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Child Carseats

What are the Various Types of Child Carseats

There are three main types of child carseats: infant carseats, convertible child carseats and booster seats.

Infant carseats are for babies up to 22 pounds, or 26 inches. They are rear facing child carseats. Safety experts recommend placing them in the middle of the backseat. These child carseats have a built-in harness to secure your baby.

Convertible child carseats are used rear facing at first, when your baby is young, and can be turned around to be forward facing after your baby's first birthday. These also have built-in harnesses. Convertible child carseats are sometimes called infant-toddler carseats.

Child carseats for young children are called booster seats. They are used for children between 30 and 80 pounds. Some booster child carseats start out as convertible carseats, using a five-point harness to secure the child, and then can be changed as the child gets older. When the child reaches thirty pounds, this type of booster carseat provides height for the child to wear a standard seat belt across them safely. Some also have guides built in to help you position the belt just right.

Other types of booster carseats have no harness. They’re for children 30 to 80 pounds. They raise the child up into a safe position for using the vehicle seat belts. Some booster carseats will even support children up to 100 pounds.

All child carseats, whether infant, convertible, or booster, come in many styles and types. They’re covered in everything from cotton, to denim, to leather. There are numerous prints, patterns and colors to choose from, and many different brands. Some child carseats have special features such as padded harnesses, cup holders, and side pockets.

No matter what type of child carseat you choose, always remember to follow the manufacturer's directions when installing, and never put a child in the front seat.

Want to Know More?

	Want to find out more about the various types? Click here for Child Carseats, Infant Carseats, Convertible Carseats.
	Don't know about LATCH? To learn about it, click here for LATCH information.
	Wondering about your state's child safety seat laws? Click here for child safety seat law information.
	Would you like to see the NHTSA ratings? Check our Useful Links page for the location of child safety seat law information.

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