Baby car seat: 5 common installation mistakes

Last updated (01/17/2024)

Leaving the hospital safely with your baby is possible: Check out the five most common mistakes when installing a baby car seat. Avoid them and feel confident with your baby on all car trips.

First, remember that a baby car seat is for safely transporting your baby in a car. Therefore, its main function is to protect the baby's life in case of an accident. The infant car seat is not a comfortable seat where the baby lies or sits for long hours. In fact, the infant car seat is far from comfortable and not recommended as a resource for the baby to rest. To learn more, click here to read a previous article. The infant car seat is a resource designed to provide safety for the baby on necessary car trips.

Here are the 5 most common mistakes when installing a baby car seat… To avoid!

 

1 – The place where we install the baby car seat in the car

A common mistake is placing the infant car seat behind the driver. The main reason for this is that parents use common sense, and the reasoning tends to be something like, “If the passenger seat is the death seat, then I’ll put my baby behind me to ensure I protect them in case of an accident.” However, statistically, there are no more accidents on the right side than on the left side. Furthermore, it is much more difficult to ensure safety distances when placing the infant car seat behind the driver (see how to install the baby car seat).

Therefore, if the car has 3 rear seats (like an SUV or a Minivan) and there are 2 adults in the car (one of whom sits in the back to take care of the baby), the safest place to install the infant car seat will be the middle rear seat because this will ensure that:

1. the restraint system will perform similarly to manufacturer and consumer tests, and
2. the baby is further away from the impact zone in case of a side accident.

But when there are only two seats in the back and if there are two adults in the car (one of whom sits in the back to take care of the baby), the safest place to install the infant car seat is behind the passenger. Why?

1. Because when removing the baby from the car, the sidewalk side is the safest!
2. We will be able to more easily ensure point 2.

 

2 – Distance of the baby car seat from the front seat

When there is an accident, the infant car seat will move; this is desirable to prevent G-forces from being fully transferred to the baby's body. But what we want to ensure is that the car seat does not encounter an obstacle during this movement. If there is an obstacle, the rebound forces will be more violent, and there will be more pressure exerted on the baby's neck.

Baby car seat installation manuals recommend installation with 15 to 20 centimeters distance from the front seat or completely touching it. So, I recommend that the infant car seat be against the passenger seat.

Why? To prevent the proper distance between the baby car seat and the passenger seat from being compromised due to changes in passengers and subsequent seat adjustments. The baby car seat should always be against the passenger seat, so they move together instead of colliding with each other… Problem solved!

Note: the intention is only to lean it, not to wedge it to the point of changing the angle or normal installation of the infant car seat.

 

3 – Orientation of the belt when securing the baby car seat

Often when parents install the infant car seat, they notice that they haven't used the entire car seat belt, and naturally, doubts arise about whether they have installed it correctly. So, they opt to install it with incorrect belt orientation to ensure full use of the seat belt. The results of this installation are catastrophic in case of an accident, as the seat tends to break and be thrown forward.

 

 

However, you can see how to correctly install the restraint system on the side of the car seat. All car seats are required to show on their side how to install them. The first point where the car seat belt passes is next to the baby's legs. Secure it. Only then does it cover the back of the baby car seat. Why? To prevent the baby car seat from coming loose easily.

 

 

4 – Positioning of the baby car seat handle

Parents usually see the handle as the part that allows them to carry the infant car seat from one place to another, meaning there's a perception that this handle is a carrying strap when, in reality, it represents the third safety point of the infant car seat and aims to protect the baby during rebound. It is very common to place the baby car seat handle backward.

 

In addition to being very common, this error is quite serious in case of an accident. Why? Because, in a frontal accident, the first thing that happens is the baby car seat slides, and the second is that it rotates. If the baby car seat handle is down, the baby will hit the front of the seat where the car seat is placed. But if the baby car seat handle is in the correct position, we will be able to protect the baby.

Now, PAY ATTENTION, not all infant car seats are installed in the same way, which means that, depending on the brand of the infant car seat, the handle may need to be at 90 degrees or even resting against the passenger seat. So, always check the assembly instructions on the side or ask me for help.

5 – Misconception of the "baby car seat" product

We go to the store to buy the baby car seat, and there they are, sitting on shelves at a completely different angle than they will be in the car. It seems like a dream... On the shelf, the baby car seat looks super comfortable and... Surprise!

When we place the baby car seat in the car, due to the angle of the car seats, the baby's head tilts slightly to the side, and it seems to us that the baby is not well. So, what solution do many parents find? They alter the tilt angle of the baby car seat, moving it further back so the baby is more reclined (often using blankets to create a wedge underneath the infant car seat)... No! Why? Because, if we do that and there's an accident, it's easier for the baby to be projected forward.

Therefore, we must place the baby car seat at the correct angle so that it functions as a protective shell. Remember: the baby car seat is not a sofa!

So, here's a video demonstrating the 5 mistakes:

I have been working in the child road safety industry for 20 years, facilitating workshops on this topic and helping brands design their products to prioritize safety.

But these errors I talk about are the most frequent, and there are still many others in the installation of the baby car seat in the car and in placing the baby in it. Here I share a step-by-step guide on how to place the baby in the infant car seat. And if you want to know what precautions you should take when traveling alone with your baby, click here.

If you are interested in purchasing your infant car seat, you can use my code bonas15 on the Bonabebe website:

• Bonabebe