Jeff Lupient: What Parents Should Know About Car Seats

Jeff Lupient says that if you're looking for a car safety seat, it's important to know which ones fit you, your baby, and your car perfectly.

Here are some things to consider when looking for a car seat.

• All infants and young children have to ride in a rear-facing seat for as long as they can or until they reach the maximum weight and height set by the car seat manufacturer.
• Almost all convertible seats have their limits.
• Car seat limits allow children to ride rear-facing for two years or more.
• When children reach the maximum weight or height and length set by the manufacturer for the rear-facing-only seat, they have to continue riding rear-facing seats in a convertible or all-in-one seat.
• The AAP recommends all infants to ride rear-facing seats starting with their first ride coming home from the hospital.

Types of car seats

Below, Jeff Lupient lists a few safety seats parents can consider.

Rear-Facing-Only Seats

• These seats are for infants up to 22 to 35 pounds as well as 26 to 35 inches. It will, however, depend on the model.
• Most models are small and have carrying handles. They also typically come with a base that can be left inside the car.
• The seat clicks into and out of the base, which means you don't have to install the seat each time you use it, explains Jeff Lupient.
• Parents can buy more than one base if they have additional vehicles.
• Some models of rear-facing car seats include load leg or anti-rebound bars, which help absorb the energy of a crash.
• Load legs decrease forward rotation in the initial phase of a crash.
• The anti-rebound bars protect children during the second phase of a crash from rearward rotation.

Convertible Car Seats

• These seats can be rear-facing and then converted to forward-facing later when children outgrow either the weight or height and length limit for rear-facing.
• They can typically be used longer by your child.
• They are bulkier than infant seats.
• They don't have carrying handles or separate bases and are also designed to stay inside the car.
• Most convertible car seats have higher limits in rear-facing weight, which can be up to 40 to 50 pounds. It is a feature that makes convertible seats ideal for babies who are bigger as well as toddlers.

All-In-One Car Seats

• They can be used rear-facing, forward-facing, or even as a belt-positioning booster.
• They may be used longer by your child as they grow.
• They are often bigger, so you'll have to check if they fit in the vehicle when they are rear-facing.
• They don't have a carrying handle or separate base, but like convertible car seats, a lot of models have higher limits in rear-facing weight of up to 40 to 50 pounds.

On a final note, Jeff Lupient says that to see which seat fits you best, don't just look at the baby or the design of the seat. Also, examine your car. Make sure the seat fits well, a key factor to how safe it can be.

Jeff Lupient is the president and CEO of MN-based Lupient Automotive Group. He excels in business development, automotive dealerships, and sales. For related articles, visit this page.