Car seat manufacturers will use different systems on different car seats from economical to luxury. Clamp-on attachments are pretty automatic to use, but they make the car seat heavier and are more expensive. Most car seats will probably use straps with hooks that attach to the bars because they are the least expensive. Universal attachment systems are not too far away, so parents must carefully choose the type of car seat that works best in their vehicle. You can help by allowing parents to try the car seat in their vehicle before purchase, and locating a source in your area that can provide assistance if required, such as the local hospital or police department.
Parents can also contact the car seat manufacturer or the vehicle dealer.
Current recommendations now are that babies should ride rear-facing until they are at least age 1. Many car seat manufacturers have now tested their convertible car seats up to 30 or even 35 pounds rear-facing to help accommodate the heavier, shorter, younger babies. Some advocates insist that children shouldn't use auto boosters until they weigh 40 pounds. Both shield and belt-positioning boosters meet the same Federal government standard. Published research data does not indicate that either system performs better than the other.