Safest Place to Put a Car Seat: A Parent’s Complete Safety Guide

An infant car seat is definitely a lifesaver for your baby. It will give your little one the protection and safety they need whenever they travel with you. But installing one can be a little bit challenging. There are different seating positions, vehicle types, and a list of installation methods you need to consider. 

 

Other than the infant car seat, a baby pram is also a travel essential you can use for your baby. There are baby prams where you can attach the infant car seat directly to the pram frame. So, it is easier for you to move your sleeping baby from the car to the sidewalk without any difficulty. With that being said, you need to make sure that the car seat is installed and positioned properly inside the vehicle. The question is, where is the safest place to put a car seat?

 

This article will give you an idea on where you should place the car seat of your baby. You will also find out the correct installation trumps location, how you can do the LATCH and seat belt installation, when to choose a rear side seat, and the 1-inch test you need to do before you go on with your travel.

The Universal Rule: Why the Back Seat is Always Safest

The back seat is perceived to be the safest place where your baby can sit. In case an unexpected accident happens, the rear seating is the farthest from the impact zones, which is the front of the car and the dashboard. The car seat will significantly reduce the force on your baby when exposed during a crash. Additionally, this seat is the farthest from the lateral impact on either side.

 

There are also no airbags in the back seat, which makes it safe for your baby. These airbags are specifically designed to protect adults, and they deploy with a very strong force that can seriously injure or even kill an infant in a car seat.

 

Crash studies also show that children sitting in the back are less likely to experience serious injuries compared to those riding in the front. No matter where the car seat is installed, in the rear center or rear side, the back seat will always be the safest for your baby. Because of this, child safety organizations strongly recommend to place your baby in the back seat at all times.  

The Ideal Spot: Statistical Safety of the Rear-Center Seat

The statistics say that the safest place to put a car seat is in the rear-center seat within the back seat. As mentioned, this location places your little one farthest from the possible impact zones, specifically in the side-impact collisions, where serious injuries happen.

 

Research from real crashes reveals that the center is really the safest because you cannot take a direct impact in this position. A study of kids ages 0-3 years found that children sitting in the center are 43 percent safer than those who sit on the side. Moreover, a study of all fatal crashes in the US found that the person sitting in the center of the back seat had a 13 percent increased chance of survival than those sitting in the back but on one of the side seats.

 

• Loose car seats, improperly reclined, or installed with the wrong belt path cannot effectively manage crash forces.

• Even the rear-center seat, the safest spot, can lose its safety advantage if the car seat shifts too much.

• You risk the safety of your baby if you install a car seat even if it’s not compatible with the vehicle’s seating position, no matter where it is placed.

• If you install the car seat properly, you also protect your baby’s head, neck, and spine from injury.

Navigating LATCH vs. Seat Belt Installation in the Middle

LATCH Installation in the Middle

 

For added peace of mind, you can also consult a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). These certified experts will inspect whether you install the car seat correctly, fix any issues, and will give you personalized guidance based on your vehicle and car seat model. In this way, you are confident that your baby is safe while on the road.