Infant Car Seat Buying Guide

Vehicle Compatiblity

Whether you’re buying your first infant car seat or replacing one that’s worn or has been damaged in an accident, it’s not always possible or convenient to get a feel for the seat with your baby inside it. You can, however, get a feel for how the seat fits your vehicle. Installing the car seat and getting familiar with locking and unlocking the restraints is a critical task. Little comes close to physically carrying the model you’re interested in, putting into and taking it out of your car multiple times - some infant car seats for example, most notably Britax brand, have great height and may not fit your compact car.

The instructions that come with infant car seats are there to help. Read them carefully along with your vehicle owner’s manual for further information regarding safe and proper car seat installation. Many manufacturers are starting to include videos for installation or make them available at their Web sites. You can also visit http://www.seatcheck.org/ for information and guides to local help.

For many reasons most reputable companies, magazines and Web sites, including Consumer Reports, have generally avoided singling out just one car seat to recommend. The fact is that many of them are good for the job, and despite some confusing media surrounding Consumer Reports crash tests, nearly all seats are safe. The Federal Government does rate infant car seats, convertibles and booster seats on an “Ease of Use” scale (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm). Some seats earned As and other Cs, but no seat earned a failing grade. The ratings themselves may be difficult to apply, but they prove the field of infant car seat choices is solid.

A word about ratings or “The Consumer Reports Mistake.”

On January 4, 2007, Consumer Reports magazine erroneously declared 10 out of 12 car seats tested failed its safety tests. This conclusion alarmed both consumers and car seat manufacturers. Consumer Reports recalled the study two weeks later on January 18, 2007, citing a mistake in testing criteria. Tests meant to be conducted at 38mph were actually conducted at 70mph. They withdrew their study, apologized to both readers and the manufacturers, and pledged to enlist outside help going forward. The revised conclusion is that all car seats that they rated ‘unsafe’ are actually quite safe.

Weight, size and fit

Infant car seats differ from other car seats and booster seats in that nearly all include a collapsible shield to shield the elements, a swinging handle, and often a plastic base unit that attaches to your vehicle’s seat or stroller. The weight of your infant’s car seat will be a key consideration, especially if you are a city-dweller or your average day includes taking several flights of stairs. Infant car seats alone weigh between 6 and 10lbs so the real test is carrying the seat with a sleeping 18lb baby inside it.

Car Seat Name	Weight Without Base	Weight With Base
Graco Snugride	7.24 lbs	12.64 lbs
Combi Center Seat	8.6 lbs	16.3 lbs
Baby Trend Flex Loc	8.5 lbs	N/A

Ease of use outside the car

If you will be traveling by air with your child, you may want to purchase an Airline Travel System. Infant car seats for air travel should be no wider than 16” in order to fit into coach-class seats. Good air travel seats will also feature a restraint certification label (“This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft”) and airline staff looks for this certification. Not all seats are equal, however, so be sure to check the manufacturer’s recommendations. Travel systems may be airplane-seat only or, like Britax’s travel system, comprised of an airplane-ready car seat, base and stroller.

Ability to Meet Special Needs

Is your baby a preemie? Does he/she have difficulty breathing or other special health needs? Some infant car seats come with optional ‘low birth weight’ inserts and new products like the Car Bed allow babies to remain prone while still meeting federal safety restraint guidelines.

Additional features, value and ratings

How much should you spend on your infant car seat? Prices range from $59.99 (Evenflo Tribute) to over $350 (Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat in Tiffany) and with federally-mandated safety standards, what you pay is up to you. Spending more doesn’t mean you’re getting a safer infant car seat (although it may get you one that’s more attractive or brand named). Features like Graco’s level indicator, a visual aid that indicates whether the seat is installed correctly, may add to cost, but for some it’s worth the peace of mind.

It’s common for reviewers to cite the ‘exorbitant’ prices of infant car seats, but when you consider the precious cargo and government statistics—“Child safety seats reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71% for infants, and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4 years”— they’re a bargain, no matter the price.

What does a higher-priced infant car seat get you? Features like EPS foam padding, cup holders or easy-to-clean microfiber fabric that matches the interior of your SUV. These features can be nice to have, but the seat they come with may not be the best choice for your child. Experts agree that the car seat that’s right for your child is the one that fits your child tightly, and your vehicle correctly when installed properly. If your infant car seat comes with or can work with accessories, pay close attention to the manufacturer’s guaranty and warranties. If you purchase accessories separately from the car seat or purchase them from the manufacturer’s competitors, they may void the car seat’s warranty.

Need to know more?

• The Government’s Ease of Use Ratings
  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm
• Is it right for my car?
  http://www.carseatdata.org/index.php
• Best Bets
  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/child-car-booster-seats/reports/how-to-choose/index.htm
• Make sure it fits right after you bought it
  http://www.seatcheck.org
• State Laws on Child Restraint
  http://www.statehighwaysafety.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html