THIS is the WRONG way to buckle your child into their car seat.
However, this is the number one way I see kids buckled in. The reason this is incorrect is because in the event of a car accident and due to the fact the chest clip is placed over the stomach, your child runs a very high risk of internal organ damage.
This is the CORRECT way to buckle your child into a car seat.
The chest clip is called the “chest clip” for a reason. Because it is supposed to be placed over your child’s chest bone, even with their armpits.
From birth to booster you are likely using a 5-point harness car seat. This means the car seat harness system contacts your child in five points: both shoulders, the hips and the crotch. These are the strongest points of the body. A 5-point harness spreads the crash force evenly over the child.
Another VERY common mistake is not having the harness straps snug enough. A large number of parents still leave the harness too loose.
A snug strap should not allow any slack. It lies in a relatively straight line without sagging. It does not press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an unnatural position. You want the straps to be “as snug as a hug.”
Why is this so important? During a crash the harness straps are holding the child in the car seat. If those straps are too loose, the child will not be properly secured and could even come out of the straps becoming an unrestrained child.
