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How to Fit a Car Seat

To ensure that your child is completely protected in the terrible event of an accident, it's crucial to make sure their car seat is positioned safely and securely.

But before, here are some important reminders:

Before fitting any car seat that has a seat belt, inspect the entire length of the belt and the buckle to check for any signs of corrosion or damage. If you find any damage, don't use this belt to secure your car seat.

If at least two-thirds of the seats in the car are not touching the back of the kid seat, remove the headrest.

Car seats for Section 1: 9–18 kg (9 months–4 years)

  1. In order to fit the child car seat, place it on the desired seat. Turn the seat 90 degrees so that the front, which is where the seat belt pulls out from, is facing you.
  2. Pinch the shoulder and lap portions of the seat belt together as you pull the belt out.
  3. The two belt pieces should be tucked beneath the armrest of the child seat that is closest to the back of the vehicle.
  4. The seat back hole closest to the back of the car is where the belt should be threaded through.
  5. As you loop the seat belt around the back of the seat, watch out for twisting. Pass it behind the harness to make sure the child's seat belt is seated on top of it and isn't caught on the seatback.
  6. The remaining seat hole should be used to thread the seatbelt through. This should be the one that is closest to the front of the vehicle.
  7. The child's back should be flat against the backrest of the car seat as you turn the seat.

baby car seat parts

Check out Car seats for 9 months to 4 years

FURTHERMORE

  1. The lap belt should travel beneath the armrest and the diagonal portion should cross over the top of the armrest as you pass the seatbelt down towards the last child seat armrest.
  2. The appropriate seat belt buckle in the car should be clicked into place. The red retaining clip on the front of the seat, on the buckle side of the car, is where you should insert the diagonal piece of the seatbelt.
  3. Verify that the seatbelt is still correctly and smoothly routed through the kid seat and hasn't twisted in any place.
  4. Remove any extra material from the lap belt and hold it in place by pressing the shoulder belt up from the buckle and applying pressure to the base of the child seat.
  5. The child seat's headrest and the top corner of the car seat should be placed between the shoulder belt and the seat belt attachment point.
  6. Pulling the kid seat's harness firmly towards the front of the car seat will reveal whether the seat is properly fastened. There shouldn't be any excessive moving to the side or forward. Repeat the tensioning procedure until the kid seat is properly fastened if there is excessive movement.

baby car seat

Sections 2 & 3 Car Seats: 4-12 years, 15-36 kg

  1. Set the car seat's seat in the preferred position.By pressing the red button on the headrest's back, you can adjust the headrest to your preferred height.
  2. On the side of the car without buckles, pass the lap belt underneath the armrest of the kid seat. Feed the shoulder belt through the retention clip on the headrest of the child seat on the side of the vehicle without buckles.
  3. Pass the lap and diagonal sections of the seatbelt over the child's lap and chest below the armrest on the buckle side of the seat.
  4. The appropriate seat belt buckle in the car should be clicked into place.
  5. Last but not least, make sure the child's seat belt is properly positioned across the child and that the routing is level and smooth.

baby car seat at baby fair

check out Sections 2 & 3 Car Seats: 4-12 years, 15-36 kg

Steps to take before installing a child car seat

While many different car seats from various brands might be similar in terms of installation whether it be using an Isofix base, the car seatbelt, or some connectors on the seat itself they might also differ slightly in terms of how things click in or show that the seat is installed properly. Therefore, it's crucial to:

Read the installation and instruction manual thoroughly. BEFORE you begin installing the car seat, use any manufacturer videos, live chat, or virtual demosfor a visual demonstration.

Important child car seat inspections

Is the seat belt or harness fastened securely?

The seatbelt that secures your child's car seat must be snug in order to prevent the seat from moving. To test whether the seat is rearward facing or forward facing, push down on the seat where your baby's head would be. If the seat is rearward facing, you shouldn't be able to move the seat. The seatbelt shouldn't be twisted at any time.

Is the seatbelt's metal end positioned correctly?

The metal section of the seat belt, which goes into the buckle, must not flex around the child car seat in order for the seat belt to be properly fastened. It might crash and fail as a result of this. Only the seatbelt should touch the frame of the child car seat.

In recent cars, this is less likely to happen since the buckle is recessed into the adult seats, keeping the metal end of the seatbelt away from the kid safety seat.

FAQs

Are the child car seats and headrest squarely installed? +

The infant car seat's base ought to be primarily level, distributed uniformly, and positioned squarely on the seat. When it is too short, the seatbelt can occasionally ride up, which is unacceptable.

Have you taken off any heavy clothing? +

Take off any thick clothing your child is wearing before placing them in the seat. As it will make the harness and impact shield less effective as it will be more difficult to get them snugly fitted to your child.

Are three car seats in a row secure? +

The size of the car seats and the amount of room in the back of the vehicle may be a problem in this situation. It cannot be used to secure a car seat if the middle rear seat's seat belt is a lap belt as opposed to a regular three-point seat belt. Only two car seats would fit in the back in this situation.

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