TIP #4: IS THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT SECURE IN THE VEHICLE?

  • To do its job, a child safety seat must be held tightly against the vehicle seat back. If the lap part of the safety belt is not tight or the child safety seat slides around on the vehicle seat, the child may not be protected by the safety seat.

  • ALWAYS read the instructions that come with the child safety seat and the section on child safety seats (child restraints) in the vehicle owner's manual.

  • If you cannot attach the seat tightly, contact the child safety seat or vehicle manufacturer customer service number for help or contact the U.S. Department of Transportation Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236) or www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
WARNING: The back seat is the safest place in a crash. Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in back. Infants riding rear-facing must NEVER be placed in front of an active air bag. Infants must ALWAYS ride facing the rear of the car.

HOW TIGHTLY SHOULD A CHILD SAFETY SEAT BE ATTACHED?

convertible seat 5-point harness showing forward and rear-facing belt paths (a)

The lap part of the belt must hold the child safety seat firmly in place.

  • Place the safety belt through the correct belt path (A) and pull all the slack out of the lap part of the belt.

  • To make it tight, push the child safety seat down into the vehicle seat cushion and pull the belt. Push down on the child safety seat with your full weight to get the belt really tight (B, C).

  • To check for a tight fit, grasp the child safety seat where the belt is holding it and pull the safety seat toward the front of the vehicle and move it from side to side.

  • If the belt loosens (D) or the child safety seat slides forward or sideways more than one inch, the child may not be well protected. You may need to use a locking clip or try another seating location in the vehicle.
proper installation of child safety seat (b)
proper installation of child safety seat (b)
loose safety belt holding seat (d)

Some lap and shoulder belt systems may require the use of a locking clip. Check the vehicle owner's manual. If a locking clip is needed, follow these steps:

proper installation of locking clip (e)
  • Put the belt through the child safety seat's correct belt path (A) and buckle it.

  • Push down on the child safety seat. Pull up on the shoulder end of the belt until the lap belt is pulled tight.(C)
  • Hold the two parts of the belt together at the latchplate and unbuckle it the belt.

  • Put both parts of the belt through the locking clip as shown (E), close to the latchplate.

  • Buckle the belt again. If you put the clip on correctly, the belt will now stay tight around the child safety seat.

Remove the locking clip when the belt is not holding a child safety seat.

WARNING: This is the ONLY way a regular locking clip that comes with most child safety seats may be used. Using it any other way or on any other type of safety belt can cause serious injuries.

A TETHER CAN HELP KEEP A CHILD SAFETY SEAT SECURE.

seat showing tether and adjuster (f)
  • A tether is a strap that connects the top of a child safety seat to an anchor bolted to the vehicle's frame (F). A tether strap helps keep a safety seat tightly installed.

  • Tethers are used along with the vehicle safety belt or a lower anchorage system, LATCH (see below).

  • Almost all forward-facing child safety seats manufactured after September 1, 1999, have a tether strap.

  • Some manufacturers have tether kits for their older safety seats. Do not attempt to install a tether on a child safety seat not made to use one.

  • Almost all passenger vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2000, and many late 1990s vehicles are required to have tether anchors. They can be located in many different places; check the vehicle owner's manual for instructions.

  • Many older vehicles have holes pre-drilled above or behind the rear seat; some vehicles have pre-threaded nuts installed. Read the vehicle owner's manual for more details.

TO USE A TETHER:

  • Properly install the child safety seat using the vehicle safety belt system or LATCH system.

  • Attach the tether hook to the correct anchor point in the vehicle; check owner's manual.

  • Pull tether strap adjuster (F) so the strap is snug.

  • Some tethers have a metal slide adjuster to tighten the strap. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
WARNING: ALWAYS follow the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions for using the tether strap. Do NOT use the tether strap for rear-facing seats unless the manufacturer provides instructions to do so. Use ONLY designated tether anchor locations. Using anything else, such as cargo tie-downs, can cause serious injury to a child.

A NEW CHILD SAFETY SYSTEM: LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN (LATCH)

flexible LATCH system (g)
rigid LATCH system (h)

LATCH is designed to make child safety seat installation easier. LATCH is required on all child safety seats and in all vehicles made after September 1, 2002. With the LATCH system, the vehicle safety belt is not used.

  • Vehicles will have a top tether anchor and two lower anchor points. The lower anchor points can be found between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back.

  • Most child safety seats will have a top tether strap and all will have two lower attachments. The lower attachments are hooks or connectors attached to straps (flexible, G) or part of the child seat frame itself (rigid, H).

  • Flexible attachments have adjusters (G) to tighten the straps. To check for a tight fit, grasp the child safety seat where the straps are holding it and pull the safety seat toward the front of the vehicle and move it from side to side. The safety seat should not move more than one inch.

ALWAYS read and follow the child safety seat instructions and the vehicle owner's manual!


nhtsa people saving people logo For more information, contact the DOT Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT
(1-888-327-4236) or www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Illustrations from Indiana University School of Medicine

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