A car seat installed to face the back of the vehicle, which provides the best crash protection for infants and toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids should ride rear-facing as long as possible, up to the seat's maximum height and weight limits.
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Proper use of car seats is one of the most effective ways to protect kids in a crash. Infants start rear-facing and should stay that way as long as possible, ideally until age 2 or until they outgrow the seat's height and weight limits. Installation matters too: check for a snug fit with less than one inch of movement at the belt path.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children is a car seat installation system built into most vehicles since 2002. It uses dedicated anchor points instead of the vehicle seat belt. Either LATCH or seat belt installation is acceptable; you don't need to use both.
A seat that raises a child up so the vehicle seat belt fits properly across their chest and lap, not their neck and stomach. Kids typically move to a booster between ages 4 and 8, and ride in one until the seat belt fits without it, usually around 4 feet 9 inches tall.