Booster seat installation

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed , times. Learn more Once your child outgrows a car seat child safety seat , he or she is still not big enough to use an adult seat belt in a vehicle. Booster seats are designed to raise your child up higher in your vehicle's seat.

This dramatically reduces the risk of injury in the event of an accident. To install one, first, place the seat on the back seat of your vehicle, which is the safest place for the booster seat to be. Attach any clips or straps on the booster seat to hold it in place.

Once the seat is installed, have your child sit in it with the car standing still to make sure it fits correctly. The shoulder strap of the seatbelt should rest across their chest, while the lap part should be on their stomach. For tips on how to check if the booster seat still fits as your child grows, keep reading!

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Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Shop around and review different booster seat types. They vary in design, material, and price. Choose one that fits your vehicle, suits your child, and meets your current and future needs.

Your child's back is supported by the back of the vehicle's seat. High back booster seats have their own support for your child's back to rest against. These fit within your vehicle's rear seat much like a forward-facing child safety seat.

The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Find car seats for your child by brand, or look up the details of a specific car seat model.

Ease-of-Use Ratings Explained The Car Seat Finder is an easy-to-use tool that lets you compare seats and ease-of-use ratings to find the right car seat for your child. Every car seat needs to be installed using either the lower anchors or a seat belt to secure it in place, never both. With a forward-facing car seat, use a tether if one is available. Before installing your car seat make sure you understand the function and location of the vehicle and car seat parts that are used in installation.

The lower anchors are found in a minimum of two rear seating positions in a vehicle. Typically there are a minimum of three tether anchors in a vehicle.

In some larger vehicles such as vans, pickup trucks, and SUVs, these tether anchors may be found on the back of a vehicle seat, on the floor, the ceiling, or other location. Lower Anchor Attachments Used to install the car seat in a vehicle with lower anchors.

Used to secure a forward-facing car seat and limit forward head movement in a crash. The tether is located on the top rear of convertible, combination, and all-in-one car seats. Most rear-facing car seats in the United States do not use a tether for installation. IMPORTANT: Both installation methods are designed to work with the tether to achieve the highest level of safety for child passengers restrained in forward-facing car seats. Lower anchors have weight limits set by the vehicle and car seat manufacturers.

You can determine the lower anchor weight limit by checking the warning label or installation diagrams located on the side of the car seat. Certified technicians will inspect your car seat free of charge, in most cases, and show you how to correctly install and use it. Some locations now offer virtual inspections.

You may be able to find a tech through Safe Kids Worldwide. Congratulations—you chose the right car seat and installed it correctly.

Registering your seat makes sense: It gives the manufacturer the ability to contact you about recalls and safety notices. If you would like NHTSA to provide your child restraint registration information to the manufacturer, please fill out this Registration Form and mail it to the address below.

You may also e-mail or fax it if you choose. Washington, DC Fax: E-mail: childseatregister dot. Position the bottom edge of the headrest next to the child's shoulders. Release the red adjustment button to engage the back support lock. Grip the clip attached to the shoulder-belt positioning strap. Lift the clip up to the top of the child's shoulders. Slide one edge of the shoulder strap through the gap in the clip.

Pull the strap through until it is completely inside the clip. Tug on the end of the shoulder-belt positioning strap until the clip that is holding the shoulder strap is snug against the child's shoulders. When installing the shoulder-belt positioning strap, use the guide located nearest to the safety strap. In order to use the child seat without the back support, your child must be four to ten years old, weigh 40 to lbs. With the back support, your child must be three to ten years old, weigh 30 to lbs.