Keep babies rear-facing in a convertible seat until they reach age two and the maximum height or weight allowed by the manufacturer. 

Rear-facing occupants are safest.

Installing Tips

• Never buy a used car seat if you do not know its full history and never use a car seat that has been in a crash.
• Do not use any products in the car seat that did not come from the manufacturer. Car seat inserts that are provided with the seat have been crash tested with the seat. Adding extra inserts, can pose a suffocation hazard or impact the effectiveness of the seat in the event of a crash. Avoid attaching any toys to the car seat as this can be a projectile in a crash.
• Find where the frontal airbags are in your vehicle by checking the owner’s manual. Never put a rear-facing car seat in front of an active or sensor airbag. If an airbag cannot be turned off, do not install a rear-facing car seat in that seating location. Children are always safest in a back seat.
• Install the rear-facing car seat at a semi-reclined angle, no more than 45 degrees, so the infant head stays in contact with the seat and the airway stays open. Read the car seat manufacturers’ instructions. Rear-facing car seats contain a level indicator of some kind to ensure you have installed it at the correct angle. Be sure to install on a flat ground.
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions. Read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system, and check height and weight limits of the LATCH system.
• Use either the vehicle seat belt or the lower anchors of the LATCH system to lock the car seat into the car. Do not use both systems at the same time, as both were not crash tested together. Lower anchors are required in motor vehicles manufactured after 2002 and are in at least two seating positions.
• Your car seat should not move more than one-inch side to side or front to back. Grab the car seat at the safety belt path or LATCH path to test it.
• Have your car seat checked by a certified child passenger safety technician to make sure it is properly installed.

Proper Use of Rear-Facing Seats

• The harness straps should be snug. Be sure the harness is tight, so you cannot pinch extra webbing at the shoulder.
• Position the shoulder straps through the slots at or below shoulder level.
• Adjust the chest (retainer) clip to armpit level. The chest clip should be on the sternum and not on the soft tissue of the stomach. If the event of a crash the chest clip is designed to hold the straps over the shoulders.
• All car seats have an expiration date. Generally, it ranges from six to ten years, but contact the car seat manufacturer to learn what the expiration date is for your specific seat. Manufacturer’s contact information can be found on the car seat and/or the owner’s manual.
• Check the car seat owner’s manual to determine the position of the carry handle when traveling in the vehicle (rear-facing infant seat only).
• Never remove any of the stickers placed on the car seat by the manufacturer. Consider attaching a child identification sticker in the event of a crash so that emergency responders would have relevant information.
• Most children will outgrow the rear-facing (infant) only car seat before the age of two and caregivers should buy a convertible car seat that works rear-facing and forward-facing.