It’s been quite a few years since my children were in car seats, in fact, back then we only had a few manufacturers to choose from.  What’s worse? Well, believe it or not, when I was a small child, car seats didn’t yet exist!  I know it’s hard to imagine having small children and not having a car seat to put them in while riding in a car, but laws didn’t get strict about kids and car seats until sometime in the late eighties and while LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) didn’t become required in vehicles until 2003, it only applies to those vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of under 8,500 pounds, however there are some vehicle manufacturers such as GM and Ford, who have voluntarily installed LATCH on many models.

So which car seats are the best on the market? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, no one car seat is the safest or best and the only “right” car seat is the one which fits your child’s age and size, is correctly installed, fits well in your vehicle and can be used properly every time you drive.  They also advise the following:

1. Don’t use seats if you don’t know the seat’s history. Never use a car seat that Is too old. Look on the label for the date it was made. Check with the manufacturer to find out how long they recommend using the seat.

2. Don’t use seats which have visible cracks.

3. Don’t use seats which do not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Without these, you cannot check to see if the seat has been recalled.

4. Don’t use seats which do not come with instructions. You need them to know how to use the seat.

5. Don’t use a seat which is missing parts. Used car safety seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.

6. Don’t use the seat if it has been recalled. You can find out if a seat has been recalled by calling the manufacturer or by contacting the Auto Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 or visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/.

They also advise not to use seats which have been in a moderate or severe crash, however seats which have been in a minor crash may still be safe to use. The NHTSA considers a crash minor if all of the following are true:

• The vehicle could be driven away from the crash.
• The vehicle door closest to the car safety seat was not damaged.
• No one in the vehicle was injured.
• The air bags did not go off.
• You can’t see any damage to the car safety seat.

If you’re in the market for a car seat, Heather Corley, who is a child passenger safety technician and writes a column over at About.com, has listed her top 8 choices for best car seats based on ease of installation, the ability to hold up well over time and are easy to adjust for a proper harness fit. 

Here are her 8 Best Bets for Car Seats:

1. Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat
2. The First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat
3. Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat
4. Fisher Price Safe Voyage Convertible Car Seat
5. Sunshine Kids Radian 65 Folding Convertible Car Seat
6. Evenflo Triumph Advance Convertible Car Seat
7. Cosco Scenera 5-Point Harness Convertible Car Seat
8. Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat

Are you currently using (or have you used) any of the car seats listed above?  If so, please leave a comment and share your thoughts and opinions.

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