Tethers are straps that prevent the top of a carseat from moving forward in a crash. They may also increase overall stability. Many newer cars and carseats are compatible with tethers, or can have them installed. Tethers allow newer carseats to meet stricter safety standards. See:

Many manufacturers now put "expiration" dates on their carseats. Six (6) years is the general recommendation. At most, 10 years is the accepted maximum lifetime of a carseat. The reasons for these limits involve possible degradation of the plastic shell and other parts, the possible loss/breakage of parts and the fact that older seats will often not meet current government safety standards.

The general recommendation is NO. You must replace it and destroy the old one so it can never be used again. Some insurance companies will re-imburse for carseats involved in a crash, and they are required by law to do so in some states. Please call the manufacturer of your carseat if you have any questions. You should also contact your car dealer after a crash, as it is very likely that the seatbelts, LATCH/Tether anchors and integrated child seats may also need to be replaced.

LATCH (also ISOFIX) is not necessarily safer than using seatbelts to install a carseat. It may make it easier to get a safe installation. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. Most newer vehicles and child seats have this system. For more information, see our comprehensive guide:

A tether can help anchor a forward-facing child restraint more securely and reduce head excursion. Manufacturer-supplied tethers should be used and are available on all new forward-facing car seat models. Retrofit kits are available for many older car seats. New child safety seats will have three standard attachments: one on top and two at the base.

Some children can twist out of harnesses at an early age. Others can easily undo the buckle mechanism. Children may also be able to put too much slack in a seatbelt, and some children don't want to use a child restraint or seatbelt at all. Driving is a dangerous activity, and like any other, it requires proper supervision at all times. Parents can try many things.

Currently, the best resource for special needs carseats is a local hospital. You should also be able to contact a local fitting station and a certified technician should be able to put you in contact with someone who can direct you to a source for these carseats. These links have additional information:

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.

Generally, NO, unless it is specifically mentioned in your manual. In the USA, older Safeline Sit-n-Stroll models and some Britax models may use a tether when rear-facing. You can find some instructions for tethering the Britax models in the Britax Online Instructions. Some additional information on the use of the rear-facing Britax Versa-Tether can be found at this site.

Yes, in selected courses. You may use your own car in the Highway Survival Training course, Teenage Defensive Driving course, and High Performance Driving courses. We see everything from Volkswagen Beetles to Ferraris. The type of car isn't as important as the condition of the car. Your vehicle must have proper safety equipment for both driver and passenger and be in good operating order. Our technicians will inspect your car's condition upon arrival, checking tires, brakes, fluids, etc.

The tethers should be replaced whenever involved in a crash, torn, frayed, worn or at a minimum of every 2 years.

There is no single safest child safety seat for all children and vehicles. The safest seat is one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and one you will use correctly each and every time. Please also see:

Grab your carseat at the base, where the seatbelt goes. The base should not move more than an inch (1") side-to-side or front-to-back. Some movement at the top of the seat is normal, though a tether will reduce this movement in forward-facing carseats. Ideally, you want the child coupled as tightly as possible to the harness system and carseat, and the carseat coupled as tightly as possible to the vehicle with the seatbelt or LATCH system.

The center of the rear seat is usually safest since it is farthest from a possible side impact, but only if your carseat fits well in that position. Any position in the rear seat is acceptable unless prohibited by the vehicle or child seat owner's manual.