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Car Seat Basics |
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Car Seat Basics
Car seats are complicated even for the most experienced people. You should always read your child's car seat manual and have your installation checked by a restraint technician.
This page contains some basic seat concepts that apply to most child restraints, this however does not cover them all.
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A car seat or child restraint is a plastic or polystyrene seat, containing metal and fabric parts that is made specifically use in a motor vehicle. There are many types of car seats on the market and each serves a different purpose based on your children's height and weight and age.
A car seat is required by law for all children under 5 years of age in New Zealand and 7 years where one is available. Children over the age of 8 are required to use an adult seat belt, and where one is not available, must sit in the rear seat of the car.
For more on child restraint law, click here.
Car seats are also known as
Child Restraint
Capsule
Convertible
Combined booster
Booster seat
Full Booster
Half booster
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According to NHTSA, a rear-facing car seat is 71 percent safer than no restraint at all, and a forward-facing car seat is 54 percent safer than no restraint at all.
Keeping your baby rear-facing to the limit of the seat is the safest choice. Age is not a factor, as long as the child is kept rear facing for a minimum of 12 months.
Source: www.babyproducts.about.com
A car seat correctly positions an integral harness, or adult belt over your child's body to offer them the safest option when in a car. The safest car seat is one that correctly fits your child, and your car and that is used correctly all the time. This includes using the top tether strap if your restraint comes with one.
Without a car seat your child is not secured within the car and is potentially going to fly from the car, through the windscreen in an accident, this could be life threatening or fatal.
Always use a seat that best suits your child's needs - age, height, weight and maturity. I've not yet met any 2 year old who can sit correctly in a booster seat. Always use your child's car seat until the maximum weight (unless your child is too tall for the seat) has been achieved, before graduating to the next type.
Only use a child restraint that is approved to standards accepted in New Zealand. We accept NZ "S" Mark, Australia's "5 Ticks", and UK ECE 44.03 standards. Seats from America must also display the NZ "S" mark.
Read about Standards in NZ here.
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Roll your mouse over each car seat view below to see what is where. *Variations may occur between brands, Safe-n-sound Premier shown.
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Front of car seat Visible is the harness slots - some seats come with infant inserts or padding that may cover these slots. You can remove the insert once your child is big enough. Harness straps to secure your child Buckle to connect the harness together Front adjuster strap to loosen and tighten integral harness |
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Side of car seat Tether strap to secure seat to vehicle Seat belt lock offs to prevent seat belt slack and helps to keep seat secure Instruction & warning labels for correct child restraint use Belt path - forward facing at the rear of the seat and rear facing at the front of the seat, under the cover. |
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Back of seat Tether strap from sides of car seat - some models are from the middle only Harness slots from the front where straps hook up to splitter plate Tether hook to connect to tether bolt Standards sticker - all child restraints must display a sticker somewhere on the seat The base is what is placed on the vehicle seat, some can recline, others only sit up right for forward facing and recline when used rear facing. |
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That 100% of children under 5 years of age require a child restraint
90% of 6 to 8 year olds require a booster seat as does
50% of 9 to 10 year olds and
10% of children aged 10 to 12 years.
These children still need to use some form of child restraint, this is most likely a booster seat for older children and a harnessed car seat for younger children. This does not mean that children out grow their car seat the day they turn 5. Remember your child is 5 years old until the day of their 6th birthday.
How can I tell?
If my child has outgrown their car seat?
If my child is big enough to use an adult belt?
Next: Stages of use >>