The best seat for your young child to use. It has a harness and, in a crash, cradles and moves with your child to reduce the stress to the child's fragile neck and spinal cord.

Types

• Infant Car Seat (Rear-Facing only): Designed for newborns and small babies, the infant-only car seat is a small, portable seat that can only be used rear-facing. Most babies outgrow their infant seats before their first birthday. When that happens, we recommend that parents purchase a convertible or all-in-one car seat and use it rear-facing.

• Convertible Seat: As a child grows, this seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether. Because it can be used with children of various sizes, it allows for children to stay in the rear-facing position longer.

• All-in-One Seat: This seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat (with a harness and tether) and to a booster seat as a child grows. Because it can be used with children of various sizes, it allows for children to stay in the rear-facing position longer.

Birth-12 Months

• Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.

1-3 Years

• Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.

Has a harness and tether that limits your child's forward movement during a crash.

Types

• Convertible Seat: As a child grows, this seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat with a harness and tether.

• Combination Seat: As a child grows, this seat transitions from a forward facing seat with a harness and tether into a booster.

• All-in-One Seat: This seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat (with a harness and tether) and to a booster seat as a child grows.

1-3 Years

• Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.

4-7 Years

• Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it's time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

Raises and positions a child so the vehicle's lap-and-shoulder belt fits properly over the stronger points of a child's body, the hips and across the chest.

Types

• Booster Seat With High Back: This type of booster seat is designed to boost the child's height so the seat belt fits properly. It also provides neck and heard support and is ideal for vehicles that don't have head rests or high seat backs.

• Backless Booster Seat: A backless booster seat is designed to boost the child's height so the seat belt fits properly. It does not provide head and neck support. It is ideal for vehicles that have head rests.

• Combination Seat: As a child grows, this seat transitions from a forward facing seat with a harness and tether into a booster.

• All-in-One Seat: This seat can change from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat (with a harness and tether) and to a booster seat as a child grows.

4-7 Years

• Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it's time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

8-12 Years

• Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should like snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Remember: your child should still ride in the back seat because it's safer there.

• CDC Child Passenger Safety Graphics: How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Child Safety Information for Parents and Caregivers

• American Academy of Pediatrics Link:

  • Car Seats: Information for Families