How to Choose a Car Seat

What weight should my child be before switching to a booster car seat?

• The initial weight for booster seats is typically over 40 pounds and can be used until kids are old enough for a vehicle seat belt to fit properly, which is when they have reached about 120 pounds. All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer. All children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car safety seat should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer.

What age should my child be before switching to a booster car seat?

• All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their convertible car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until your car’s seatbelt fits properly. This is usually when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height, and are eight to twelve years old.

When does my car seat expire?

• The expiration date for a car seat varies from car seat to car seat. Car seat expiration dates range from eight to twelve years, depending on the product. Many of our car seats have a sticker on the back of the seat with the date of manufacture. To find out when the seat expires, look in your manual for the lifespan of your seat.