Five Things to Look for When Shopping for a New Car Seat for Your Child
Being a
parent means always putting your child’s well-being and safety first, whether
it be at home or out and on the go. You can’t help but watch over their every
move and ensure that everything is okay. Keeping them safe also means making
sure you have all the right baby and child gear, with the most important being
a child car seat.
The car
seat is what will keep them safely strapped in place and give them that extra
bit of protection should you be in an accident. Child cars seats literally save
thousands of lives each and every year and this isn’t something to toy with. Of
course with that said you want to be sure you pick the right seat for your
child, which can be overwhelming thanks to the options available. Here we’ll
take a look at five things you’ll want to look for when shopping for a new car
seat for your child.
Be Aware of State Laws
Before you
can even hope to narrow down the options out there, it’s important that you
understand the child seats laws by
state. These
laws dictate what type of seat you will need for your child whether it be a
rear-facing, front-facing, or booster seat. The requirements are based on age
or weight, so you'll need to do a little research before you begin.
Buy the Car Seat in Your
Country
The next
step is to make sure you're buying a car seat from the United States. This will
ensure that it meets all safety requirements here in the US, rather than other
countries which will differ. You will also want to be sure that you are buying
new, never used or second-hand. In general, most car seat warranties will expire
six years after they are made, and buying new will also ensure that the seat
has its full integrity still.
What Kind of Attachment
System Does Your Car Offer?
It's also
important you look at your car and determine what kind of attachment system it
offers. There is the LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children System) or the seat belt. You need to know that the seat you purchase
will be compatible with your car.
Do You Need It to Work
With Your Stroller?
If you are
purchasing a car seat for a newborn on the way, then you may want to look into
a travel
system. This
will include a car seat base, an infant seat, and a stroller. The idea is that
you can snap the rear-facing infant seat into the base quickly and with ease,
and then remove it and pop it right into your stroller. This can make
transporting a sleeping newborn much easier.
Consider a Convertible
Seat
Convertible
seats are also very popular and for good reason. These are meant to grow with
your child so you don't have to keep purchasing a new seat. There are
convertible seats that can start out rear-facing for newborns and can then be
turned forward-facing when the time is right. Some can even go on to convert to
a booster seat.
By using
all of these tips, you’ll be able to find the best seat for your child.
