15 Most Common Car Seat Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even seemingly minor car seat installation mistakes can make your child’s seat less safe. The examples on the left show what not to do, while the images on the right demonstrate the proper technique.

Correct installation is key, but it’s also possible to make your child’s car seat less safe by using it incorrectly. The photos below show what not to do (left) and what you should do (right) when securing your child in a car seat.

In addition to installing and using your child’s car seat correctly every time, avoid these other common car seat mistakes—while some might seem like no big deal, they can impact your child’s safety in the event of a crash.

Many families hang on to car seats for younger siblings, but it’s important to check that your seat hasn’t reached its expiration date before passing it to a sibling or friend. “It’s important to check your car seat’s expiration date and follow it, as parts can degrade or wear out, meaning that an older car seat won’t provide the same level of protection as a newer model,” says Waller. If you can’t find the expiration date on the manufacturing label, check the car seat owner’s manual or do the math based on the date of manufacture—most seats have a lifespan of about six to 10 years.

Car seats are no longer considered safe if they’ve been in a moderate or severe crash. “The incredibly strong forces at work during a collision can put stress on the car seat and compromise its structural integrity,” says Waller. “That could impact its ability to protect your child in a future crash.”

You may be able to keep a car seat after a minor crash, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines as one in which the seat wasn’t visibly damaged, the vehicle could be driven away from the crash site, the door closest to the car seat wasn’t damaged, no passengers sustained injuries, and the airbags didn’t deploy. If any of the above happened during a crash, the seat should be retired for your child’s safety.

“Even if you don’t see any damage, hairline cracks could be present in the shell of the car seat, which might not be visible, even to a passenger safety technician,” says Waller. “It’s a good idea to check your car seat’s manual for safety information after a crash, and to contact the manufacturer’s customer service department with any questions—or if it’s unclear from the manual what to do next.”

Before you get rid of a car seat after a crash, strip it down to its shell, remove all fabrics, harnesses, and buckles, and mark “Do Not Use” on it—you don’t want strangers thinking it’s a safe freebie. And be sure to check with your insurance company to see whether it will cover the cost of a replacement car seat first, says Waller.

Important safety and recall alerts can be easy for parents to miss. Your best bet is to register your car seat so that you’ll be notified about any recalls, which you can do on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. You can also look up recall information on the Consumer Product Safety Commission site, the federal agency that oversees thousands of household products, by inputting the brand and model name of your car seat.

As a rule, you shouldn’t place additional padding between the seat and your child or between your child and the harness straps—and that includes thick coats. “It’s best to dress your child in lightweight layers if they’ll be riding in their car seat, even in the winter months,” says Waller. “Putting your child in a bulky winter coat or snowsuit adds too much padding between your child’s body and the harness, which will compress dramatically in the event of a crash. That can mean that the harness is too loose to effectively restrain your child.”

Instead, buckle your child into their car seat harness and lightly tuck a warm blanket over their body, outside of the harness. “This can help keep them warm—without interfering with the level of protection the harness can provide,” says Waller.

It can be tempting to turn your child’s rear-facing convertible or all-in-one seat to the forward-facing position once they turn 2. But children are more protected the longer they’re rear-facing because severe head and neck injuries are more likely when kids transition to forward-facing mode too early.

“Switching to a forward-facing car seat before your child reaches the rear-facing height or weight limit of their current car seat can put them at a greater risk for injury if they were to be involved in a crash,” says Waller. “Data shows that the safest position for young children to ride in a vehicle is rear-facing, which helps better mitigate the crash forces in the event of a crash.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, children should remain rear-facing until they meet the very top of the manufacturer’s weight or height limits (whichever comes first). These limits vary but are usually somewhere between 40 and 50 pounds, which many kids won’t reach until age 3 or 4.

You should also wait as long as possible before upgrading to a belt-positioning highback booster seat. “Switching to a booster seat too early could mean that your child isn’t benefitting from a properly positioned vehicle seat belt,” says Waller. “CR’s recommendation is to keep your child in a forward-facing harnessed seat until they outgrow the height or weight limits of that car seat.”

Before you make the switch, you’ll also want to consider whether your child can stay seated appropriately for the duration of the car ride without a harness to keep them in place, she says. “In a booster, your child is totally dependent on the position of the seat belt in protecting them from a crash. It has to be in the proper place to do its job.”

Some kids may also benefit from a harnessed booster seat, which uses a five-point harness instead of the vehicle’s seat belt. These seats can be an especially good choice for children who have trouble keeping a seat belt positioned correctly across their chest and hips. 

Car seat installation can be tricky, especially if it’s your first time. The car seat owner’s manual should be able to address most of your questions, and it’s a smart idea to store the manual with your car seat for future reference. Many seats have a dedicated slot to fit the manual when the car seat is in use, so it’s always on hand. But if you’re having trouble understanding the product manual or can’t seem to get your child’s seat positioned correctly, contact a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) or visit a car seat check station in your area for support.

These technicians can make sure that your child’s seat is installed properly and show you how to position the harness and chest clip correctly, often free of charge. You can find an inspection station near you through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s directory or check Safe Kids Worldwide for a local technician.