Basics
Car seat
The seat only protects the child if it matches their size and the car. A guess on the belt path is not an install.
A DadLane sheet. Fill the blanks, screenshot it, or print it.
DadLane
Be the dad who shows up
A DadLane sheet. The prompts are ours. Fill the blanks in your own words. Free to print. Not medical, legal, or financial advice.
The steps
The right seat, installed so it does not move.
Screenshot the card, or print it. The links below stay on the site.
- 01Read the labels on the seat and in the car manual. Height and weight limits are the rule.
- 02Keep them rear-facing until the seat's own limit. Do not turn the seat because they look tall.
- 03Use the seat belt or the lower anchors, not both, unless both manuals say to.
- 04The harness is snug. You should not pinch a fold of webbing at the shoulder.
- 05The chest clip sits at armpit level, not on the belly.
- 06At the belt path, the seat should not move more than about an inch.More than an inch of slide at the belt path means the seat can move with the child. Stop and re-read both manuals, or book the inspection.
- 07Register the seat with the maker so a recall can find you.
- 08If you are unsure, book a free inspection station. Do not settle it on the highway.
Also on this job
The same job, in the directory.
Official pages and the DadLane steps, with a next step on each card.
3 in this view
NHTSA
Car seats and booster seats
The federal page for which seat, the belt path, and when a booster is the right seat. DadLane does not certify an install.
For Dads putting a seat in the car before the first ride, or rechecking it as the child grows.
- Car seat
- Basics how-tos
- Pregnancy
Safe Kids Worldwide
Forward-facing car seat install
Safe Kids Worldwide on the top tether, the belt or the lower anchors, and the inch test. Short on purpose. Both manuals still rule.
For Dads moving a child to a forward-facing seat because the seat's own limit says so.
- Car seat
- Basics how-tos
- First year
American Academy of Pediatrics
Choosing a car seat
A short American Academy of Pediatrics note: rear-facing to the seat's limit, then a booster until the belt fits.
For Dads who need the order of seats before they buy one.
- Car seat
- Basics how-tos
- Pregnancy
Best videos
Video for car seat.
If a player is here, it is a real public video. If the line says Find on YouTube, that is a search, not a video DadLane picked. Then do the steps on the sheet.
Rear-facing seat with a seat belt
NHTSA shows the belt path, the lock, and the inch test for a rear-facing infant seat. Read your seat manual and the car manual. This video is the picture, not a certification.
USDOTNHTSA · 2:02
How to install a forward-facing car seat
Safe Kids Worldwide on the top tether, seat belt or lower anchors (not both), and the inch test. Still short. Still both manuals.
Safe Kids Worldwide · 0:51
Choosing a car seat
A short American Academy of Pediatrics note: keep them rear-facing to the seat's own limit, then a booster until the belt fits. HealthyChildren.org has the longer page.
American Academy of Pediatrics · 0:30
Sources
Go to the source.
These open in a new tab. They are the organizations named here, not ads. The video, when there is one, sits above this list.