The importance of a well selected and properly installed convertible car seat
Car seats should be the number 1 priority for new parents. You will you need one to take your baby home from the hospital and every time thereafter. In the U.S., state requirements are that children up to 4 years old be secured in a car seat while riding, and booster seats for older children.
Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children under age 14 in the U.S. Statistics in 2007 showed that 385 child passengers under age 4 died in motor-vehicle crashes, and 30 percent of them were riding unrestrained. Car seats can reduce fatalities of infants younger than one year by 71 percent and by 54 percent for children aged one to four years.
Infant Seats vs. Convertible Car Seats
A rear-facing infant seat is the first stage. A built-in harness secures the infant, reclined at an angle typically between 30 and 45 degrees, to provide optimum protection in a crash without interfering with breathing. Infant seats can accommodate most children from birth up to about 22 lbs. or more.
With its removable carrier and swing-up handle, an infant seat lets you move your baby in and out of the car without disturbing him. Though it might be a better value to jump into a convertible seat first, infant seats, by their design, tend to be more compact and secure infants better when compared to larger convertible models, which is why they are recommended as the first step.
Although convertible seats can be used for newborns, they will likely fit better in an infant seat. Convertible seats are best for when a baby’s weight reaches the infant seat’s limit, which may be as early as 6 to 9 months old. Placing the convertible seat in a rear-facing position until your baby is at least 1 year old and over 20 lbs. is a must. But new research shows that babies up to 23 months are better protected by using the rear-facing position. Eventually, you can “convert” the seat to face forward, and use it that way until your toddler reaches the seat’s forward-facing height and weight limits. Overall, height requirements or limits for the convertible seats that were tested ranged from 19 inches to 53 inches, and weight limits from 5 pounds to 80 pounds, so they can be used for many years.
Top Rated Convertible Seats
Based on other reviews and crash testing performances, this is our top list of best convertible seats
1) Britax Merathon Convertible Car Seat
2) Graco My Ride 65 Convertible Car Seat
3) Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat
4) Sunshine Kids Radian 65 Convertible Car Seat
5) Britax Decathalon Convertible Car Seat
6) The First years True Fit Convertible Car Seat
* According to Consumer Reports dot org, their crash testing results showed two models which cracked – The Evenflo Triumph Advance convertible car seat and The Recaro Signo. Our advice is that it is best not to re-use any convertible seat after it has been in a crash. Cracks or other defects may or may not show up, so don’t take any chances.
On a final note, buying a convertible car seat for your child is an important purchase. Make it with care and your child’s safety in mind.
