Find the safest car seat for your child

Choosing the proper seat for your baby or child is very important. Their safety depends on it. Here’s your guide to understanding what the best car seats are according to age, weight, and height.

In the product directives, a car seat will be recommended for a certain age, weight, and height range. However, it's possible that when you purchase your child’s next seat, they wot n't fit into the weight or height category. There may be a gap between the range for both seats. In this situation, your child is safer spending a few extra months in the smaller one before making the leap, especially if they don’t yet meet the height requirement. Some kids grow faster while others may get heavier. The main consideration should be your child’s height and the dangers of being too small for a seat, rather than if the seat is slightly too small for them. Staying in the right seat will ensure your child stays safe on the road.

You’ll need to sit your newborn or infant child in a rear-facing car seat for a couple of years. The general rule is to keep them in one until the age two, but pay more attention to the height specifications. Rear-facing seats need to be set up on the backseat of the car, and never in the front. The risk of suffocation from an activated airbag is very high for a rear-facing car seat on the front passenger side.

From about age two to age five, you should sit your child in a forward-facing seat. If your child is smaller, keep them in the rear-facing seat for a bit longer.

The booster seat comes when your child outgrows the front-facing car seat. It’s not so much a seat anymore, but it ensures that the seatbelt supports them in the right areas for their height. Keep your child in a booster seat until a seatbelt sits properly across them, usually when your child reaches 145 centimetres in height.

• Always make sure a child’s seat is properly installed
• Always ensure your child’s seatbelt or harness is securely fastened
• Wear your seatbelt and set a good example
• The safest spot in the car for your child is the middle of the backseat so seat them there as much as possible
• Keep children under 12 in the rear seat, whether in a rear-facing, front-facing, or booster seat.