Read both the car seat and vehicle manuals before installing

Read the car seat manufacturer's manual and your vehicle owner's manual before installation. Both contain critical information about proper installation methods, harness adjustment, and recline angles specific to your equipment. The NHTSA estimates that a large percentage of car seats are used incorrectly, and most errors stem from not following the manual.

Key Things to Look For

• Installation method: Whether to use LATCH or seat belt, and the specific routing path for your seat
• Recline angle: Rear-facing seats require a specific recline angle (often indicated by a built-in level) to keep the baby's airway open
• Harness height: The harness straps must be at or below the baby's shoulders for rear-facing seats, and at or above for forward-facing
• Chest clip position: The chest clip should sit at armpit level, not on the belly or neck
• Weight and height limits: Both rear-facing and forward-facing modes have separate limits

Tips

• Keep the manual in your glove box or take a photo of key pages on your phone for quick reference
• Watch the manufacturer's installation video in addition to reading the manual -- most brands post these on their websites
• If anything in the manual is unclear, call the manufacturer's customer service line; they have trained staff who can walk you through installation
• Reinstall and recheck fit whenever you move the seat to a different vehicle or seating position