General Car Seat Tips

  • Read your car seat manual, and the seat belt, car seat, and air bag sections in your vehicle manual
  • Install with either UAS or seat belt, not both (unless told to in your car seat’s manual)
  • Read your vehicle manual to make sure it’s ok to install a car seat in the spot you want it, using UAS or seat belt (you often can’t use UAS in the centre)
  • The centre is the safest seating position, but a solid outboard installation trumps a poor/incompatible/impossible centre installation every time
  • NEVER install a rear facing car seat in front of an active air bag
  • There is a weight limit when installing with UAS. Find out what it is for your vehicle and child restraint, and after that, install with the seat belt.
  • If installing with a seat belt, it must LOCK in some way: at the retractor, at the latch plate, with a locking clip, or with built-in lock-offs on the car seat
  • Seat must have 1” or less of movement at the belt path
  • Check that you’re using the correct belt path (separate ones for rear and forward facing)
  • By law, you MUST top tether to an APPROVED anchor point when forward facing
  • Never use an expired/recalled/crashed/dropped seat, or one that’s been checked as luggage on an airplane
  • Be very wary when buying a used seat – you are trusting the previous owner with your child’s life
  • Tighten the harness enough so you can’t pinch a horizontal fold at the collarbone
  • Chest clip must be at armpit level
  • Don’t over dress your child – use thin warm layers (like fleece) and cover with blankets. Bulky clothing can result in your child being ejected in a crash.
  • Remove projectiles from the vehicle, and tie down or stow anything that you wouldn’t throw at your child’s face.
  • Get your installation checked by a certified technician. Find a tech near you.