Back to Question Index Q: What are the basic categories of child safety seats?
• Infant Only Safety Seat: Infants should ride in rear-facing child safety seats as long as possible according to the manufacturers instructions. At a minimum, they should be at least 12 months old AND weigh at least 20 pounds before they face the front of the vehicle. Until that time, their bones and ligaments are not developed enough to withstand forward-facing crash forces. Infant-only seats must ALWAYS be used in rear-facing position, and most can be used until a baby weighs 20 pounds. If an infant outgrows the weight or height limits of an infant-only model before his or her first birthday, try to find a convertible child safety seat. Many seats can accommodate much larger children who should still face the rear. NEVER place a rear-facing child safety seat in a seating position with an active frontal air bag – ever. In even a minor crash, a passenger air bag could inflate with enough force to cause serious injury or even death to a rear-facing child. If a rear-facing infant MUST r
