Choose a car seat that can be installed tightly

Check to be sure no alterations have been made to used car seats. Buy used car seats only from people you know well enough to trust their account of the car seat’s crash history. You must know a car seat’s crash history to determine safety. If you have borrowed or purchased a used car seat, checking for recalls is even more important. Most recalled car seats are pulled from store shelves when the recall notice is issued. Most reputable baby products stores will let you take a car seat floor model to your toddler carseat vehicle, possibly with a store employee, to check the fit before purchase. Choose a car seat that can be installed tightly, with the proper angle and less than an inch of side-to-side wiggle. Rear-facing-only infant car seats are used rear-facing until baby is at least 1 year old and weighs at least 20 lbs., and forward-facing through the weight limit listed on the car seat.