you cannot move the seat more than about an inch in any direstion once installed. Check your seatbelts, b/c if you car is 1995 or newer, you can pull the belt all the way out, and feed it back in wile it clicks. This will LOCK it in place.

Good Luck!!

Answer 3

Above answers are not quite correct.

Babies should be rear-facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. One year is a MINIMUM and 20 lbs is a MINIMUM. But you should buy a seat that enables a baby to stay rear-facing as long as possible, even to age 2, because it's the safest way for ANY person to ride in a car.

Here are your three rules.

1. ALWAYS use a safety seat for children under 80 lbs. The size of the seat should fit the size of the child. Rear-facing infant seats to 20 lbs. Rear-facing convertible seats up to the weight limit of the seat, which is usually 30 lbs, regardless of what age. Forward-facing convertible (same seat) up to the weight limit of the seat, which is usually 40 lbs, regardless of what age. Booster after that until 80 lbs, regardless of age. A child outgrows his/her seat when his/her ears are even with the top of the seat and/or they've hit the weight limit of the seat and NOT BEFORE. Age is MEANINGLESS in a crash. Ratio of body weight to head size is everything.

2. ALWAYS install a car seat correctly. It should be at the right angle and it should not budge more than 1 inch along the belt path. This is actually fairly complicated. If you got your kids' car seats into your vehicle the first time in 10 minutes or less, you did something wrong. It's hard to get them in tight enough -- get a professional installation if you need to. If you don't, get a professional inspection. Both are free and usually available from your state patrol, your auto insurance company or your local health department.

3. ALWAYS buckle your child in correctly. The chest clip of a five-point harness should be even with arm pits. The straps should NEVER be twisted and always lie flat over the shoulders and across the lap. The straps should be so snug, you can only get ONE finger between you and the baby. If they aren't tight enough or the chest plate isn't high enough, your child can slip out of the belt in a crash. If your child is rear facing, the top of the straps should feed into the back of the seat BELOW his/her shoulders to help hold them DOWN in a crash. If your child is forward facing, the straps should feed into the back of the seat ABOVE his/her shoulders to help hold him/her BACK in a crash.

Answer 4

I only get 3? LOL

1)If a child is not at least 80lbs AND 4'9", they should be in an age appropriate car seat. Babies stay rear facing as long as possible - to the rear facing weight limit of a convertible car seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. Then stay front facing in a 5 point harness as long as possible, to at least 4 years AND 40lbs, preferably longer. Then in a high back belt positioning booster. Seatbelts are made for people at least 80lbs and 4'9", if the child doesn't meet both of those, he's not safe using just a belt.

2)80% of all car seats would fail b/c they are used/installed incorrectly. Read the manual thoroughly and follow it. Have it checked by a CPST. Common mistakes:
**the chest clip is too low - its supposed to be at armpit level
**the harness is too loose - you should be able to pinch any
harness together with 2 fingers.
**the seat is too loose - grab seat at the belt path, must have
less than 1" of movement in any direction
**seats expire 6 years after date of manufacture. toss old
seats
**don't forward face until the max rear weight limit is reached
**don't put toosmall/too young child in a booster or just a seat
belt
**don't use 2 outboard latch anchors to latch in the center
unless the car manual says its ok.

3)the safest seat is the one that fits your car, fits your child, and will be used correctly 100% of the time.

Answer 5

rear facing for the first year

make sure the 5point harness is secure and snug

make sure the seat is securely fastened in the car