If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
. See
Top Strap
if the child restraint has one.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the
lap shoulder belt to secure the restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the
instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint
when and as the instructions say.
- Put the restraint on the seat.
- Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the
vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
- Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt
if needed.
- Buckle
the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle
the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
- To tighten the belt, push down on the child
restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the
belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using
a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use you knee to push
down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
- Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's safety belt and
let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to
work for an adult or larger child passenger.