Car Seat Safety
Using a car seat is the best way to keep your children safe while driving in a car. It is the law to use a car seat in every U.S. state while driving in any car, even in a friend’s car or an uber.
IRC will give your family car seats upon your arrival and this seat may be able to be converted to use for multiple ages and stages. We partner with an organization called WeeCycle and we sometimes request car seats if you do need a different seat in the future as your children grow.
How to Use a Car Seat
There are different types of car seats that depend on your child’s weight, size, and age. The car seat will have a tag that says how long a child can use it safely and once the child has outgrown the seat, they must change car seat types. Please ask an IRC staff member to go over your car seat model when you first receive it. You can learn more by exploring these resources.
Rear-Facing Infant Only Car Seats: They are from birth to 22-35lbs. They should also be installed to face the back of the car.
Read-Facing Convertible for Infants & Toddlers: Please read the height and weight limit to know how long a toddler can stay in this type of car seat. Children under 1 year of age must always face the back of the car no matter how much they weigh.
Toddlers & Pre-Schoolers: Children who don’t fit in the rear-facing car seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long up to the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds or more.
School-Aged Children: Booster Seats are used by school aged children. All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age. All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat.
Seat Belt: When children are 4’9” (145cm) tall they can use the vehicle seat belt. They should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for the best protection. All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat.
Each car seat is installed into the car a little differently. You can get help by visiting a child car seat inspection station, set up by the federal government. You can also get help from many local health departments, public safety groups, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and fire departments. Be sure to ask for a certified child passenger safety technician.
Information about car seats provided by IRC
If your child was 0-3 when you arrived, you probably received a Graco Contender Car Seat. This seat can be used rear facing from birth to 40 pounds or forward facing for 22-65 pounds. This seat must always be installed in a vehicle using the seatbelt or latch system and then your child is buckled in the car seat’s harness system. If you received a different car seat, ask if you need help finding instructions.
If your child was 3-5 when you arrived, you probably received a Graco Harness Booster. This seat is only used forward facing. If your child is less than 40 pounds, this seat must be installed in a vehicle using the seatbelt or latch system and then your child is buckled in the car seat’s harness system. From 40-65 pounds it can be used as a high back booster. From 65-100 pounds, this seat can be used as a backless booster. If you received a different car seat, ask if you need help finding instructions.
If your child was 5-7 when you arrived, you received a high back booster. This booster sits on your car seat and the vehicle seatbelt goes around your child and the seat. Around age 8 and 65 pounds, you can remove the back of this seat and only use the booster base. Your child must continue to use this booster seat until they are 4’9” (150cm) tall.
If your child was 8-11 years old when you arrived, you received a backless booster seat. This should be placed on the seat of the car before buckling your child using the vehicle seat belt. Your child must continue to use this booster seat until they are 4’9” (150cm) tall.
Adjusting car seats to fit your child
Make sure the strap holes on the car seat are at or above your child’s ears
The chest belt should be at your child’s sternum
Children should not wear a thick coat in a car seat (bring extra blankets for the car to keep them warm in the winter)