You spent a lot of time oh-so-carefully researching the details of your kid's start car seat. But at some point — whether your little one isn't every bit little as she used to exist, or the seat has been passed down from an older sibling — every pint-sized rider is in need of an upgrade.

When should yous change automobile seats?

Nobody wants to think virtually an accident. Simply in the event of the unthinkable, auto seats are vital for keeping babies and children safe.

In 2017, restraint utilise saved the lives of 325 children aged 4 and under, according to the Centers for Affliction Command and Prevention (CDC). And then it's crucial to brand sure your backseat rider is in the right seat for her size, and that the seat is in tip-pinnacle shape.

So when should you lot brand the move from one seat to the next, and what other car seat change-upwards scenarios should yous be keeping in heed? If any of the post-obit apply to your kid's car seat, information technology's time for an upgrade or replacement.

Your kid has reached either the height OR weight limit on their car seat

"Upgrading" a machine seat usually means moving upward to a way meant to accommodate a bigger, older child. Once your child has hit the maximum top or weight for her seat (whichever comes first), it'south time for a new one. A seat that's likewise small won't fairly protect her in the event of a crash.

To find your seat's acme or weight limit, check the seat's tag or manufacturer'southward instructions. That said, here are some general rules of thumb to keep in heed from the American University of Pediatrics (AAP):

  • Keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible. Many parents opt to start their newborn in a rear-facing infant automobile seat considering these models are relatively lightweight and convenient, and then switch to a convertible car seat one time their little one has outgrown it. (Though convertible car seats can be used in the rear-facing position from twenty-four hours 1, too.) Simply children should stay rear-facing even after they've graduated to a convertible motorcar seat, until they've reached the maximum height or weight in the rear-facing position of the convertible model (that'south at least until age 2, though many children volition not be ready to face forrad until historic period three or 4).
  • Graduate to the frontwards-facing position only once your kid is big enough.Once your child reaches the maximum height or weight for the rear-facing position on her convertible seat, she can switch to the seat's forrard-facing position.
  • Eventually, she tin can motility on to a booster seat.And after she outgrows the maximum height or weight on her forward-facing convertible seat, your child can graduate to a forward-facing seat with a harness or a booster seat, depending on her pinnacle and weight. She'll stay in the booster until quondam between the ages of eight and 12 — again, depending on her height and weight — before finally sitting in the dorsum seat with a seat chugalug, recommends the AAP.

The motorcar seat is expired

Many caregivers don't realize that car seats have expiration dates. The plastic used to brand seats can degrade over time and go brittle, potentially making the seat less effective. In other words, if y'all're using a seat that previously belonged to an older sibling, information technology might be nearing its limit.

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To find the expiration date, check the seat's label or the manufacturer instructions (or if y'all can't find the date, requite the manufacturer a call). If you're still non sure, count from six years post the manufacturer appointment, the AAP says.

The machine seat is damaged

If you find any cracking in the plastic or other signs of wearable and tear, get rid of it ASAP. Both indicate that the seat might not provide adequate protection in the consequence of a crash.

The car seat has been in a crash

Serious crashes tin can impairment the structure and integrity of a machine seat, meaning information technology may not provide plenty protection in the result of some other crash.

According to the AAP, seats that have been in a modest crash — the car could be driven away, no i was injured, the airbags didn't become off, the door closest to the machine seat wasn't damaged and there was no visible impairment to the car seat — may however be usable, simply ask a local Certified Child Rider Safety Technician (CPST) for guidance if you're unsure.

The motorcar seat has been recalled

Recalled seats have defects that have been determined to be unsafe, so if your seat is affected by a recall, finish using information technology correct away and follow the manufacturer's instructions for repairing or replacing the seat. You lot tin can notice the latest recalls at NHTSA.gov/recalls, or sign up for recall alerts on your phone.

Auto seat prophylactic 101

Buckling your trivial 1 in becomes automatic pretty fast, but it never hurts to brush upward on the basics. Always remember to:

  • Make sure your child is using a seat appropriate for her height and weight. Babies and toddlers should stay in a rear-facing seat for as long every bit possible, until they accomplish the maximum height or weight limit for the rear-facing position on their seat.
  • Buckle her in safely. Exist mindful of any uneven or twisted straps (they could increase risk of injury), make sure the angle indicator is in a prophylactic range and do a "compression exam" on the strap cloth past your child's shoulder (if you can pinch it vertically, it's too loose and needs to be tightened).
  • Never leave a kid unattended in or around a car. Fifty-fifty if they're buckled in their car seats.
  • Only use machine seats for travel. Don't use your baby or toddler's machine seat for sleeping or eating, and transfer your little one to a safe sleep space as soon as you get dwelling if she falls asleep in the auto.
  • Children under 13 should e'er sit in the dorsum seat (in the middle whenever possible), and exist secured by a seat belt. Never identify a rear-facing car seat in the front passenger seat. If you must place a child in a forepart-facing automobile or booster seat in the front rider seat, utilise a seat with a harness and adjust the seat every bit far back from the dashboard equally possible.
  • Always read the manual for your car and the car seat when installing a new seat. If you're unsure if a seat is installed correctly or are having trouble, contact a local CPST.
  • Never use a motorcar seat that has an unknown history. These seats may not provide adequate protection in the outcome of a crash.