A infant should use a rear-facing safety restraint until he or she is at least 1 year and 20 pounds in weight. When a child is old enough and weighs enough to ride facing forward, parents need to check the child's safety seat label for the weight limit 40 pounds for most forward-facing convertible seats. Not so, said the Extension Rural Passenger Safety Team. Children that size are too small to be protected effectively by safety equipment designed for adults. In fact, vehicle safety belts designed for adult bodies can be dangerous to children passengers.
Shoulder straps are uncomfortable across their necks and lap belts ride up their bellies.
If children seated in adult safety belts are involved in a vehicle crash, they can be seriously injured or even killed by the adult restraints. Instead, have the child sit in a booster seat. Parents need to make sure a child's head is not higher than the back of the seat. Parents also need to realize that even older children need to be restrained in safety belts while riding in a vehicle. The Rural Passenger Safety Team said children age 12 and younger should always ride in the back seat, and all passengers no matter what their ages should always buckle up when riding in a vehicle.