by Rachelle Bowman

Created on: November 23, 2010   Last Updated: November 24, 2010

The Centers for Disease Control says that the use of a properly installed car seat reduces the risk of death in a crash by 71 percent. The key is that the seat must be installed and used properly to reap all of the life-saving and injury-preventing benefits. Getting the installation right is one of the most important things you can do for your child.

1. Know Your Car and Car Seat

All cars made after September 2002 must have what is known as the LATCH system. This system allows car seats to be installed without using the seat belt, using a system of straps and clips that hook onto anchor hooks in the car. LATCH installation is much easier than a seat belt installation. Although both types of installation are equally safe when done correctly, you are more likely to get a proper install with the LATCH system.

 Check the back seat of your car. Most LATCH anchor and tether clips are labeled with a picture of a baby or a picture of an anchor. Most cars have a set of LATCH hooks in each seating position in the car. There are also top tether hooks behind the back seat head rests, but those are used for older children in the forward-facing position. If you do not have LATCH in your car, it's OK. You can still get a solid install using a seat belt.

 The difference between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat is the ability to take the baby out of the car without taking baby out of the seat. This means you are actually only installing the base of the car seat into the car. The rest of the seat snaps securely into the base.

2. Choose the location of the car seat.

The middle seat is the safest. However, when you place an infant seat in the car and move the handle all the way back, pointing towards the front seat of the car, the handle should not touch the front seat. If the driver is very tall and a middle seat installation interferes with the seat's handle, move the car seat to the passenger side.

3A. Install the Car Seat Base with LATCH

Read your car seat's instruction manual to find out where the LATCH strap path is located. Weave the straps through the designated path and clip each side of the strap to the LATCH hooks located in the car. One side of the strap will be adjustable. Pull the strap on that side until the base is tight. A good trick for getting the strap as tight as possible is weaving the extra length of strap back through the belt path and pulling it from the other side. This gives you the best angle.

3B. Install the Car Seat Base

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