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Expert Q&A
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| By Stacy A. Robarge Parent Educator | ||
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Are the straps on the car seat harness supposed to be above or below the child's shoulders?
The rule for harness straps says that forward facing seats need to have the straps at or above shoulder level. If you read the instructions for your seat it should tell you to move the straps to the top most slot when you face the seat forward. Most convertible seats are made with a reinforcement bar just under the top slots to help the shell of the seat absorb the force of a crash. In rear facing seats the straps need to be at or below the shoulders to keep the baby from sliding out of the straps.
I would move the straps to the top slot of the seat if your child is forward facing in a convertible seat. If your child is in a high back booster read the instructions for the seat and it should tell you where the best slot would be for your child's height.
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