Reclining Car Seat

Archive for the ‘Reclining Car Seat Information’ Category

Safety is a very important concern among parents and one issue that bothers me is that motor vehicle crashes are the primary cause of unintentional injury-related death for children 14 years and below. While it is true that some crashes are deemed un-survivable, over 57% of these tragic incidents for children 0-15 were because the child was unrestrained. What’s the lesson here? Every parent must invest in a good reclining car seat to save his child from possible danger.

Every state in America mandates that kids up to 4 years of age ride in a car seat. Most states require a reclining booster car seat for older children. Before you rush to the department store and purchase the priciest one, you have to know the basic features that your child needs.

Here are the most important things to consider when shopping for reclining car seats:

1.) Harness

A lot of the infant, convertible and toddler seats already come with a built-in adjustable five point harness system with two straps over the shoulders, two for the thighs and for the crotch. I personally prefer the five-point harness system in a reclining infant car seat over three -point system.  The latter only has two shoulder straps that come together at a buckle in the shell or a crotch strap.  The extra straps in the five-point system spread the forces of a crash more evenly across a child’s body. The thigh and crotch straps on the other hand help in preventing the sliding out of the harness in a crash which is possible in a three-point harness system.

Choose external harness adjustments so you can alter the harness height without having to remove the seat from the car. The best reclining car seat I saw has a knob that can move the harness up and down with continuous rather than pre-set positions.

2.) LATCH Connections

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, it has car seat connections that can be easily attached to anchor points in the vehicle. If your vehicle does not come with LATCH anchors, you can still use the vehicle safety belts to install a LATCH equipped reclining child car seat. I have to warn you though because this system is not anywhere near perfect. The anchors in most cars are hard to reach and a lot of vehicles have LATCH anchors only on the outboard positions of the rear seat rather than in the center which is considered to be the safest.

3.) Recline Adjustment

Multiple recline adjustments in a reclining car booster seat can keep smaller children to be correctly inclined on vehicle seats with different cushion angles. It is perfect when your child takes a nap in the car.  Don’t forget to adjust it at the correct angle when rear-facing to keep your child’s airway clear. You may also want to consider a reclining car seat with a recline level indicator so you’ll know exactly if the seat is properly reclined.

4.) Fabric

There are a lot of fabrics and designs to choose from- plain, animal printed and plaid. Invest in a high quality washable fabric, this is a must because babies are messy. I wouldn’t go for leather because it can be so hot in the sun and cold in the winter. Not a good idea! Go for comfort, style should only be secondary. Make sure you read the instructions on how to remove and wash the fabric.

5.) Padding and Cushions

Some seats come with extra padding and cushions to make your baby more comfortable. Buy items that are made specifically for your seat by the same manufacturer. Also, make sure that they have been tested in government crash tests.

We believe that shopping for your perfect new reclining car seat doesn’t have to be so hard.  With so many models to choose from, many parents just don’t know where to start.  View our information about important option choices and our top reclining car car seat picks, complete with our recommended locations to buy.