The Top Selling Car Safety Seats

A top rated child car safety seat will meet all child car safety seat regulations and be within the child car safety seat laws for the country and state you are in. It is important that you child fit properly in the car seat and you can get convertible seats that can be adjusted as your child grows. You should be prepared to have a car seat until your child is eight, as most states are changing their laws in order to keep children safe in cars.

Which Type Is Best?
All of the car seats sold in the U.S. have to pass the federal crash tests, though some have additional features that make them easier to install or use. Many times installation is a problem for parents and most children are hurt in accidents because the car seat was not properly installed or the child was not secured properly. As long as the basic car seats are installed properly they will keep your child safe.

It is important that your baby fit in the seat, so choose a seat based on your child's age, weight and height. A rear facing seat should only be used when your child is less than 20 lbs, then a forward facing seat is needed. In a rear facing seat, your baby's head should not come within an inch of the top and in a forward facing seat the tops of the ears should be below the top of the seat.

Used Child Car Seats
Stay away purchasing a used car seat unless you can get a good history of the seat. You need to know that the seat was crash tested and it should still have the proper tags on it. If the seat was in a crash then there may be hidden damage that will cause it to fail in another crash. Also, the older the seat gets the more brittle the plastic will become. Brittle plastic will break when put under pressure.

Top Rated Child Car Seats

There are many top rated seats but convertible seats are a good deal because they can be used both rear facing as well as forward facing.

• Britax. Britax car seats are quite popular as they are easy to use. Most children can use this seat until they are five or six and then they outgrow it, so it has a longer life than other child car seats. They use the LATCH system as well as built in lock offs. It also uses top tethers which are extra safety features
• Graco. Graco My Ride was the first to have a rear facing seat that could handle a 40 pound child. There is extra infant padding, which makes it nice and snug for a tiny baby. The LATCH system is color coded so you are not confused between the latches need for forward facing and rear facing configurations
• Simpson. Simpson child car safety seats are designed for children up to 100 pounds. It uses a racing theme with a five point harness, which can be converted to a belt/booster seat as your child grows. It is comes with a high back though it can be changed to no back. The seat has excellent crash test ratings and has reinforced steel in the frame
• Recaro. Recaro has specially trained staff members who are experts when it comes to their products, in order to support the highest quality seats. Some of the features of Recaro Child Seats include ergonomic seating—winning the AGR (Aktion Gesunder Rücken or "Healthy Back Campaign") Seal of Approval, impact absorbing EPS foam, stain resistant Microfibres® fabric durability, safety belt guides and a 1 year warranty
• Safety 1st. Safety 1st makes back facing child seat and other car seat safety products. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives Safety 1st a rating of "A." They were one of the first companies to create an extensive "childproofing" line. They are known for their unique products that offer extensive features at reasonable rates. Their Vantage Point Booster seat has won the Editors' Choice Award from BabyTalk magazine, and their onBoard infant car seat has won the Editors' Choice Award from Fit Pregnancy Magazine
• Orbit Baby. Orbit has a BBB rating of "B-." They specialize in baby accessories including sophisticated designed car seats, providing safe, easy and stylish products. The founders talk with other parents, read blogs, reviews and product information sites to determine common complaints with car safety seat products on the market, which helps them create their child-traveling solutions
• Sunshine Kids. Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products is rated "A" by the BBB. Their state-of-the-art car seats blend ease-of-use and safety to create dependable items. Not only are they a reputable American company, they are now well known in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe for their functional car seat safety products. In 2009 alone, Sunshine Kids won the Consumers Digest Best Buy award, the Wize Award, the Creative Child Magazine's 2009 Top Choice Award, the Creative Child Magazine's 2009 Seal of Excellence, they have been the Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) Winner and have won the Mom's Best Award

Features of the Best Child Car Seat Covers

There are many accessories that can be used with a child car seat such as child car seat covers. You can find custom child car seat covers, waterproof seat covers, disposable covers, universal covers and much more. The nice thing about the vast majority of these seat covers is that they can fit many car seats, so you are not limited with your car seat cover choices.

• Manufacturer made. When choosing a cover, make sure it meets all safety standards. Buying a manufactured car seat cover will ensure that the material is not flammable, as they all are coated with low-odor or odorless flame retardant protectants. This is why you also need to follow the instructions when cleaning the car seat. If you use a non-manufactured seat cover, you may actually be breaking the law
• Extra insulation. You can also use child seat car covers to provide some extra insulation, particularly during the cooler months. Make sure the fabric does not irritate your child and it should be warm but should not be a substitute for gloves and shoes
• Inspector approved. Most car seat manufacturers do not endorse covers, as they are considered a third party accessory. You need to be careful and get one that fits properly. If you don't position the seat correctly then the cover may actually interfere with the harness. To make sure your car seat cover fits properly you can visit a car seat inspection station and they will let you know of any issues. The inspector will let you know if you installed the seat and the cover properly
• Proper materials. You have a range of material, colors and prints to choose from. Be choosy about the material as some can be slippery and not hold your child in place properly. Stiffer fabrics may restrict movement, which can be uncomfortable. Make sure you feel the material before your purchase
• Crash tested. The best baby cars seat covers to choose from are those that have actually been involved in crash testing. These covers provide your child the best protection. You can feel confident knowing your child is completely safe and the cover itself is not a safety risk. Take some time to see what is available or if there is a seat cover that was made specifically for your child car seat

Related Questions and Answers

Where Can You find Britax Car Seat Accessories?

It's a fairer question to ask where can you find Britax car seat accessories. There are seven major chains that offer the complete line of accessories. Not only does Britax have its own site, but you can also find Britax accessories at Babies R Us, and Land of Nod. As well as at the major online retailers, such as Target, Amazon, and Toys"R"Us. There's even one smaller line that features quality goods elitecarseats.com. Car seats are among the most important feature you can purchase to keep your baby safe, and any one of the outlets mentioned will be able to help you out with Britax products.

What Baby Car Seat Model Provides the Most Head Support?

The best baby car seat head support is provided by several models, each of which drew rave reviews last summer. The Summer Infant Cradle provides your child with the best infant head support to be found. Then there's the SnugZee baby car seat and pillow that also provide your child with super support and protection. There's also the Hula version of the SnugZee that will give your baby great protection. If your baby is larger, then be sure that the seat provides adequate protection in the outer rear seating position. Remember the baby's first line of defense is that the seat faces the rear and has a great shell.

What are some Features that Make Up the Safest Child Car Seat?

The safest child car seat is best typified by these features: (1) It takes advantage of all tie-down points available. (2) It has a sturdy shell that will work only in the rear seat and faces the rear, surrounding your child with an armored shell, so to speak. (3) They can be used as baby carriers so that you do not have to have several different devices in your vehicle. (4) They prevent any sort of interaction with the car's airbag system that can harm a baby. (5) They do not work in the front right seat position, as they must still be installed in the rear.