5 Common Child Passenger Safety Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Ensuring your child’s safety on the road is one of the most important responsibilities you carry as a parent. However, even the most well-intentioned parents can make errors when it comes to installing and using car seats. This article explores five common mistakes, explains why they’re dangerous, and outlines what you can do to avoid them. We’ll also examine which seat placements in the car are considered safest—and which ones might come as a surprise.

1/14/20253 min read

Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Harness Slot

Car seat harnesses are designed with multiple slots to accommodate children of different heights. According to Nissan USA, many parents select the wrong slot for their child’s shoulder level.

Why It’s a Problem: Placing the harness too high or too low can compromise the seat’s ability to restrain the child properly during a sudden stop or collision.

How to Avoid It: Check your car seat manual for the recommended slot for your child’s current size. As a general guideline, for rear-facing seats, the harness slots should be at or just below the child’s shoulders. For forward-facing seats, the harness slots should be at or just above the child’s shoulders.

Mistake 2: Improper Harness Retainer (Chest Clip) Position

The chest clip is more than just a piece of plastic; it’s a critical component ensuring the harness straps stay on your child’s shoulders.

Why It’s a Problem: If the chest clip is too low, the straps can slip off the shoulders, placing strain on the abdomen or neck in a collision. If it’s too high, it might press uncomfortably on the child’s neck or throat.

How to Avoid It: Align the chest clip at armpit level. This positioning keeps the harness straps in place while reducing the risk of neck injury.

Mistake 3: Loose Child Restraint System (CRS) Installation

A car seat that shifts more than an inch side-to-side or front-to-back is likely installed too loosely. This instability can prove dangerous in the event of an accident.

Why It’s a Problem: A loose seat can fail to distribute crash forces properly, increasing the likelihood of injury.

How to Avoid It: Use either the vehicle’s seat belt or the LATCH system (not both) per the seat’s instructions. After installation, firmly pull the base of the car seat. It should not move more than an inch in any direction.

Mistake 4: Loose Harness Strap

Just as the seat needs to be firmly installed, the harness straps should fit snugly against your child.

Why It’s a Problem: Loose straps allow excessive movement, which can lead to ejection or serious injury if the car comes to a sudden stop or experiences an impact.

How to Avoid It: Perform the “pinch test.” Once your child is secured, try pinching the harness strap at the child’s shoulder. If you can gather any material, it’s too loose. Tighten until you can no longer pinch the fabric.

Mistake 5: Improper Seat Belt Placement with a Booster Seat

Booster seats help position the vehicle’s seat belt across a child’s upper thighs and chest.

Why It’s a Problem: When the seat belt lies too high on the abdomen or across the neck, your child is at higher risk of serious injury in a crash.

How to Avoid It: Check that the shoulder belt runs across the middle of your child’s chest and that the lap belt fits snugly over the hips, touching the upper thighs.

What Is the Most Unsafe Car Seat?

A surprising finding from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that the back seat may no longer be the safest location during certain types of collisions. While the front seat has added advanced airbags and technology to better protect occupants, some rear-seating positions haven’t seen the same degree of innovation. However, this does not necessarily mean you should move your child to the front. In most cars and most crash scenarios, the back seat remains safer for younger children—especially with proper installation.

Should the Car Seat Go Behind the Driver or Passenger?

Car seat manufacturers like Maxi-Cosi suggest that the ideal seat position is in the back seat, often the middle spot if it fits your car seat correctly. Placing the car seat in the middle creates the greatest distance from side impacts. When this isn’t feasible:

Behind the Passenger Seat: Typically chosen for easier access and the ability to see your child from the front seat.

Behind the Driver’s Seat: Sometimes selected if the middle seat doesn’t provide a secure fit or if the driver prefers to keep an eye on the child via mirror placement on that side.

Which Side of the Car Gets Hit the Most?

Although front-end and rear-end collisions are the most frequent, the Law Offices of Samer Habbas highlight that the passenger side is more commonly impacted in side-impact collisions—particularly when the driver makes a left turn at an intersection. This underscores why the back seat’s middle spot, away from side doors, is often considered optimal for a child’s car seat.

Car seat safety is an evolving field, with research continually shaping our understanding of the best ways to protect children in vehicles. While the back seat remains the recommended position for children, being mindful of harness placement, installation tightness, and seat belt alignment is crucial to your child’s well-being.

Eliminating these five common mistakes is a great place to start. Whether you’re a new parent or simply brushing up on child passenger safety, an accurate installation and proper use of car seats can give you peace of mind on every journey. By staying informed and following the latest guidelines, you ensure that your most precious cargo—your child—travels securely and comfortably every time you hit the road.