The more I read about car seat safety, the more passionate I become about it, and that's why I want to share some common car seat mistakes that you might be inadvertently making. You may remember that I've talked about a few of these issues in my post "5 car seat safety tips that all parents should read," but I wanted to highlight a few more things.
Here are 8 common car seat mistakes you might be making:
1.) Letting their harness straps be too loose - At least once or twice a week, I notice a picture on social media of my friends' children in their car seats, and the majority of the time I notice that their harness straps are way too loose and their chest clip is down by their waist. To tell if your harness is tight enough, use the "pinch" test method. Buckle your child into their restraint, then using your thumb and index finger, try to pinch one of their harness straps at their shoulder level. If you're able to pinch the strap, it's too loose. There should be no excess webbing and the harness strap should lay flat and snug up against your child's body. If their straps are not tight enough, this could lead to injury or even ejection during a crash. This is a real problem, and this blog post is a harsh reminder of what can happen if your child is not restrained properly. The photo above is a great example of straps that are too loose and a chest clip that is improperly placed (should be at the level of the child's armpits).
2.) Resting your infant car seat on top of the shopping cart - I've mentioned this in a previous post too, but I feel like it's an important one. Don't be falsely reassured by the little "click" you hear when you put your infant car seat to rest on top of the shopping cart's handle. This is not safe and it's actually very dangerous. This article was published in the journal Pediatrics in 2006, yet we still see people placing their tiny infants on top of the shopping cart so they can keep them close. The ONLY safe place for your infant car seat is in the shopping cart basket.
3.) Bundling your child up in a winter jacket before putting them in their car seat - Simply put, bulky jackets and car seats don't mix. If your child is in a puffy jacket, it may result in their harness straps being too loose to provide enough protection for them in the case of an accident. Use a lightweight jacket instead, then bring a blanket to wrap around your child once they're properly restrained in their seat.
4.) Using the wrong harness slots - Speaking of the harness, let's talk about which harness slots you should be using. You should always read the manual for your specific car seat, but a good rule of thumb is that if your child is rear facing, their harness straps should be AT OR BELOW the level of their shoulders and if they're forward facing, their harness straps should be AT OR ABOVE the level of their shoulders. Rear-facing AT OR BELOW. Forward-facing AT OR ABOVE. Again, check your manual because some manufacturers allow only the top slots to be used in forward-facing mode since those slots are reinforced to hold the harness in case of a crash.
5.) Transitioning to forward-facing too soon - I just have to bring this up again (I know, I know. I talked about this already in the "5 car seat safety tips every parent should read," but I feel like I need to reiterate). In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated their recommendations for car seats to state, " All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat's manufacturer." (source: HealthyChildren.org HealthyChildren.org). Again, the key words here are at least and or until. These recommendations have been in place for over 3 years now and people are still choosing to turn their children foward-facing at the tender age of one. After doing extensive research on this and reading an article published in Injury Prevention that found “the odds of severe injury for forward-facing infants under 12 months of age were 1.79 times higher than for rear-facing infants; for children 12 to 23 months old, the odds were 5.32 times higher,” I felt compelled to keep my toddler rear-facing for as long as possible. Then, after watching this YouTube video, and showing it my family members, everyone was on the same page. Seriously, the video is a MUST SEE. Don't be swayed by the thought of your child being "uncomfortable" while extended rear-facing - they simply aren't. My son is 2.5 years old and in the 85th percentile for height and he is very comfortable rear-facing in his Diono Radian RXT. His legs aren't scrunched up or awkward - he's totally fine.
6.) Letting your child out of their harness too early - Once your child is old enough/large enough they may be ready to transition to a booster seat. You can switch from their forward-facing car seat to a booster when your child has outgrown the height and weight limits on their car seat (typically that's around 40+ pounds, although some car seats allow for your child to be harnessed until they're 65 pounds). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it's best to keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches the top end of the height or weight limit set by your car seat's manufacturer. There's no reason to rush them into a high-back or backless booster.
7.) Letting your child transition to a booster too early - Booster seats are for old kids that have outgrown their forward-facing child restraint. As I mentioned earlier, according to the NHTSA it's safest to keep them in a harness and top tether for as long as possible. The purpose of a booster seat is to help the adult safety belt fit your child correctly. The booster seat simply lifts up your child so that the seat belt (this means lap and shoulder belt; never just a lap belt) is properly positioned over their hips (and not across their abdomen which could result in serious organ injury in a crash situation).
8.) Letting your child transition out of their booster too early - Again, keeping your child safe is your top priority as a parent, and most kids aren't ready to transition out of a booster seat until they are at least 8-12 years old (the rule of thumb is that your child should be 4 feet 9 inches before using the safety belt). You'll want to be sure that the lap belt fits snugly across the upper thighs, and not their stomach, and the shoulder belt should lay snug against their shoulder and chest, not touching their face or neck. They should also be able to place their back firmly against the vehicle seat back and their knees should be bent over the vehicle seat cushion. What do you do if your 12+ year old is not yet 4 feet 9 inches? You continue to use a booster. There are discrete products available like the Safety 1st Incognito that are designed to blend in with the car's seats to be less noticeable. Also, please remember that your child should ride in the back seat until they're 12 years old because it's safer there.
As always, I strongly encourage everyone to make an appointment with your local CPST to have your car seat(s) installation checked. They are fantastic resources and are available to answer any questions you may have.
Have you been making any of these common mistakes?
If you're in the market for a new car seat, we've got a lot of great information for you!
Be sure to check out our Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat review, our Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat review, and our Graco SlimFit Convertible Car Seat review. If you've got a little baby, we've also got a Graco infant car seat review. We've also got some Graco products featured in our best baby products of 2017 list.
We also love Britax.Check out our post about anti-rebound bars featuring the Britax Boulevard ClickTight, and our post about car seat installation tips featuring the Britax Advocate ClickTight.
You should also consider Diono for their narrow seats that you can fit 3 across. We've got full reviews of the Diono Radian RXT, a post about traveling via plane with the Diono Rainier, and why car seats and coats don't mix and the benefits of extended rear-facing featuring the Diono Radian RXT as well.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Amazon links are affiliate links. Image credits: marchibas/Elena Stepanova/Dollar Photo Club
Amber Ludwig says
Ever since having my son Ive been so vigilant on reading up on car seat safety! Car accidents are one of my biggest fears for me and for my family. And I see so many people that do not do things correctly!! It makes me so nervous because as much as we'd all like to think that something wont go wrong there's always a possibility that it will! Thank you for sharing and getting the word out there about common mistakes. Hopefully you will educate a few people 🙂
Linda Mannst says
I really appreciate these tips. I have two young grandkids and these tips are very useful to me. Thank you for sharing
Ruth V. says
You're very welcome! I appreciate your comment 🙂
Kathy Haury says
Thank you for sharing. I try to let all parents know the hazards of improper safety restraints or improper use of car seats.
Rita M says
Appreciate the information - we carry our 4 yr. old granddaughter with us frequently & it helps to know we are doing things correctly.
Lisa Coomer Queen says
This is so important. I'm glad you wrote this. It is so easy to get into the wrong habits of using car seats. Great article.
Jodi Hoppe Wresh says
although i have grown children, this is good info to pass along to my niece for my 2 great nephews! thanks for sharing
JoAnn Brightman says
These are great tips and I never thought how puffy winter jackets could be a problem in a car seat
Bob says
That's because it's not. This is a myth that keeps going around the internet, with no actual evidence to back it up. As a fireman who sees accidents a lot, I can tell you that a winter coat in no way stops the car seat from working. In fact, in some cases, the extra bulk has helped to hold the child even more secure.
Kay says
That one has never made sense to me and I've yet to see an article that makes sense of it. If they're in a coat, and the straps are tightened down...it's just as tight as it is without the coat. If anything, those straps are way tighter with the coats on. That said, I don't usually put coats on my kids in the car because they get way too hot and then chill when we get out of the warm car.
Ruth V. says
I think the problem is that parents don't always tighten the straps enough as it is, and the puffy coat can make this problem worse. If you have your child in a coat that's 2 inches thick and you don't tighten the straps enough to "deflate" the coat, that's a lot of extra space and movement for your child in the case of an accident.
duhlyler says
The YouTube video you mentioned noted the aap's recommendation of 1 year and 20lbs, not 2 years like this article indicates. I think that should be updated. Great read. Thank you.
Ane C says
Here in Norway it is actually recomended to have the child rearward facing untill they are at least 4 years old or untill they outgrow their seat. My oldest is turning 4 this february, and will be sitting rearward facing for a long time still. Her legs are a bit scrunched back there, but she has never complained, so I guess it does not bother her. I would rather have her legs broken in an accident, rather than her neck (never heard of anyone breaking ther legs anyhow...) We also tend to have smaller cars here in Europe than what you have in the US.
AC says
These are all good tips. I am a nanny and I am terrified every time I have to load my charges carseat into my car.
Lea says
Thank you for this article you wrote. It is always never too much to be too or over cautious when it comes to this important matter.
joy person says
Thank you for this! I'm always worried that I'm not doing things right especially as my little girl gets older. After reading this I think I'm going to get a different booster for her.
Alisha Moore says
I understand its for safety especially in city's the speed and the cars are scary. But for us mountain folk we drive slow and there are hardly ever any wrecks up here. My father was an adult when the law of seatbelts was enforced. I rode in the car on my mothers lap. When we travel far or go into a city or around a lot of cars we do take extra care to be supper safe, however were we live is very slow and calm and I think going over board to make sure everything is perfect just to go for a drive in the woods is ridiculous. Many people do not even wear seat belts in the woods and allow children even as young as five to drive the vehicle in a remote location. This is a good post and actually do these things, I just think the car seat laws are a bit over board.
Shaina Braun says
Wow! This is a great posts especially about the importance of keeping the seat rear facing for as long as possible. I watched the video and shared it on my socia media because I think it is important to raise awareness about this matter. It's true that parents look to the next "milestone" of their children's development too soon and may sacrifice safety by doing so... I just started bloggin myself and would be thrilled if you could check out my blog and leave a comment. I followed you on all your social media to stay up to date on your newest posts.
Danielle G says
This is a great article. Car seat safety is SO important! I made the mistake of putting the car seat on top of the shopping cart before I learned any better :/
Debra Warila says
Thank you so much for posting these tips. My nephew and his wife are expecting their first baby in the next week or two, so this is a very timely article that I will pass onto them!
Deborah D says
I see a lot of people putting their infant car seat in the wrong place in the shopping cart that it is scary
Deanna Marissa says
I was thinking when should we put out child to forward facing car seat. Now I got my answer. Thanks for writing amazing tips. All new moms like me have to read this article.
Tom Bellamy says
I have been guilty of letting the child transition to a booster seat too early.
Heather Eavers says
Its always good to be reminded of these tips. My son is always complaining about the straps and wanting them looser. And its so easy to give in, but I shouldn't!! Thanks for the reminders
Crystal E. says
I really appreciate all these tips! I didn't know they had to stay in a carseat until about 8 years old!
Tiffany Blank says
Wow. Cameron's story absolutely broke my heart. I cannot imagine. We entrust our kids to people hoping they will care for them the same as us and sometimes we aren't caring for them properly ourselves. I didn't do much research when I had my daughter almost 6 years ago. I'm glad with this little one that I've found such amazing blogs that present topics that I didn't even know were so important to me. THANK YOU.
Angela Hendricks says
Great post with lots of useful information! The chest clip is so important, that it is in the proper place and I hate when you see it too low on a child. Thanks for the great post! I learned some new stuff.
jennifer peters says
I didn't know that the top of the cart was dangerous. I was aware of the tightness issues & not bundling under the straps. Its a good reminder about the time line to move on.
Dandi D says
These mistakes are easy to make, so it's good to be reminded of them!
Maryann says
Been doing some of these myself. Yikes! Thanks for a great article
Mia says
I have often wondered about the safety of putting car seats on top of the shopping carts. It makes me very nervous to even see it. Good tips for parents and grandparents.
Joy says
Thanks for the information. You never know if you might be saving a life by spreading this safety info.
Cindy Kong says
Thanks for this tips, I always make sure my daughter is strapped correctly when she's in her car seat. I get really annoyed or nervous when someone doesn't do it right.
Nikki Strong says
I am guilty of several of these! Thank you for the insight! I didn't realize the danger!
jen st pierre says
Ever since being in terrible accident in 2011 before I had my youngest I knew car seat safety was going to be a #1 priority. I mean I was an adult driver wearing a seat belt and I still ended up having major wrist surgery, major shoulder surgery & a partial splenectomy. To this day my neck is still an issue and I suffer chronic pain. This accident happened in a parking lot to a strip mall which totaled my 2010 Mazda 3. I can't imagine what a child would go through in an accident not properly restrained. Currently extended rear racing my almost 25 mo old till he outgrows the heigh or weight limit to his Diono.
Deb says
I would not have thought about bulky jackets and carseats not mixing.
Aliya Thunder says
I had no clue that children were supposed to stay in a booster seat until so old! I guess things have changed since I was a kid!
Jamie Davis says
Luckily I haven't made this mistakes but when I see others make them I cringe. Every time I try to tell them it's unsafe I get flamed for it. If getting sassy comments from strangers is the cost of a safer baby then so be it. I try to say things like "oh your little is getting so big, she's gonna outgrow her car seat really soon!" But there's always someone who gets offended and it's not always the parents.
Sarah Phillips says
Wow, thank you for sharing this important list of car seat mistakes we could all be making. I never knew the dangers of placing a car seat on the shopping cart! Number 3, "Bundling your child up in a winter jacket before putting them in their carseat" is one that I am guilty of. I'll make sure to keep these tips in mind and pass on this crucial information!
Helen Nordstrom says
Thank you for all the tips. The bully winter coat one was one I wasn't familiar with but makes sense. I want to keep my little one as safe as possible and all these tips help!
kayla leadman says
I am so glad these tips and info are here on your review. I seen someone place there baby on the shopping cart like this post is talking about. Long story short The car seat fell and scared the crap out of everyone and the poor baby. I will not be placing any child seat on a shopping cart after seeing first hand what can happen.
Joellen G. says
These are some great reminders. As a parent, it is important to be educated and informed on car seat safety.
Samyra says
I've been guilty of the first two before I learned otherwise from a mom in the store
Alyssa says
#3 is a great thing to remember! Often you can be in such a hurry that it's easy to forget this!
Ashley Cardoso says
Car seat safety is a must and is so important. Accidents can happen at any given time and it's crucial that your child is strapped in the proper way to avoid any injuries. I'm a second time mom and I still read up about car seat safety. It's important for every parent to know whether you're having your first or your fifth. Thank you for such a great article, it was very informative!
April P says
This is a great list! I am pinning it, so I can share it with my other mommy friends.
Natalie says
Where I live it is very cold outside. I would have never thought of the bulky jacket car seat mistake!
Chasta howes says
Great tips. Carseat safety is extremely important. I never knew about the car seats with the shopping buggies bc it seemed like tight fit and didn't seem to move around so will keep in mind for my new baby
Lisa Garland says
These are really good tips. I have done the bulky coat one, gonna change that now!!
Dagmar Moretti says
I didnt realize until recently that kids shouldnt wear bulky jackets in the carseat
brittany Pinheiro says
Safety shouldn't be taking lightly. Always do things correctly and as instructed
Jennifer says
I love seeing these tips, they cannot be published enough. Thank you. Everyone thinks my son is always strapped too tightly in his seat. No he isn't, you just don't strap your child properly. I also cringe everytime I see a mother with their child on top of a grocery cart. Please continue to publish and share these life saving tips!
Shannon F. says
The best tip is putting the car seat on top of a grocery cart! Nice tips to know about because many of us don't realize them.
Amanda Schaeffer says
These are great tips I really like that you mentioned about putting the baby in the basket of the shopping cart and not the front because I see it everyday it's a mistake I made as a first time mother until someone pointed out the dangers.Thank you for sharing this car seat safety is so important 🙂
Carrie Hoffman says
I am guilty of resting the car seat on the cart with my first now I know better!
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
Good tip about not sitting the car seat on the top of the cart. I used to baby wear when shopping with my babies! 🙂 If they were sound asleep or it was really cold and I needed to get in the store quickly, I would place the car seat in the bottom part of the cart so it was safe and put my items in the seat part. lol!
Michelle Hughes says
Good reminders! Especially the chest clip one!
Dorothy Boucher says
what a great review, I love that you took the time and put in the video for parent to watch also the pictures . I am always careful and I have seen even my own daughter allow one of her children to unbuckle and I always scream NO!! never until the key is out of the ignition,, that is how I was taught,, so thanks for sharing this great information with all of us.. Safety is so important..
Joye Rast says
I see so many people that don't buckle their children in their seat correct. After being an accident investigator for a police department and seeing children are seriously hurt in car seats not properly buckled and children that don't get hurt by being buckled into their seats properly; really opens your eyes as to how important proper buckling is. Thanks for great info!
Jo-Ann Brightman says
Safety regulations have changed so much since my kids were young , but my son and daughter have read up and gone to a class to make sure everything is done correctly.
Sherry Conrad says
This is a great post. So very different from when my girls were in car seats. Glad to know I am doing it correctly with the grandsons. It is very easy to make a little mistake, which I have seen several times, fortunately the parents took the advice without getting all huffy or anything.
Linda Mannst says
This is alot of great information. We can never be to careful when we take our children in the car and out shopping. Thank you so much for this great article
Tiffany LaCourse says
I tell people all the time not to put baby in a coat and then in the car seat. I always tell them they're supposed to dress them in a warm outfit and cover with blankets and/or a carseat canopy. Thanks for the opportunity!
christie lopanec says
I wish it was easier to get them in and out,always such a fight.
Jennifer Odom says
Car seat safety is so important! Do your research and find a seat that fits your child and car! 🙂
Michelle Golemi says
I have probably broken some of these! Thanks for the info 🙂
Richard Hicks says
I am glad to see this post. So many parents get it wrong and this will go a long way educating them.
maria c says
Thanks for this post. I appreciate this information.
Christina Strapp Lambert says
Thank you for posting this! Since my daughter has been born, I am constantly researching car seat safety. It is very important to me as a mother to make sure I can make her as safe as possible.
Lily Kwan says
This car seat information is very helpful. Thanks for sharing!