It’s bizarre really. We choose to go to professionals to consult on so many aspects of our lives, but when it comes to the most precious thing – the best fitting and safest car seat – we seem to be happy to wing it.
In my experience, the first baby is the one that gets the car seats scrutinised; the consumer comparison websites visited over and over, the professional fitter consulted.
The second child is often thrust into the capsule the first one has outgrown and the third child is squeezed into the only seat that fits in between the other two.
Well, that’s the way I did things anyway. (You brave folk with 4 kids or more catch the bus right?)
Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Nissan. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in her own words.
It wasn’t till I happened to drive past a free council seat check one day, that I found out I had done it all very wrong and that my car restraints were possibly about as safe as the last lifeboat on the titanic.
But it seems I’m not alone. Studies show that two thirds of car seats are fitted incorrectly.
So here’s a quick guide to the best way to fit a car seat and a few things you may not know about your car, discovered via the great folk at Kidsafe and Neuroscience Australia.
1. The top tether.
Always use a top tether strap for all rear facing child restraints, forward facing child restraints and booster seats that are equipped with them.
2. The belt.
Always use the correct belt path for the restraint. Be sure there is no slack or looseness in any of the belts anchoring the restraint to the car and avoid twists when possible.
Top Comments
After Jo Abi's sponsored post on the Pathfinder, I went and looked at the specs online. We're up for a new car in 18 months, and we'll be looking for a 7-seater. The specs are surprisingly (or not) coy about whether there are anchor points for the top-tether in the 3rd row of seats.
Tri-zone climate control is nice. Tri-zone entertainment is cute. But anchor points to all 2nd and 3rd row seats is essential. Otherwise we may as well just stick with a 5-seater. The age at which kids are required to be in boosters is always increasing (personally happy about this), but it means that if we want to split the kids across 2 rows of seats on 1000+km drives, or ferry their friends around once weekend sports take over our lives, we need to be able to anchor seats in both rear rows.
I would really like it if someone from Nissan (and other manufacturers of large family cars) could provide this info. It's important.
So checking the CREP rating didn't make the list???? Are you kidding me?!