Aftermarket Car Seats : Safety Is A PriorityInstalling aftermarket car seats is a highly important concern to be addressed if you’re buying a family car. While car manufacturers ensure high level of safety in designing their vehicles, note that car seats for kids are a different aspect altogether. You have to think of space, ease of use, suitability of your kids’ size to the seat, installation, adherence to local transport regulations, price, among many others. Discussed below is a short guide on how to arrive at a wise decision.
Like other aftermarket auto parts, aftermarket car seats come with a number of accessories and extra features that you may want to consider. For instance, there are complex baby car seats which could be converted into outdoor strollers and infant carriers. There are also seats that come with pockets, toy drawers, compartments, head rests, pacifiers, pillows, and so many others. While these perks are no doubt nice, note that added features, most of the time, come with a higher price. Think of the features that you need the most and compare models that pass your requirements. In America, aftermarket car seats are regulated by a law on crash safety standards called the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children System or Latch. Simply put, this systems aims to strengthen road safety and reduce collision injuries of kids. The law mandates all car manufacturers in America to design their conventional seats with tethers and hooks in specific areas to which aftermarket children’s car seats can be connected. Note however that the law was made effective eight years ago, in 2002. Hence all car models before this year are not engineered with seats following the provisions in the Latch system. If your new family car was produced before 2002, it’s strongly advised that you send it to an auto repair shop which could install connector, aftermarket car seats, in accordance with the current safety standards. Note that states have respective local laws regarding the safety of children’s car seats. There are states requiring car owners to provide age appropriate seats for infants up to one and a half years old, and there are states requiring seat use until kids turn to three. Aside from addressing the demands of the nationwide-imposed latch system, it is also important to acknowledge the existing state rules on kids’ road safety. Children’s car seats are grouped into three categories—infants seats, convertibles, and booster seats. As the term suggests, infant seats are meant for babies from zero to twelve months of age. These are designed in such a way that the baby faces the rear of the car, which is the best position to limit injury during a collision. Convertibles on the other hand are seats which you could position rear-facing or front-facing depending on the kids’ preference. Lastly booster seats are meant for toddlers aged one year old and above. Unlike infant seats, booster seats make use of the car’s default shoulder belts to enable restraint. When all aftermarket car seats standard requirements and personal preferences are met only comes the time to think about the price. It’s always advised to spend a couple of hours online reviewing customer feedbacks to make the best decision. |
