Car Seat Safety: What Every Northern Virginia Parent Should Know

Key Takeaways

• The right car seat depends on your child's age, weight, and height, and each stage should last as long as the seat's limits allow.
• Children should ride rear-facing as long as possible, and Virginia law requires rear-facing until age 2 unless your child meets the seat's minimum forward-facing weight.
• Virginia requires every child under age 8 to ride in a car seat or booster seat, and most kids need a booster until they are about 4 feet 9 inches tall.
• Nearly half of car seats and booster seats have at least one mistake in how they are installed or used, so a check from a certified technician is worth your time.
• Capital Area Pediatrics is a trusted pediatric practice serving families across Northern Virginia, so request an appointment and bring your car seat questions to your child's next well visit.

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Why Car Seat Safety Tips Matter on Every Drive

A car seat is one of the simplest ways to protect your child, but it only works when it fits your child, fits your car, and is used the right way every trip. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guide to car seats for families, thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes each year, and using car seats correctly helps keep children safe.

The good news is that you do not need the most expensive seat. The AAP notes that no single seat is the 'best' or 'safest.' The best seat is the one that:

• Fits your child's size
• Fits well in your vehicle
• Is installed correctly
• Is used properly every time you drive

How to Choose the Right Car Seat by Age, Weight, and Height

Your child will likely use three or four types of seats before they are ready for a regular seat belt. The AAP recommends keeping your child in each stage as long as the seat's limits allow, so there is no reason to rush. 

Car Seat Stages at a Glance

Smart Shopping Tips for Car Seats

• Read both manuals. Check your car seat manual and your vehicle owner's manual before you install.
• Skip used seats with an unknown history. A seat that has been in a moderate or severe crash should not be used.
• Check the label. Look for the date the seat was made and the model number so you can check for recalls.
• Register your seat. Mail in the registration card or register online so the maker can contact you about a recall.

When to Switch to a Forward-Facing Car Seat

The AAP recommends keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the seat maker. Most convertible seats let children ride rear-facing for 2 years or more, and many hold children up to 40 to 50 pounds rear-facing.

Many parents worry when their toddler's feet touch the back of the vehicle seat. The AAP says this should not cause concern. Children are flexible, and leg injuries are very rare for kids who face the rear.

When it is time to turn your child around:

• Move the harness straps to the slots at or just above your child's shoulders.
• Adjust the seat to a more upright position if your manual says to.
• Always use the top tether. A tether is a strap at the top of the car seat that hooks to an anchor in your car. It keeps your child's head from moving too far forward in a crash.

Booster Seat Age Requirements

Your child has outgrown a forward-facing seat with a harness when any of these are true:

• They reach the top weight or height limit for the harness.
• Their shoulders are above the top harness slots.
• The tops of their ears reach the top of the seat.

From there, your child should use a belt-positioning booster seat. A booster raises your child so the adult seat belt crosses the strongest parts of their body. Boosters must always be used with a lap and shoulder belt, never a lap belt alone.

The Seat Belt Fit Test

Your child is ready to leave the booster when:

• The shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck.
• The lap belt sits low and snug across the upper thighs, not the belly.
• Your child can sit with their back against the seat and knees bent over the edge without slouching for the whole ride.

The AAP notes that most children will not fit a seat belt alone until 10 to 12 years of age.

Common Car Seat Installation Mistakes

Car seat mistakes are very common. In a 2011 national study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 46 percent of car seats and booster seats had at least one misuse. The most common problems were a wrong recline angle for rear-facing seats, a loose installation for forward-facing seats, and a poorly placed lap belt for booster seats.

Here are the mistakes to watch for and how to fix them:

• The seat is too loose. Grab the seat where the belt goes through it. If it moves more than 1 inch side to side or front to back, tighten it.
• The harness is too loose. After buckling, try to pinch the strap at your child's shoulder. If you can pinch extra webbing, tighten it.
• The chest clip is too low. Slide it up so it sits even with your child's armpits.
• The recline angle is wrong. Rear-facing seats have a built-in angle indicator. Use it so your baby's head does not flop forward.
• The top tether is not used. Always connect the tether on a forward-facing seat.
• The lap belt crosses the belly in a booster. The lap belt should sit low across the hips and upper thighs, not the belly or ribs.
• Your child is wearing a puffy coat. Bulky winter coats squish in a crash and leave straps too loose. Buckle your child in thin layers, then put a coat or blanket over the straps.
• Child is in the front seat. Never place a car seat or booster seat (rear or forward facing) in front of an active passenger airbag. Your child should be in the backseat. 
• Both the lower anchors and the seat belt are used at once. Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) is a built-in way to attach a car seat. The AAP says LATCH and the seat belt are equally safe, but you should use only one unless both manuals say otherwise.

Virginia Car Seat Laws Parents Should Know

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), all children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat, no matter their weight or height. Children must also ride rear-facing until age 2 unless they meet the minimum weight for a forward-facing seat.

Keep in mind that the law sets the minimum. Pediatric guidance often asks parents to go further. The AAP also recommends that all children younger than 13 ride in the back seat.

Where to Get a Car Seat Safety Check Locally

You do not have to figure this out alone. Here are a few places to turn:

• A certified child passenger safety technician (CPST). These trained experts can check your installation and teach you how to do it yourself. The AAP points parents to the 'Find a Tech' tool from Safe Kids Worldwide. Expecting? The AAP suggests meeting with a technician before your baby is born so the first ride home is a safe one.
• Community seat check events. The Virginia DMV notes that families can find car seat check events through the Virginia Department of Health.
• Your child's pediatrician. Capital Area Pediatrics talks with parents about safety at every stage. Families can also join the free virtual Baby Care Basics class offered by Capital Area Pediatrics, which covers safety along with other newborn care topics.

Keep Your Child Safe on Every Northern Virginia Drive

Choosing the right seat, keeping your child in each stage as long as possible, and getting your installation checked are the most important car seat safety tips to remember. Capital Area Pediatrics can answer your questions and help you plan for each stage as your child grows. We even have car seat tip videos in our video library if you’d like a visual aid.

Request an appointment with Capital Area Pediatrics to talk through car seat safety at your child's next well-child visit at Capital Area Pediatrics.

Frequently Asked Questions