Parents must become familiar with their safety belt systems, car seat and other vehicle safety features.

• Read both the car seat and vehicle owner’s manual before attempting a car seat installation. There is no short cut to achieving a safe installation.
• Infants always ride rear-facing at no greater than a 45 degree recline. This enables the infant to maintain an open airway.
• Infants ride rear facing until one year of age and a least 20 pounds. Be certain your car seat is crash tested to a higher weight (30-35 pounds) for higher weight infants.
• Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of airbag equipped vehicles. To determine if airbags are present in the vehicle, check the sun visor, dashboard and owner’s manual.
• Older toddlers and children up to 80 pounds can ride in front of an airbag only if properly protected. Always:
  o push the vehicle seat back as far as possible,
  o use harness according to manufacturer’s instructions,
  o use shoulder belt properly.
• Children should be secured in a car seat with a harness until 40 pounds.
• Place the car seat harness through the slots, at or below the shoulders of a rear-facing infant, or above the shoulders of a forward facing child.
• The car seat harness should not allow any slack. A snug harness:
  o lies in a relatively straight line without sagging,
  o should not, however, be so tight as to press into a child’s body.
• Children from 40 – 80 pounds should ride in a belt positioning booster seat.
• Children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat.
• Place the vehicle seat belt around or through the car seat exactly where the car seat manufacturer directs.
• Tighten and LOCK the vehicle seat belt according to directions found in the vehicle owner’s manual.
  o Check for tightness at the seat belt path.
  o Allow no more than 1 inch of side-to-side or forward movement of the car seat.
• Obtain and use any additional equipment necessary to secure the seat belt properly (locking clips, auxiliary buckles, tethers). Use if directed by the vehicle or car seat manufacturer.

When in doubt, don’t guess – read instructions or call for technical assistance: 1-800-CAR-BELT.