How To Install Baby Seats And Baby Capsules?

According to a survey done by the NGO SaveLIFE Foundation, more than 55,000 children have died in road accidents in India since 2008. That's an alarming number of child deaths, yet the country still doesn't have laws in place mandating the use of baby seats or baby capsules. If you wish to ensure the safety of your child, you don't need to wait for such laws to come into place. Read ahead to know everything about baby seats and baby capsules and how to install them in your car.

Why are baby seats needed?

That's a valid question since every car comes with seat belts. However, these seat belts are made with adults in mind and they are not as safe for kids. Car manufacturers assume that people will carry their children in baby seats and hence the seatbelts aren't designed with them in mind. Children can easily escape these seatbelts by sliding out and even if they stay put, the safety mechanisms on these belts are of little use for their small bodies.

Types of baby car seats

Baby seats or child safety seats can be classified into three main types:

1. Rear-facing infant seats: These are meant for babies from birth to 12 months of age. They can be called baby seats or baby capsules depending on what kind of shape they have. They can sometimes be fitted in front but that's never recommended. Such seats are meant to be fastened to the rear. Moreover, the fact that they are rear-facing in nature allows greater protection for the baby's head, neck, and spine than forward-facing seats.
2. Convertible seats: Such a seat is bigger and heavier but has longer life as it can even be used when your child is not an infant. The fact that it's convertible means that it can be turned around and be facing the front when the child reaches an appropriate age. The one downside of such seats, however, is that if your baby is sleeping, you can't take them out of the car without disturbing them.
3. Booster seats: Once your child is big enough that the other seats don't seem to work for them, you need to switch to booster seats. Usually, that age is between four and six. The main aim of a booster seat is to raise the child's position high enough so that the adult seatbelt fits them snugly.

How to install baby seats and baby capsules?

Most baby seats for cars come with a latch system that makes it easier to attach them to the mechanisms already present on the rear seats. This eliminates the use of seatbelts.

Some convertible seats are fastened into the car using the vehicle's seatbelts. One of these methods is called the three-point harness and it features straps that cross over the shoulders and fasten to a buckle near the bottom of the seat. Another is the five-point harness, which comes with five straps. Two are present for the shoulders, two at the hips, and one at the crotch.

If you drive around with your children a lot, child seats are incredibly important. So, make sure to invest in a good one as soon as possible.