Pretty much every parent knows they need a car seat. But here's the uncomfortable stat: according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 46% of car seats are installed incorrectly. Almost half.
That means there's nearly a coin-flip chance your car seat isn't doing its job properly. Let's fix that.
Rear-facing: Longer Than you Think
The AAP recommends rear-facing until at least age 2, and ideally until the child outgrows the rear-facing height and weight limits of their seat. Many convertible seats allow rear-facing up to 40 or even 50 pounds.
"But their legs are scrunched up!" Yeah, they are. And that's fine. Kids are flexible. Broken legs heal. Spinal cord injuries from a forward-facing crash at 18 months don't. Rear-facing distributes crash forces across the entire back and head, which is dramatically safer.
This isn't opinion. The crash data is clear. Keep them rear-facing as long as the seat allows.
The Installation Check
Whether you're using LATCH or the seat belt to install, here's how to check: grab the car seat at the base where it attaches to the car and try to move it side-to-side and front-to-back. It should move less than one inch in any direction.
If it moves more than that, it's too loose. Re-install it. This is the most common installation error, and it's the one that matters most in a crash.
For LATCH installations, the lower anchors should be snug — you shouldn't be able to pinch excess webbing at the attachment point. For seat belt installations, lock the seat belt (most seat belts lock when you pull them all the way out and then let them retract) and press down on the seat while tightening.
Harness fit
The harness is the part that goes over your child's body. Getting this right matters every single trip.
The pinch test is important. If you can pinch extra strap material between your fingers, it's too loose. A loose harness lets your child move too much in a crash, which means the seat can't do its job.
No Aftermarket Additions
Don't add anything to the car seat that didn't come in the box. No strap covers, no headrest pillows, no seat protectors that go between the car seat and the vehicle seat (unless specifically approved by the car seat manufacturer), no winter coat under the straps.
Winter coats are a big one. Puffy coats compress in a crash, creating slack in the harness. The child effectively slides through the straps. Instead, buckle them in without the coat and put a blanket over the top.
All those cute aftermarket accessories — strap pads, head supports, seat covers — haven't been crash tested with your seat. They can interfere with the harness function.
When to Replace
Replace your car seat after any moderate or severe crash, even if it looks fine. Crash forces can create invisible stress fractures in the shell.
Check the expiration date. Yes, car seats expire. The plastic degrades over time, especially with temperature cycling in a parked car. Most seats expire 6-10 years after manufacture. The date is on a sticker on the side or bottom of the seat.
Don't use a secondhand car seat unless you know its complete history — no crashes, no recalls, not expired.
Free Installation Checks
Most fire stations and police departments offer free car seat inspections by certified technicians. Many children's hospitals do too. NHTSA. See also our CPSC guide for recall checking maintains a searchable database of inspection stations at nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats.
It takes 15 minutes. It's free. And there's a nearly 50% chance they'll find something that needs adjusting.
This is one of those things where five minutes of effort could genuinely save your child's life. Check the seat. Check it again. And get it inspected by a pro at least once.