When you are buying a new child seat for your new baby, you want to make sure that it is both comfortable for your baby and safe. The purchase of a car seat is one of the most important purchases you will make for your baby and while every car seat sold passes the government safety standards, you may want a bit more from your car seat. There are a variety of safety features on a car seat that will improve the safety of the child and help you feel more comfortable.

Reclining Seats

If you have a newborn, a reclining feature may be very important. When traveling with your newborn, it is important that you make sure their head will not roll around and damage their neck. Many parents have resorted to using towels and blankets as props for the head, but a reclining seat can end this. A reclining seat allows infants to recline at an angle that provides adequate support for their head and does not allow it to roll forward.

Five Point Harness

Another safety feature that you will want, when choosing a car seat for your child, is a five point harness. This harness has been proven to be the safest and it helps to keep your child in the seat. If you are ever in a car accident, this five point harness will keep the baby safely in the car seat instead of allowing them to fall out or be ejected.

Impact Protection for the Head

Many car seat manufacturers have started building in extra padding to help protect the head of the infant. Be sure to find a seat that offers adequate head protection by reinforcing the plastic and adding adequate cushioning to protect your baby’s head at all times.

Latch Option

Newer car seats are starting to offer a latch option that allows you to latch the car seat into the car instead of having to belt it in with a seat belt. This makes it much quicker and simpler to get your baby and the car seat into the car. These latching seats are made to be safe, but parents should always makes sure that the seat has completely latched into place before they start driving.

Rear Facing Car Seats

If you have a newborn or infant, you may want to consider a seat that faces the rear. Some seats are rear facing only, while others can be used both ways. It is always safer to have your child facing the rear to protect them from the dangers of whiplash, especially when they are very young. Having a seat that will face the rear is an important feature that you may need.

The safety needs of your children are important and whether they need a toddler car seat or an infant car seat, you want to be sure that they have the safest seat available. Take the time to check out a variety of seats and compare them before you make the final purchase. Your child’s safety and comfort is worth the time spent finding the perfect car seat.