What is LATCH?

With a little help from www.car-safety.org: LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. Special connectors on the child seat attach to anchor points located in the slot between the car's seat back and seat cushion to help secure the car seat. These are usually also used with a top tether that attaches from the top of the child seat to a special tether anchor behind the car's seat (not all seats need the top tether). LATCH was initially known as ISOFIX; in Canada, it's called LUAS (Lower Universal Anchorage System) or CANFIX, and some car seat companies have their own names for it (for example, Britax calls it ISOFIT). LATCH anchors can be found on many vehicles made after 2000; they are required on almost all cars from model year 2003 and up.

Do I need LATCH?

Securing a child seat with LATCH, especially when the tether is also used, keeps the seat just as secure as it would be with a properly installed seatbelt. That said, the primary purpose of LATCH is to make it easy for you to install your car seat every time, no matter what kind of car you have. If you're absolutely confident that you can secure your child seat properly with the seatbelt, then it's up to you.

We at Infant-Car-Seats.com recommend using LATCH if you're in doubt. Once you get the hang of it, it's really easy to use, and it helps you be sure that you get it right every time. It's also excellent for permanent installations.

If you don’t have LATCH connectors at all in your car, don’t worry about it. Just pay extra attention to the seatbelt installation instructions for your car seat and you’ll be just fine.

What is a tether?

A tether is a strong strap that attaches on one end to the top of a car seat, and fastens on the other end to an anchor point behind the car's seatback. It's used to keep the top of the child seat from traveling too far forward in a collision. Not all child seats have tethers, but many infant seats do. A tether is an excellent supplement to the bottom LATCH connectors; it will keep the top of the seat properly positioned while the LATCH connectors secure the bottom.

Do I need a tether?

If your child seat came with a tether, use it if you can (it never hurts to have some additional security). If your child seat didn't come with a tether (most boosters don't), then you don't have to worry; just use the seatbelt, and make sure to follow the instructions carefully.

When should my child use a rear-facing seat/front-facing seat/booster seat?

This depends on the state you live in. Generally, we like to recommend a rear-facing infant seat until 12-15 months of age, and then a rear-facing seat until 3 or 4 years of age, depending on your child's height and weight. After that, you can move to a front-facing seat or a booster until at least 7 years of age. Check your state's seatbelt laws here for more detailed information.

When can my child sit in the car without using a car seat?

The general rule of thumb here is that your child can sit in the car without a seat when he or she is tall enough that the shoulder belt fits at least an inch below the ear. This will help you make sure that the seatbelt will protect your child properly, and minimize the risk that he or she will be strangled by the seatbelt in an accident.

When can my child sit in the front seat?

Obviously in a two-seat car, there isn't much choice. In a vehicle with four or more seats, though, try to have your child sit in the rear for as long as possible, whether he or she is in a car seat or not. That's always the safest place.

Can I use a car seat in the front seat of my car?

For front-facing child seats, or if you don't have a passenger-side airbag: you can if you want, but as always, the safest place by far is in the back. For rear-facing child seats, and if your car has a passenger-side airbag: the one-word answer is "No" (the two-word answer is "Definitely Not"). The reason for this is that an airbag can suddenly push the child seat up and back with a lot of force, which will likely throw the baby from the seat and cause injury. A select few car seats claim to have been designed to be okay with airbags, but it is still not certain whether these claims will hold up. As always, if in doubt, use the back seat.

What is a "convertible" seat? Do I need one?

A convertible seat is a child seat that can be used in a rear-facing or front-facing position, depending on your child's height, age, and weight. It's good if you want a "one-and-done" solution that will last your child until it's time for a booster.

How can I find out what my state's laws require?

Check out our Seat Belt Laws viewer here.

What's the difference between different kinds of booster seats? Which one do I want?

The two main kinds of boosters are high-back and backless boosters.

High-back boosters are generally the best kind. They have seatbelt positioners for the lap and shoulder belts to let you adjust and position the seatbelt to your liking, and have added side-impact protection. Some even have five-point harnesses, which are even better than regular lap-and-shoulder seatbelts. For these reasons, we highly recommend using a high-back booster for your child for as long as you can, which is typically until your child’s ears are above the top of the booster (each booster seat has maximum height specifications; these are a good reference).

Backless boosters are simpler designs made simply to add a few inches to your child’s riding height in the car, just so that the car’s seatbelt can be positioned properly. Basically, a backless booster is just a high-back booster but without the seatback. It provides no extra positioning for the vehicle’s shoulder belt. Aside from the lack of added side impact protection, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a backless booster if your child is tall enough (remember, the shoulder belt should come no less than an inch below your child’s ear). Plus, it’s much smaller than a high-back booster, which makes it more convenient in some cases.

.How do I use my child seat properly?

The best thing to do is to read the manual that comes with your seat. We actually have some of these posted on our site. We also have some wonderful information from our friends at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA’s information applies to all child seats, so it’s really the next best thing to the original instructions themselves. You can find these guides and information here.

Should I use a locking clip?

Yes. It will help keep the seatbelt in the proper position at all times.

My child seems too old to be in her current booster, but she is not too tall or heavy. Should I move her to a different kind of seat?

When you're thinking about what kind of seat your child should sit in, height and weight are the most important things. Weight is important because each child seat is designed to bear a certain weight range; too heavy or too light, and the child seat won't work the way it should. Height is important because a child that is too large or too small for a child seat won't fit properly with the harness or belt, and won't be properly secured.

If your child is three or four years too old, you might consider switching child seats, but think carefully about it.

Can I use a second-hand car seat?

This is kind of a touchy subject. It's never a good idea to use a car seat that's been ill-treated or in an accident, so you're going to want to make sure that you trust whomever you're buying it from. As with cars, child seats are almost never the same after being in a serious accident. Try to make sure you know exactly where it came from and what it's been through before you use it.

Even with a booster, the shoulder belt still cuts into my child's neck and he tucks it behind his arm. Is this okay? What can I do about this?

A seatbelt tucked behind the arm will not be positioned properly to protect your child in a crash. The best thing to do is to place a towel around the portion of the belt that's causing the trouble.

I lost the instructions for my child seat. What can I do?

Many manufacturers post instruction manuals or references online. If you know your seat's manufacturer's web address, you can try going to their website and finding the manuals there.

We actually have some of these installation guides posted on our site, as well as some wonderful information from our friends at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA’s information applies to all child seats, so it’s really the next best thing to the original instructions themselves. You can find these guides and information here.

Can I use a Canadian car seat in the United States, or vice versa?

It's best to check with the manufacturer of your child seat. Generally, Canadian standards are a little stricter than American standards, so you could probably use a Canadian child seat in America, but not necessarily the other way around. Again, it's best to check with the manufacturer.

Do you have a mail catalog?

Since we are mostly an online retailer, we have decided to forego the expense of mail catalog so that we can pass the savings on to you. We hope our website is informative enough and easy enough to navigate that you will be able to find what you need quickly and easily. If you have any comments to that end, please do not hesitate to contact us at webmaster@infant-car-seats.com.

Is it safe to use my credit card here?

Absolutely. We make use of the latest encryption technologies to ensure that your information is safe on our end. As long as your Internet browser supports these features as well, you're good to go.

What kinds of credit cards can I use?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

Do you accept Purchase Orders?

Yes, Infant-Car-Seats.Com Does Accept Purchase Orders! Infant-Car-Seats.Com currently accepts Purchase Orders (PO's) from corporations, from public and private schools, and from government agencies. In order to place a PO, please email or call our friendly Customer Support staff at 800-385-7703 for our policies and to receive our Purchase Order fax line number.

Authorized Purchase Orders must be received at our PO Fax number in order to be processed as a Purchase Order rather than a regular billing order. PO Faxes should include your requested order and organization information (shipping address, contact number, contact fax, email, and billing contact name) for a quote.

Please note that your price may be different from what is listed on the website based on quantities ordered and the shipping method you select (e.g. an order of over a certain size or price may receive a discount, and an order with expedited shipping may require an additional fee).  For that reason, after we receive your PO, we will issue you a personal quote with the final price. 

Once we receive your approval on that price, we will proceed with billing and shipping. Please also note that POs with totals over $500 may require a 50% deposit prior to shipping. Infant-Car-Seats.Com reserves the right to refuse PO's on a case-by-case basis from private individuals or private personal organizations, or PO's for small orders or with ship-to to locations outside of the United States. 

We’re sorry, but we cannot currently accept PO’s for less than $100.

Do I get a warranty on my purchase?

Products are warrantied by the manufacturers (usually pretty well). Basic warranty information is listed on each of our product pages; more detailed information is available on the manufacturers' websites, as well as in the documentation included with each product.

What's your return policy?

Within 30 days, you can return your product for a full refund of the purchase price; this excludes shipping costs unless we shipped you the wrong item or the product is defective. From 30 to 60 days, you can return your product for a full refund of the purchase price, minus a 15% restocking fee.

How do I know if my order has gone through?

We will send you a confirmation email as soon as your order is processed.

What should I do if my order is incomplete or damaged?

Drop an email to customersupport@infant-car-seats.com and let us know so we can take care of your replacement as soon as possible.

When will my order ship?

We typically ship in-stock products under three business days after the order is placed. If an item you ordered is out of stock, we will notify you by email.

When can I expect my order to arrive?

We usually use UPS Ground shipping, which will take 1 to 5 business days to reach you, depending on where you are in the United States. Add this to the order processing time, and the total is 2 to 8 days.

How can I track my order?

Click the "Order Status" link in the top right corner and fill out the form to submit a tracking inquiry. We will notify you by email of your order status within 24 hours..

What happens if my order doesn't arrive on time?

Email us at customersupport@infant-car-seats.com and we will work with you to resolve the problem.

Do you ship outside the contiguous 48 states?

We do, but we will need to obtain a shipping quote and have you approve it before we finalize the order. Email us at customersupport@infant-car-seats.com for more information..

Do you ship to military APO/FPO addresses?

Email us at customersupport@infant-car-seats.com for more information.

Does Infant-Car-Seats.com charge sales tax?

We charge sales tax for orders in the state of Pennsylvania only.

Can I preorder an out-of-stock item?

Yes you can. As soon as your order is ready, we will let you know via email. If we cannot get the item back, we will notify you of that as well.

How do I contact customer support?

The best way is through email, at customersupport@infant-car-seats.com.

What do I do if I need to get through after hours?

Again, the best way to reach us would be at our email address, customersupport@infant-car-seats.com. We will retrieve your email as soon as we get back to the office and send you an answer promptly.

Do you have a physical store?

Yes we do. It's located at 660 American Ave.., Suite 202, King of Prussia, PA, 19406.

How do I figure out what I need?

You can try our product selector here, or our comparison table here.

Do you have volume discounts?

Yes, we do! Contact our customer service department and request a quote.

How can I cancel my order?

If your order has not yet shipped, drop us an email and we will cancel it right away and credit your account. If your order has shipped, the standard return policy applies.

Do you have gift certificates?

We don't have gift certificates at this time, but a plan is in the works.

I have questions/comments/concerns. How can I let you know?

Drop us a line at customersupport@infant-car-seats.com. We'd be happy to hear from you!