How to Select the Safest Car Seat for your Child

**The following is a guest post from certified Child Passenger Safety Techinician, Sara M.

With so many car seats on the market, parents always ask me, “What’s the safest car seat?” The answer is, the safest car seat is one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and can be installed and used correctly 100% of the time. 

All car seats on the market in the United States meet the same safety standards. You can find seats to match almost any budget, as low as $45 up to $800 for a cushy leather convertible seat that resembles a living room recliner!

Why such a vast range of prices for seats that meet the same requirements? Seats can have added features such as extra padding, cup holders, and steel-reinforced shells. No parent should feel like they need to spend more than they can afford on a seat to keep their child safe.

Parents should make sure to read the instruction manual carefully, check that the seat is appropriate for your child’s age and size, and that they can install the seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The best thing a parent can do for their child’s safety is to meet with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to learn how to properly and confidently install the car seat on their own. To find a CPST near you, visit http://cert.safekids.org.