The best location for your car seat is in the middle of the backseat. If you can't get a good fit there (the seat moves less than 1" when tugged at the belt path) then either outboard position in the back is safe. Children under the age of 13 should always ride in the back seat. NEVER put a rear-facing seat in front of an airbag.

The middle of the back seat is considered the safest position for a child in a car. This position is furthest from any possible point of impact.

Generally, yes. Though there appears to be no evidence that this is unsafe, at least one company, Evenflo, used to recommend that you do NOT install many of their carseat models in front of a fold-down armrest. Ford has a similar recommendation for some of its vehicles. Please consult the owner's manual of your vehicle and carseat before making this decision.

Airbags can be deadly to infants in rear-facing carseats, and to children 12 and under using the seatbelts. The front seat is generally not recommended for children 12 and under. The airbag MUST be disabled if you must use a rear-facing child seat in the front. Some vehicles without a rear seat, especially pickup trucks, have an on/off switch for this purpose. If a child must ride in the front, you should also move the front seat as far back as it will go.

Answer: This scenario is OK, and one of the reasons there are such backed booster seats. The BAD scenario is when you have a backless booster and the child's head (by the ears) is above the back of the vehicle seat. In the event of a crash with the child in this scenario, there is a possibility of whiplash because the head/neck is not supported. Answer: Absolutely.

Currently the gogo kidz only works with the Britax car seats; however we have a new model that will be released in late June/July that will accommodate other major brand car seats.

Answer: Currently there are not. Graco considers safety a top priority. With that in mind, Graco has tested their car seat accessories with Graco car seats.

We admit that there's a slight disadvantage in purchasing your car seat online since you're not able to 'try before you buy'. However, we have the detailed specifications for each seat on our website. Also, there's a great resource website called www.CarSeatData.org that has an online database of car seat and vehicle compatibility. The information is compiled by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians.

Every third Thursday of the month, from 10:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M., Bend Fire offers free help to install your child car seat correctly. The clinic is held at 1212 SW Simpson Avenue.

No. Isaac®can be used with any racing seat provided it has normal, three-inch wide belts. A more reclined angle allows more body motion forward, regardless of the head and neck product you use, but does not alter the general range of head and neck loads. Also, it works great with an office chair! Just attach some belts to the chair and jump in with your helmet and Isaac® for some great holiday party fun.

Many parents think their children are too big for car seats or have outgrown their booster seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that children should be restrained in a booster seat until they are 4'9" and about 80 pounds. Regular seat belts are made for men who are 5'10" and 160 pounds. They are not designed to secure a child under 80 pounds. Yes, this quite possibly means that your 10 year old should still be in a booster seat!

The truth is, there is not a "best" car seat. The best style of seat is one with a five-point harness system. Other than that, find a car seat that fits your car, your child and your budget. Remember that spending more does not always equal a safer seat.

No. The safety standard does not require that both systems be used together. Child restraints are tested to ensure compliance with Federal safety standards when (1) attached to a vehicle using the LATCH system, and (2) attached using the vehicle belt system without LATCH. The LATCH system was designed to make child safety seat installation easier, without using seat belts. Yes, as long as it does not interfere with a secure fit of the child safety seat and correct installation.

Answer: First, try to remove the headrest to promote a better fit/match to the vehicle seat contour. If you cannot remove the headrest, try another seating position or raise/lower the headrest to minimize the interference. Also, you could recline the vehicle seat slightly to make up for the interference. If the interference is extreme, and other alternatives don't work, and your child is within the correct height and weight, remove the back and use the booster as a backless booster.

Maybe. Integrated carseats, especially those with a harness, may have some disadvantages when used as the primary restraint for a child: Emergency personnel often prefer to remove a child in a separate carseat. This keeps the child immobilized in case of head/spinal injury, and may allow for safer transport in the ambulance. Integrated seats do not function rear-facing. Rear-facing is safest for children, and many separate carseat models allow for rear-facing use to 30 or 35 lbs.

For front-facing child seats, or if you don't have a passenger-side airbag: you can if you want, but as always, the safest place by far is in the back. For rear-facing child seats, and if your car has a passenger-side airbag: the one-word answer is "No" (the two-word answer is "Definitely Not"). The reason for this is that an airbag can suddenly push the child seat up and back with a lot of force, which will likely throw the baby from the seat and cause injury.

Most airlines accept car seats in addition to normal carry on or checked luggage provided approved space is available. When checking your car seat on a US Domestic or International flight you can bring your car seat to the gate to be loaded there. If checking a car seat as luggage the original box/packaging should be used. A liability release form must be signed.

MCHD has a certified child passenger safety technician on staff. If you live in or near Marquette County, Michigan and would like to have your child's car seat checked, contact Diane Curry at 906-315-2612 or dcurry@mqtcty.org. If you live outside the county, contact Diane to obtain contact information for all currently certified Upper Peninsula child passenger safety technicians.

Unfortunately, there is no escape-proof car seat. Children who learn how to get out of one kind of car seat quickly learn how to escape from others. However, based on a study in which SafetyBeItSafe U.S.A. participated, most children respond to parental firmness quickly. For the others, there is hope! First, make sure that the shoulder straps are in the correct slots, that the harness is very snug, and that the retainer clip is in place at armpit level.

After you have read the instructions for both the safety seat and the vehicle, follow these steps to install the safety seat. First, compress the vehicle seat cushion by pushing down on the safety seat. Then remove all of the slack from the LATCH strap (see instructions for rigid LATCH hardware) or the vehicle belt. Finally, if using the vehicle belt, test the lap portion to make sure it is "locked" to prevent gradual loosening.

In order to legally take someone else with you on a flight, you must become an instructor. This only requires that you complete the initial training, accumulate 25 hours of solo flight time and then get back with you instructor to be given a test. Once you are a qualified instructor, you may fly and train other people.

Our seat cover was designed to fit a broad range of vehicles. Your vehicle must have fold-down seats or be accessible from the back (eg: vans) for this seat cover to fit properly. Elastric straps must be placed around the back of the seat for secure fit. Please refer to the Product page for more detailed explanation.

The best way is to try it out in your car before you buy the safety seat. You may have problems if the vehicle seat has deep contours, humps, or certain types of safety belts. Read the installation instructions that came come with the safety seat. You may need special equipment from the dealer to install your seat safely. Look in the index of your vehicle owner's manual under "child restraint," and read about installation. A safety seat should not wobble, pivot, slide side-to-side, or tip over.

MCHD has a certified child passenger safety technician on staff. If you are interested in getting your family's car seat needs evaluated contact Diane Curry at 906-315-2612 or dcurry@mqtcty.org. Free car seats are not available at MCHD.

When Michigan does mandate restraint use, it requires the driver to secure both the child safety seat and the child properly. Michigan Enforcement Fines: Driver fined maximum $10 for child restraint violation. Driver fined $25 for safety belt violation by occupants 4 through 15. Offender fined $25 for safety belt violation if 16 and older. Other states may require a child sit in a child restraint system up to the age of 8.