how to buy a car seat

Car Seat buying guide
The FAQ for most of the parents is “which child safety seat is the safest.” As parents we all get the same answer that the safest is the child restraint system which fits your child, matches your vehicle and comes within your budget. It is common belief that with the correct use of the safest car seat every time, your child is in the safest situation. We would like to give a car seat buying guide telling you some features which enable parents to fit their child and car easily.
Features
There are many features for the improvement of the safety of a car seat.  All available car seats in marketplace are up to the existing government safety requirements and go through standard crash tests.  To be honest with you, there is no safest, ideal car seat for every child and vehicle.  Important factors must be taken into account when it comes to buy the car seat. Though car seats feature few of the following specifications can still ensure the safety, more time and efforts are needed to guarantee the fit problem every time.so,enjoy the following car seat buying guide.
5-point harness.  Experts confirm that 5-point harness is safest, which usually gives the best fit and decreases the chance of ejection. Some designs may easier to use than others.
Wide, twist-free straps.  Some harnesses have straps that are easy to twist.  A twisted strap reduces the area that restrains a child in a crash which can lead to burns or more severe injuries.
Two-piece chest clips.  These are convenient to make use of as well as lower strap twisting possibility. They are often more difficult for a child to detach.
Front harness adjustments.  Some seats come with a mechanism on the front of the car seat in order to modify the tightness of the harness. It is recommended by the experts that the harness be snug, so that you can't pinch any of the strap away from the shoulder.  A tight harness can increase ride-down time, reduce the forward movement of the head in a crash and lower the overall risk of injury.  When it is easier to adjust the tightness, you are more likely to adjust it properly each time, whatever the child is wearing (though bulky clothing under the harness straps are not suggested). 
Built-in locking clips.  The use of a metal locking clip is required by some cars of older generation to make sure the seatbelt holds the car seat properly and doesn't loosen over time.  You will find that these clips are easy to get lost and often used in a wrong way.  A few models feature built-in locking clips which are easy to use and often result in a tighter fit.
Seat belt routing path.  Besides built-in locking clips, some car seats feature seatbelt routing paths for better installations. Cars with sloped rear seats or seatbelt buckles that come out from in front of the crease between the cushion and the back of the seat can make for difficult installations. However, some car seats simply won't work with such seats.  At last, some seatbelt instructions on certain belt-positioning boosters may be prone to use in a wrong way which can result in excess slack in the seatbelt.  In usual cases, you are well advised to install the seat in your car.
Infant carriers with bases.  Most infant carriers come with bases that can be mounted separately.  The base is left in the vehicle, and you can easily mount the carrier or dismount it from the base without having to take the baby out of the harness. What is more, an extra base can usually be bought separately for another car. For the majority of carriers, you can mount them in a car even without the base, but you have to be aware of a few models which demand the base for installation.
Size.  It seems that some seats are too large to fit into cars with small rear seating room, especially when rear-facing. But take it easy. It is no big issue for the majority of car seats. Quite contrary to your belief, it may even be an advantage in a crash.  On occasion it seems necessary for you to choose a narrower model so that more car seats or passengers can fit side-by-side in the rear seat.
Tether strap with easy adjustment.  For the purpose of adjusting the length of the strap and ease for connecting/disconnecting the strap from the anchor, tether strap varies in mechanism. While some have easy-to-use push-button mechanisms, others make use of simple hooks.
Rear-facing tethers and anti-rebound bars.  You can find these features on a few infant and convertible seats.  Based on the model, these features can make improvement of crash performance, reduce the rebound of the rear-facing seat into the vehicle seat and increase the stability of the installation.
Foot Props.  Please notice that no current model in the marketplace of USA adopts a foot-prop to reduce any possible excessive downward rotation in a crash.  This feature is common in other countries, like Australia.  It is likely to increase the safety of rear-facing restraints when it is used with heavier children.
Head impact protection.  Most car seats feature an added layer of EPS foam or special plastic with great similarity to that used in bicycle helmets and protective gear.  Usually speaking, it is recessed into the plastic shell of the seat around the head, and is able to improve crash safety in side impacts, rear impacts and rebounds in frontal crashes.  Some boosters may be mainly comprised of EPS grade foam.  A few newer models tout special side-impact protection features as well.
Adequate room for tall children.  Some car seats come with higher slots than others.  When front-facing, make sure that a child's shoulders are at or below the harness slots.  Some car seats feature higher backs than others.  When front facing, be aware that the tips of a child's ears are not above the top of the car seat, to allow for whiplash protection.  Some seats also have adjustable crotch strap positions for larger children.  An appropriate fit is safer.  Seats that fit taller children may allow you to use the car seat longer.  A few older convertible carseats can have access to the use of the top set of harness slots when front facing, as the other slots may not be reinforced on these models.
Recline.  Some seats have built-in recline adjustments, which can help to get the necessary 45-degree recline for newborns without using rolled-up towels or swim noodles in rear-facing operation. Older babies, toddlers, and preschoolers inn usual cases need less of a recline in a rear-facing car seat. 
For more information about car seat buying guide, plz visit OemCarGps for more information.
You May Also Like