Car Seat & Car Booster Seat Basics: Keeping Your Child Safe on the Road
As a parent, ensuring your child's safety on the road is a top priority. Understanding the different types of car seats and booster seats is the first step toward protecting your little one.
There are three main types of safety seats:
Each serves a specific age and weight range, so make sure you choose the right one for your child’s size and age.
Rear-facing — Keep your child in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible, usually until at least age 2 or when they reach the maximum weight or height limit of the seat.
Forward-facing — Once your child outgrows their rear-facing seat, transition to a forward-facing seat with a harness. Ensure the harness is snug and the chest clip is at armpit level.
Booster seats — When your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat — but still in the back. Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face.
Car Seat Calculator
Not sure which car seat or booster seat is right for your child? Use our [Car Seat Calculator](#) to determine the best option based on your child’s age, weight, and height. It’s a quick and easy way to make sure you’re using the right seat to keep your child safe.
Car Seat Calculator
Use the sliders to determine what kind of car seat your child should be riding in based on their height and weight.
REMEMBER: All children under 13 should ride in the back seat and always read the child restraint instructions for proper use and installation.
Based on these settings, your child should be in a:
Rear Facing Seat
Recommended until child reaches maximum weight limit for harness (follow manufacturer’s recommendation for height and weight).
5-Point Harness
Recommended until child reaches maximum weight limit for harness (follow manufacturer’s recommendation for height and weight).
Booster Seat
Recommended until child reaches maximum weight limit for harness (follow manufacturer’s recommendation for height and weight).
Adult Seatbelt
Recommended until child reaches maximum weight limit for harness (follow manufacturer’s recommendation for height and weight).
Tips for All Seat Types
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and use.
- Check the car seat’s expiration date – car seats typically expire after six years.
- Register your car seat with the manufacturer to receive recall notices.
Heatstroke Prevention Tips
Even attentive parents can make mistakes, especially if there’s a change in routine or if they’re not used to driving with kids.
Look before you lock: Always check all seats in your vehicle before locking it.
Secure your vehicle: Many heatstroke incidents involve kids who get into a car on their own without a parent knowing. Keep your vehicle locked and keys out of reach to prevent this from happening.
Take immediate action: If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately. No kid should be left unattended, no matter the circumstance.
By understanding and implementing these safety measures, we can all help prevent these tragic, yet avoidable incidents. Be a smart driver — ensure no child is left behind in a hot car.
For more information, check out these tips.
Keep Children Safe from These Vehicle-Related Hazards
Back-over prevention
Always look for small children when backing up. Children are often too short to be seen through the rear window, so consider installing backup cameras or sensors in your vehicle for added safety.
Power windows injury
Power windows can be dangerous. Teach kids not to play with them — and make sure to use the window lock feature to prevent children from accidentally lowering or raising windows.
Seat belt entanglement
Children can become tangled up in seat belts, which can be dangerous. Always buckle unused seat belts and secure them out of reach.
Trunk entrapment
Teach your children that they should not play in car trunks. Many cars come with a trunk release mechanism, so show older children how to use it in case they get trapped inside.
Vehicle rollaway
Always engage the parking brake and never leave your car running while unattended. Children can accidentally put the car in gear, causing it to roll away.
Child Car Seats FAQs
The best car seat is one that fits your child’s age, weight, height, and your vehicle. Use our Car Seat Calculator to find the right match.
Keep your child in a rear-facing seat until they reach the maximum weight or height limit specified by the car seat manufacturer, typically until at least age 2.
Refer to the car seat’s manual and your vehicle’s manual for installation instructions. Find a child passenger safety technician here.
Take Action Now: Raise Awareness with Traffic Safety Grants
Help make Iowa’s roads safer! The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau provides grants to support funding opportunities for state, county, and local government agencies; non-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and hospitals.
Together, we can reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries on our roads.