3 Steps to Car Seat Safety for Baby’s First Year

3 Steps to Car Seat Safety for Baby’s First Year - What it is

It is important to understand the dangers of not using a car seat for your baby or toddler.

Step 1: Why to use, and how to choose, a car seat.

Car seats are the only safe way to travel with children in motor vehicles. It is never safe for children to ride in a car in their mothers’ arms, on someone’s lap, in a baby carrier or sling. Using car seats from birth can reduce the risk of death and injury by up to 82%1. In the last five years, almost 2,500 children have been admitted to Children’s Emergency as a result of road traffic collisions2. By Singapore’s laws, all passengers below 1.35m (approximately 12 years of age) must use an approved child restraint appropriate to their height and weight. Taxis are exempt from this legal requirement, but they are not exempt from the laws of physics and the risks remain the same. Your child’s safety is the utmost priority.

Children should travel in rear-facing car seats for at least the first two years of their lives. The simplest car seat for a newborn is an infant-only car seat. These seats can typically be used until your child exceeds 13kg or their head is no longer contained inside the car seat.

Step 2: How to buckle your baby into an infant car seat

Ensure your baby is not swaddled.
Sit your baby in the car seat; ensure that he/she is not slouching.
Make sure the shoulder straps come from a position below your baby’s shoulders.
Do not use support pillows that did not come with your car seat.
Buckle the harness and pull the tail strap to tighten. If you can pinch the webbing of the strap onto itself, then it is too loose.

Step 3: Installing your infant car seat in a vehicle

Place the infant car seat so your child is facing the back of the vehicle. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with an active airbag.
Pass the lap section of the vehicle seat belt through the lap belt guides on the infant car seat.
Pass the shoulder belt around the back of the infant car seat, and through the shoulder belt guide on the car seat.
Buckle the seat belt. Take care not to twist the seat belt.
Tighten the lap section of seat belt by pulling the lap belt through the latchplate.
Place the handle in the upright position.

Always read your car seat’s instruction manual before use. If you need help choosing or using any car seat, please contact a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. You can find a list of resources on our website at www.kkh.com.sg.

To watch a video outlining these steps, please scan this QR code.