> Car Seats

Car Seat Glossary (7) State Car Seat Laws (50)

All About Baby Car Seats
From choosing your baby's first car seat to common car seat questions, this comprehensive car seats resource will help you keep your baby safe on the road from birth through preschool age.

Which Car Seat is Best? Finding Safe Car Seats for Baby
Parents want the best and safest car seats for their baby, but car seat safety varies by vehicle, car seat and baby. Before you buy baby car seats, learn how to choose the best car seat for your baby.

Before You Buy an Infant Car Seat
Infant car seats not only protect your baby in the car, they allow you to carry your baby between the house and the car (and elsewhere) easily, even during naptime. Before buying an infant car seat, take a look at these considerations to help you find the right infant car seat for your baby.

Infant Car Seats
These infant-only car seats are some of the easiest to install and have great safety and convenience features to provide your baby a with a safe and comfortable ride.

Top Ten Convertible Car Seats
Choosing the best convertible car seat for your baby can be a challenge. If all car seats meet the minimum safety standards, how can you choose the right one for your child? These ten car seats are consistently rated among the best by parents and car seat safety experts alike.

Top Belt-Positioning Booster Seats
Booster seats keep kids safe in the car between car seats and seat belts, and are now required by state laws for many older children. These booster seats provide the safety and convenience features you need in a range of prices.

Car Seats for Larger Babies
Babies should stay in 5-point harness car seats through at least age 4 and about 40 pounds whenever possible. Heavier babies may outgrow some convertible car seats by age 3, though. These car seats harness up to 65 pounds and present a safer option for younger, heavier babies than moving to a booster seat at a young age.

How Long Should My Baby Be in a Rear-Facing Car Seat?
You've heard that baby should be in a rear-facing car seat for one year and 20 pounds. Learn about the reasons for rear-facing infant car seats and why you should consider keeping baby's car seat rear facing for an extended time.

Should I Buy a Used Car Seat for Baby?
Used car seats are easily found at garage sales and online auction sites. You may receive a used car seat from a well-meaning friend. Are used car seats safe for your baby? Not always.

Should I Move My Toddler to a Booster Seat?
Many parents move their children to booster seats in the car before the age of 4. Learn why it's better to wait a while before stepping your toddler up to a booster seat in the car.

Can I Use LATCH and a Seat Belt to Install a Car Seat?
Many parents install car seats with both a vehicle seat belt and the LATCH system. Using two installation methods is not as safe as it sounds, though.

Do Car Seats Expire?
A reader asked whether it was true that car seats have an expiration date. The short answer is yes, all car seats expire. If your baby's car seat is older than 5 years, you need to read this short article!

Do I Have to Buy an Infant-Only Car Seat for My Newborn?
There are many car seats on the market that will work for a newborn baby. Do you have to buy an infant-only car seat for a newborn, or could you buy a convertible car seat that might last a while longer?

Ten Ways to Make Baby's Car Seat Less Safe
Car seat safety ideas are constantly evolving, with new crash data showing us what the best ways are to keep baby safe in the car. Learn ten tongue-in-cheek ways to make baby's car seat less safe, and how to correct basic car seat safety errors.

When to Use Car Seat Top Tethers
What is that strap on the top of your baby's car seat? The car seat top tether is designed to keep your baby even safer in a crash. Learn when you should use the top tether and what to do with it when it's not in use.

Keep Baby in a Rear-Facing Car Seat
This video explains why you should keep your baby in a rear-facing car seat to at least 20 pounds and one year, and why you should consider keeping your baby rear-facing even after that. This car seat safety video was created by certified child passenger safety technicians.

Winter Coats Can Compromise Car Seat Safety
Car seats and winter coats can be a dangerous combination for babies. How can you tell if your baby's winter coat or infant snowsuit will compromise the safety of car seats? Learn an important car seat safety lesson from your Guide and a concerned car seats expert.

Booster Seat Safety Tip - Maximum Harness Weights
Booster seats are often packaged to show parents the maximum weights the car seats will accept. However, in combination booster seats, the maximum weight for the seat does not mean that the car seat's internal harness will work up to that weight. If your child is in a combination booster, please read this important car seat safety notice.

Britax Marathon Car Seat Review
The Britax Marathon car seat is one of the most popular convertible car seats for good reason. Though the Marathon is pricier than many car seats, this Britax car seat has safety and convenience features not found in other models. Learn more about the Britax Marathon car seat in this Guide review.

Can I Re-Use a Car Seat After a Crash?
There are new guidelines to help you decide whether or not it is safe to re-use your baby's car seat after a car crash.

Should I Buy a Custom Car Seat Cover?
Many companies sell car seat covers that are more attractive than the one that came with your baby's car seat. Should you buy one?

The Case Against Overhead Shield Car Seats
Overhead shield car seats are readily available in stores, yet many car seat safety experts warn that these seats may not properly protect your child in a crash. Learn about overhead shield car seats before you make a purchase.

Hugs-A-Lot Car Seat Blanket Review
The Hugs-A-Lot car seat blanket is a safer way to keep baby warm during travel. Thick coats can interfere with the safety of car seats, but the warm, thin Hugs-A-Lot blanket won't compress very much in a crash.

Buying Baby Car Seats
Find general weight ranges for car seats and car seat safety information from your Pediatrics Guide.

Car Seats - Protect Your New Baby
From your Guide to Pediatrics, this article discusses infant car seats and how to be sure car seats protect your infant when you're on the road.

Are You Using Car Seats Correctly?
From your Guide to Pediatrics, this nifty car seats safety quiz will help you learn whether you're using the right car seats and whether your children's car seats are in the correct vehicle position.

Car Seat Safety Features
This car seat safety features guide from NHTSA lists many of the car seats on the market today and is a quick reference for the safety features of most car seats. Includes car seat weight limits, harness types, detachable base availability, number of strap slots and chest clip type.

Car Seat Compatibility Database
Wondering which car seats will fit in your vehicle? This database from a certified car seat tech uses data on vehicles and car seats from parents and other car seat techs to help you find car seats that fit your vehicle. Includes infant car seats, rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and more.

Car Seats On Airplanes
Babies aren't required to be in car seats for air travel, but it's a good idea to use car seats anyway. This fact sheet from Safe Ride News explains why you should use car seats for air travel, how to exit the plane with a young child in case of emergency, and why baby vests and boosters may not be allowed on airplanes.

Ulrike's Recommended Car Seats List
Based on her experiences as a car seat safety advocate, this Car-Safety.org forum administrator created a list of recommended convertible car seats in various price ranges. Her list also includes booster/combination car seats.