How to Secure Your Baby in Their Car Seat: Rear-Facing Toddler in Britax Car Seat

At least 90% of children are improperly restrained in their car seats. Car accidents are the #1 killer of children in the US ages 1-14, and the #2 killer of infants in the US under age 1. Most of the videos I have seen have been of children improperly restrained. So here are a few tips on how to secure your child in their seats, giving them the absolute best chance at surviving an accident. "2 and 30" and is the new "1 and 20". The longer you can keep your child rear-facing, the safer they are. In an accident at 30mph, 130lbs of pressure is put on a forward facing child's spinal cord. If it stretches a mere 1/4 inch, you are looking at internal decapitation. There have been no reported cases of a child breaking their legs because of extended RF. But even if that was a real possibility, would you rather your child have a broken leg, or a broken neck? Harness straps need to be snug against the child. No loose slack. They should not be able to get their arms out of the straps. For a RF child, the straps need to be at or below shoulder level. For FF, they need to be at or above. The chest clip retainer (its black, in this video) is designed to keep the shoulder straps in place in the event of a crash. In order to do that, it needs to be at armpit level. For most car seats, you child has outgrown it by height RF when there is less than inch of hardshell above their heads. Check your manual. Expired seats are deadly seats. Car seats expire after 6 years from date of manufacture ...