How To Install a Child's Car Seat, Tips & Resources

At John Elway Chevrolet of Denver, we realize a child’s safety is of the utmost importance when on the road. As a parent it is important to know how to properly install a car seat and safely secure your child in that seat. There are so many different vehicle and car seat combinations that it can be an overwhelming task. We have put together some tips and resources to help you navigate the installation of your child car seat.

We must first stress the importance of reading and following the car seat installation instructions from your vehicle and car seat manufacturers. Your child’s safety could be in jeopardy if your car seat is not installed correctly. Since every vehicle and car seat has different instructions, follow these tips to help you install your car seat and make sure your child fits in it correctly.

1.  Read the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle’s owner manual on car seat installation. Every car seat needs to be installed using either the lower anchors or the seat belt to secure it in place. If you choose to use a seat belt to install your car seat, pay close attention to how to lock your seat belt in the vehicle owner’s manual. Because every car seat and vehicle is different, it’s important to follow all instructions carefully.

2.  Place the car seat in the back seat of your vehicle and follow the manufacturer’s installation directions.

3.  The car seat must be secured tightly in the vehicle. It should not move side-to-side or front-to-back more than 1 inch when pulled at the belt path.

4.  If it is a forward-facing seat and has a tether strap, connect it to the tether anchor and tighten. This step is very important as it limits forward head movement in a crash.

5.  If it is a rear-facing seat, make sure the car seat is installed at the correct recline angle. Most car seats have built-in angle indicators or adjusters that help with this step.

Once you are comfortable with the installation of the car seat, it’s time to fit your child into that seat. There are some tips to follow when properly securing your child into a car seat.

1.    Properly position the harness on your child.

·   Rear-facing – Harness straps should lie flat, not twisted, and be placed through the slot that is at or below your child’s shoulders.

·   Forward-facing – Harness straps should lie flat, not twisted, and be placed through the slot that is at or above your child’s shoulders.

2.    Buckle the harness and the chest clip and tighten.

·   The harness is snug enough when extra material cannot be pinched at the shoulder.

3.    Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level.

If you are still not sure that you properly installed the car seat or have any questions, there are several locations that offer free car seat checks . Click here to find the closest location to you to have a trained Child Passenger Safety Technicians help you.



For more information please reference these sites:

https://www.safercar.gov/parents/CarSeats/How-To-Install-Car-Seats.htm?view=full

http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/install-child-seat.php