8 more DEADLY Car Seat Mistakes

I'm going to start this one off by just saying how completely amazed I am by the response to this blog. It all started off with a couple of people in a Facebook group tossing around ideas about how a post should be made to help them approach their friends about their car seat use, in a non-confrontational way.

I expected to see 10-20 views of the blog and that would have made me extremely happy, but when I logged in tonight to nearly 10,000 page hits, I was shocked! Never in a million years did I think I'd see the day.

Of course, since it has become so widely distributed in such a short period of time, I have gotten numerous emails and comments about how I "should have included ______" and "why did you leave out ______." So again, I'll explain, it was never ever intended to be read by thousands of people (not that I am complaining-keep on spreading the word and save some babies!) The one complain that I have heard the most is that I didn't even touch the subject of extended rear facing sooooo if you were one of those people, the reason was that for the few friends I wrote this for, all of them already rear face past a year, it wasn't even worth the time to explain because it was common knowledge, and I like I said, I had no clue anyone else would ever read this.

Now that I realize that people are watching however, I decided to create a second part to the original, so that I can include all of the things I initially didn't have time for.

If you are just tuning in, go ahead and check out the original first here: 11 Deadly Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making or if you are looking for a condensed version to share with your friends that are usually put off by your excessive informative article sharing (believe me, I do it!) this may be a better fit for you/them: Car Seat Safety For the Minimalist And for anyone who thinks of something I have missed, feel free to comment or email me at candicekellie@gmail.com and I'll gladly add it in.

Lastly, like I mentioned, this was/is my personal blog as well, which is why the music is on autoplay. If it interferes with you reading the post, or hearing the audio in the videos, scroll to the very bottom and you can pause it :)


So here it is:

8 more DEADLY mistakes you didn't know you were making!

#8 Forward Facing Too Early

Before we get started, yes I understand the law states you can turn your child forward facing at age 1 or 20lbs/1 and 20lbs (depending on where you live). I know many people who have said "If it weren't safe, it wouldn't be legal!" Just because it is legal, do you really think it is safe? Cigarettes and alcohol are both legal, so that is a bad argument. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear facing until AT LEAST the age of 2- "at least" being the key words.

Studies have shown that extended rear facing is FIVE times safer in the majority of auto accidents (that’s 500%). When a child is rear facing, the seat absorbs most of the crash forces. The seat distributes the force of the crash over the entire body which helps protect the head, neck, and spine of your child. When a child is forward facing in an accident, the head abruptly moves forward and this puts stress on their neck and spine and in even some minor crashes, the spinal column can stretch too far and snap, causing death.

Extended rear facing does not mean cramming your child into an infant carrier. There are many options out there for a convertible car seat that will allow your child to rear face well into the toddler years, and comfortably at that!

Common misconceptions about rear facing a toddler:

-“My toddler has really long legs so he will be uncomfortable.” or "My child is too big"

These are both untrue in most cases. Young children are flexible and they easily position themselves to be comfortable. They simply bend their legs, prop them up on the back seat, dangle them over the sides or sit cross legged. ALL of these are comfortable for a child. Don't believe me? Call your child over to you and tell them to have a seat. I can guarantee you that the majority of children will not come and sit with their legs straight out in front of them, so why should they sit that way in a car seat. Did you know that forward facing for too long (road trips etc) can actually cut off their circulation, so not only making it uncomfortable, but painful too?
-“If they have long legs couldn’t they break in a crash if they are rear faced?”
Yes, although unlikely, their legs could possibly break, but as of now, there are ZERO documented cases of broken legs, hips, feet etc due to rear facing. Studies actually show that forward facing kids are more likely to injure their legs in a crash from being thrown forward into the seat in front of them. Either way, broken legs-cast it...broken neck-casket. Which would you prefer?
-“My child cries too much, she isn't happy if she can't see me"
While I understand it may be frustrating, your main focus should always be on driving and not trying to keep your child happy. She may be upset, but at least you know she is safe. If you turned her forward facing, she may be happy for a little while, but soon the excitement will wear off and she will still be crying every time she gets in the car. It's not rear facing they hate (especially when they don't know anything else), it's being strapped down.
"My parents did it and I lived"
You're right...congrats. Now, tell me how many people in the world cannot say that because...well, they aren't alive to say it. There are people who can say that they swam in shark-infested waters with steaks tied around their extremities and they lived...but I don't think I'd recommend it for everyone else to do.
There are many, many more excuses I have heard as to why parents don't rear face their children past the bare minimum, but it all boils down to just that: they are excuses. Not one is valid. If you really think you have a good reason not to, feel free to comment on here and I will address each one individually.

Kaylee at 14.5 months and 22lbs, rear facing in a Radian XTSL. She is completely content and her legs do not even touch the seat. She will easily fit in this seat beyond 2 years.

I found the shortest, straight to the point videos I can find so as not to lose your interest. Here is a forward vs rear facing video:

Here is a short clip of a forward facing crash test


And here is a rear facing crash test clip



#7 Not knowing when your child REALLY outgrows their rear facing seat.

1 inch.
1 inch from the top of the shell is a rule of thumb for the majority of infant seats.

What does that mean?

If your child's seat is one of those and his head is hanging over PAST the top of his car seat (while rear facing), he has outgrown it. If his head is flush with the top of his car seat (while rear facing), he has outgrown it. His must not extend past 1 inch from the top of the seat. This inch ensures that as the child slides up the seat in a crash, his head will stay protected.

Now, there are some seats (more often than not, they are convertibles that have a specific height limit. Diono brand seats use a 1.5" rules as opposed to one inch. To determine what the guidelines are for your seat, always consult the manual.

Now this doesn't always mean you need to forward face, especially if your child is just tall. There are many other options in the store and you can always go and let your child sit in each one to see how long the seat will last you, before you purchase it. Given the design of most car seats, the majority of children become too tall for rear-facing seats before they become too heavy. If you have tall children, keep that in mind when looking for new seats, and always try to get one that has a taller shell height. If you need any help with car seat recommendations, shoot me an email or post a comment. If I don't have the answer for you, I'll get you in touch with someone that does.


#6 Car seats do NOT belong on a shopping cart





Every time I tell a group of friends this, one person inevitably says "oh I wouldn't do it if I didn't know it was perfectly safe, but mine snaps on perfectly"

No...it doesn't.

Every infant car seat manual, I repeat, EVERY infant car seat manual says not to attach it to a shopping cart.

***EDIT*** I was informed that Babytrend does allow you to use their car seat on a cart *if it locks on* Sadly, I checked it and their manual does say this. However, we owned a flex-loc with my youngest daughter and on numerous occasions, before we knew better, we tried to put the seat on top of carts (Wal-mart and Target) and even when it was locked onto the cart, a simple jolt was enough to unlatch it. Looks like I will be making a call to Baby Trend today because in my opinion, they should not be encouraging something that is potentially very dangerous.

But if it appears to snap on, then what's the big deal? The problem lies in the fact that something as simple as a child running around the store and bumping into your cart and that car seat that you THOUGHT was latched on, can cause your baby (and seat) to be upside down on the concrete floor in a split second. Studies show over 80% of all car seat/shopping cart accidents happen within an arm's reach of the carrier so the "I always am RIGHT THERE" line just doesn't work.

Car seats are meant to latch onto 2 things: the base or the stroller. NOTHING ELSE. Each of these has a special bar, that matches up with that exact car seat type.

Each year, over 21,000 injuries occur because of babies falling out of the cart. Please don't let your child be a statistic. There are other solutions: baby wearing, leaving baby with another person while you shop, or put the entire carrier inside the cart if you must, not ON it.



#5 Projectiles can KILL your child...or you!


Reposted from "The Guggie Daily" Facebook page

Basically, if it wouldn't be safe to throw an item at your child's face with all of your strength (not saying you have to try it out), it should not be left unsecured in your vehicle. A trunk, a glove compartment, a center console: these all can store the things you think you need to take with you on a trip. Stuff the diaper bag under the seat.

You may not think a cell phone could do that much damage. The weight of an object, multiplied by the speed at which you're traveling equals the force at which that item would hit something if your car comes to a sudden stop (like hitting something head on). What does an average cell phone weigh these days? 6oz? So you take 6oz and multiply it by the speed you are traveling...let's say, 45mph? 6 x 45 is 270. 270oz or about 17lbs. Would you ever consider throwing a 17lb object at your child?

Read JD's story

Time to go clean out the car!

#4 Infant carrier postion handle does matter.



A lot of people believe that the carrier handle must always be down in the car.
Even more people believe that the carrier handle can be in "carry" position.

They are both right.
And they are both wrong...
depending on the car seat each person has.

Consult this chart (or your manual) for your safe travel handle positions- each manufacturer has different rules, based on what has been crash tested to be safe. Usually, if a car seat has a reinforced handle, the manufacturer allows for it to be in any position.

This is the most current chart in circulation but it is always a good idea to check your manual:



#3 Car seat installation MUST BE TIGHT

Deja Vu?

Nope, I just figured it was important enough to repeat.

Depending on which study you quote, anywhere from 80-99% of car seats are installed incorrectly.

Remember, no more than an inch of movement side to side at the base. (Chances are if you grab the top of the seat, it will move more, but we are concerned about the base here)

#2 Moving to a booster too early is a step down in safety!


Provided that your child does not exceed weight limits, and their straps come out above their shoulder level, they should remain in a 5 point harness. Basically, if they fit in a 5-point harness, there is no reasoning to "graduating" them to a booster.

Without any words at all, this video speaks very loudly


Many car seats accommodate older children in a 5pt harness for a longer than average time.


This harness could stand to be moved up 1/2 an inch or so, but it was only for picture purposes.
This is Avery, she will be 7 in April. She weighs 45lbs, is 46inches, and still has 1 more slot to go (so another couple of inches of growth) before she outgrows her 5-point harness. (Recaro ProSport combination seat)

A lot of 5 point harnesses offer more side impact protection than boosters, especially backless boosters which is a given. Does your child have a tendency to lean over and poke their brother? Reach to the ground to get toys? Fall asleep? If your child does not possess the ability to stay upright and with the belt positioned correctly at all times, it is safer to stay in a 5 point harness.

#1 Not registering your car seat

Each seat comes with a product registration postcard. Tear it off and mail it in to the manufacturer. This ensures that if there are any recalls, they can get a hold of you quickly to let you know to discontinue using that seat.

If you don't register your product, you may not know that the seat you have has been recalled for straps loosening on their own...and what if yours does that in a wreck?

It is VERY important to have your car seat registered.

And I'm guilty, 0 out of 3 of mine are registered. I'm trying to justify it because I check the recall site weekly, but still, I should just send the post cards back.

If you lost your registration card, call your manufacturer and they can either register you over the phone, walk you through the process online, or send you a replacement card.

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If you haven't noticed the trend already, the only way you can ever be sure your child is as safe as possible is by checking with the manufacturer. When in doubt, consult your manual! It has the answers to EVERYTHING :)


So is there anything I missed? Feel free to send me your "deadly mistakes" and I'll add it to the list!