How to Find — and Install — the Safest Car Seat For Your Child By Kathy Sena Ahhh, car seat shopping: Do you want a convertible seat, a five-point Harness, a T-shield?
If you’re like many parents, after a day spent weighing all your options, all you want is an aspirin. Sorting through the car seat maze is important, of course. A properly installed car seat reduces fatal injuries by 69 percent for infants (under age one) and by 47 percent for toddlers (ages one through four), according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). But nobody said it was easy. We asked several experts to explain how to choose and install the right car seat for your child, whether he’s entering the world or entering kindergarten. BUYING BASICS Your child’s age, weight and height determine the type of car seat you’ll need, according to NHTSA: • Infants. From birth to at least one year old (regardless of weight) and until they weigh at least 20 pounds (regardless of age), infants need a rear-facing car seat installed in the back seat – preferably in the middle. What if your eight-month-old weighs 25 pounds? “Bigger doesn’t mean stronger,” says Sheryll Bol
