Because we’re always looking to make your life easier, and child passenger safety is our thing, we’re here to help out with a handy roundup of car seat safety guidelines in the U.S., to help determine what kind of car seat you should be using at which time with which child. Confusing? Can be, but that’s why we’re here to simplify.
Here's a quick breakdown of the federal guidelines in regards to car seat regulations, and what that means for how you travel with your child in cars from age zero to age front-seat hero.
Who’s in Charge?🚨
Manufacturers have their requirements, and recommendations - and state law mandates certain important frameworks. The ultimate decision of course (hopefully, once you’ve met these requirements) in how your baby travels in the car is up to you, so we want you to be as informed as possible about recommendations and regulations.
Meet: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
They are part of the Department of Transportation and provide oversight for child passenger safety. They created the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) which include the standards that regulate car seats used in motor vehicles and aircraft.
They keep up to date on the latest (r)evolutions so that you don’t have to, and set the rules.
All car seats sold in the United States must meet the FMVSS requirements. NHTSA is also a resource for information about car seat safety, including their site to help find a local CPST for installation help. You can also find a local CPST on the Safe Kids “Find a Tech” website here.
Because we cannot stress enough the importance of knowing your car seat is correctly installed and all safety boxes are checked off at all times, we highly recommend getting a car seat check. Many CPSTs will do so free of charge, and virtual checks are also a great option. babyark is proud to have CPST advocate Britney who works closely with the babyark team, the CPST community, and caregivers alike to provide virtual car seat checks, answer questions, provide support, and gather feedback to support the further innovation and evolution of babyark car seats, and Katie our Sales Specialist and Customer Support Manager who is also a certified CPST.
NHTSA Recommendations
Rear-Facing Seats
For infants and toddlers, embrace “the rear face!”
NHTSA and the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) emphatically recommend keeping your kiddos rear-facing until they reach their convertible car seat’s rear facing weight/height limit. Rear-facing car seats are specifically designed to protect your child in the event of a crash, with careful attention to construction of a seat that cradles your child’s head, neck and spine, distributing crash forces evenly across the shell of the car seat and reducing the likelihood of head or spine injury.
babyark convertible car seats can rear-face up to 50 pounds, so you can keep your baby comfortably rear-facing as long as possible! Further, babyark has incorporated many safety features of infant seats into our convertible car seat models, with the trifecta of anti-rebound bar, rigid LATCH, and load leg in addition to patented energy absorption technology for incredible crash protection such as SafeCoil™ and BioArk™.
Read more about our SafeCoil™ energy absorption technology
Read more about our BioArk™ side impact protection.
Forward-Facing
Once they outgrow the rear-facing mode of their convertible car seat, it's time to face forward in a 5-point harness. A convertible car seat, which converts from rear facing to forward facing, is a smart investment, eliminating the need to purchase a new car seat after infancy. babyark can fit your toddler up to 65 lbs or 49 inches (around age 6).
Booster, Boost Him
When your child outgrows the limits of their convertible car seat, they do not transition straight into “I’m big, I only need a seat belt.” Depending on age and height and weight, they likely will need some form of booster seat for years to come.
Many caregivers simply are not exposed to the guidance for child passenger safety after a certain age, and transition their kids out of car seats and boosters too soon. Vehicle seats and seat belts were engineered for ADULT bodies, and are not equipped to provide the protection children (who are not simply small adults, and this is coming from a pretty small adult) need. Thus the booster until they pass the 5-step test.
What’s Next?
Passing the 5-step Test
Beyond age, height, weight, and developmental stage requirements, you can use the handy 5-step test to help determine if your tween, teen, or queen is ready to transition out of a booster.
5-step Test Check-off List for Leaving Boosters “Behind”
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Tush all the way back - no if’s ands or butts. Their back should be against the vehicle seat back, and their tushie, rear end, or whatever else you may want to call it snugly up against the rear of the vehicle along with it.
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Down on bended knee - their knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat, while they sit properly, without slouching.
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Stay grounded - feet on the floor -their feet (can) remain flat on the floor.
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Lap belt position - the lap belt lies snug across the lower hips, and upper thighs, not on the stomach.
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Shoulder belt position - the shoulder belt crosses across the shoulder and chest, not at the neck and not on the face
In the latest version of the NHTSA guidelines and the last CPST curriculum update, they added this important sixth requirement to clarify when ready is actually ready.
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*The position is sustainable - Is the child able to stay in this position for the entire ride? If they become uncomfortable or shift awkwardly after some time, they’re not ready! You can only check off this one on the list if they can sit in their passing position the entire ride, even if it seems ridiculous to them to test this out.
And keep in mind, they may pass the 5-step in one vehicle, or even one seating position in the vehicle, but this does not mean they will in every other vehicle.
It may be tempting to fall to machinations and persuasions, but stand strong.
You’re the boss, and while they may feel that they can ditch their booster sooner than they’re ready, you can convince them safety is rad. Which it is.
Back Seat is Still Best
The National Safety Council recommends that even if your child is ready to move out of a booster seat, and passes the 5-step test, they ride in the back seat until at least the age of 13.
Is your kid happy to sit in the back and let you chauffeur them around even longer? Great!
The safest place for your kids is NOT the front.
Back is best, even if they protest.
Eventually, they’ll all get to the age where they insist on riding up in front, even relegating adults to sit in the back. If they pass the 5-step test, you may have to accept your fate and relinquish the passenger seat.
But until then, keep ‘em safe with their backside in the backseat.
Check for Recalls 🔍
No matter what kind of car seat your child is in, safety is an ongoing concern, so check for recalls. NHTSA tracks safety issues. It’s important to stay updated on your car seat’s status, manufacturer updates, recalls, and new industry standards.
Keep in mind that, while new regulations come out, and new car seats come in with sparkly new features or mention new standards they may or may not address, as long as your current car seat is NOT EXPIRED, fits your child and vehicle and is used and installed correctly, you are solid. Expiration dates and maintenance checks exist to keep you current and relieve your worry, and recalls exist if products are found defective. Correctly using an unexpired car seat, with the right fit for your little? You’re golden.
When you register your babyark, you can rest easy knowing that we’ll contact you with any updates, recalls, or significant changes in regulation. Or, if you want, just to say hi. 👋
Follow Regulations, Ride Happy
Child passenger safety should be top of mind for all caregivers, as we inevitably spend more than a negligible amount of time in the car, and this requires relinquishing an amount of control.
By purchasing the right car seat for your child’s needs and ensuring you install correctly and follow all safety requirements and regulations, you make a huge difference in improving crash protection and ensuring your child is as secure as possible while ridin’ in style.
