Car seats are one of the most important pieces of safety gear we purchase for our kids! Not only do we use them almost every day, making practicality hugely important, but it’s essential for our child’s safety as motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death among children. So, when shopping for car seats for your newborn, it’s natural to look for the “safest” option available.
Now, to be clear, all car seats follow the same safety guidelines, so we’re not going to tell you one car seat is more safe than another. There’s nothing wrong with buying the most budget-friendly car seat or buying one with all the bells and whistles. So, instead of looking for the “safest” car seats, you should look for one that has the features that are important to you for that first ride home and every drive after.
Here’s what you need to know about safety and infant car seats:
9 Safest Infant Car Seats: Purchase with Peace of Mind
There are a lot of car seats out there and it can feel overwhelming to choose which is best for you! You want something that’s, above-all, safe but that still doesn’t narrow down the options. That’s why we have our car seat quiz that’ll help you narrow it down fast! But, if you want a more in-depth answer to your question, we’ll get into what makes a car seat safe and some of the best infant car seat options available.
What Makes A Car Seat Safe?
For a car seat to be considered safe, it needs to be in compliance with FMVSS 213, which is the federal safety standard for child restraint systems. Without this compliance, car seats cannot be sold in the U.S., so you can be confident that any seat you buy is safe. They’ve passed all the necessary crash testing and meet all the requirements for use!
However, a car seat being compliant with FMVSS 213 isn’t the only variable that impacts safety. In fact, some of the biggest factors that determine whether a car seat is safe are proper installation and fit. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates almost half of car seats are not being used correctly, which can result in an increased risk of injury or death. So, proper installation and use of your car seat are far more important for safety than “choosing the right model.” They’re all safe when used right!
For more on this, here’s how to know if your car seat is installed correctly and some common car seat mistakes.
Car Seat Safety Features on Infant Car Seats
Five-Point Harness System
The five-point harness system is a key feature in car seat safety, identifiable by its two harness straps that connect at the shoulders, crotch, and hips. This system ensures the child remains in an upright position and the straps stay correctly positioned. In the event of a crash, the harness restrains the child and absorbs some impact energy, making it one of the most effective safety tools when properly buckled!
LATCH System
LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children, has been a standard feature in passenger vehicles since 2002. It consists of a metal bar inside the vehicle seat with hooks between the seat cushions, allowing for easy car seat installation for children under a certain weight. This system can sometimes be simpler than using a seatbelt and is equally safe when used correctly.
Since using the LATCH system makes car seats so easy to install, some people are tempted to use the seat belt install and LATCH. However, most manufacturers advise against using both the LATCH system and seatbelt simultaneously, because either they haven’t crash-tested both methods together, or the tests failed. Therefore, it’s important to only ever use ONE method at a time unless the car seat manual says otherwise.
Seatbelt Integration
If you prefer not to use the LATCH, you can safely install car seats using the lap and shoulder belt, threading it through the correct belt path. This method will be used for most of your child’s car seat journey. When properly secured, the seat belt installation is just as safe as the LATCH system and is a reliable choice in any seating location since most middle seats will not have lower anchors.
Side-Impact Protection
Car seats with side-impact protection use plastic, metal, and foam to distribute crash force and keep your baby safe. The sides often protrude to shield the baby’s body. This protection can be built into the car seat shell or require an extra step, like extending a special pod on the door side. From June 30, 2025 all car seats on the US market will have to pass side impact standards.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or Expanded Polypropylene Foam (EPP)
The padding in your car seat keeps your baby comfortable, yes, but it has a much bigger job than that. In car seats, the type of foam and where it’s placed is strategic! It actually helps absorb and distribute crash force in an accident.
Adjustable Recline Mechanism
The adjustable recline mechanism on car seats is handy at all stages, but it’s especially important for safety during the infant stage! A baby needs to be reclined at a certain angle to support their head and keep their airway open.
anti-rebound bar
In most crashes, the initial impact throws everyone forward with great force, followed by a rebound effect. For rear-facing car seats, this can mean a lot of movement! An anti-rebound bar (ARB) limits this by bracing against the vehicle seat back, reducing movement and absorbing energy.
load leg
The load leg limits forward movement and reduces the rebound effect, making your child safer in their seat. It does this by bracing the car seat against the vehicle floor, preventing it from vaulting forward during a crash and absorbing significant crash energy.
rear-facing tether
Here’s one more safety feature that can help with that rebound effect during a crash. A rear-facing tether works like a top tether for a front-facing seat, but instead of preventing the seat from tipping forward, it prevents the seat from “bouncing back” and causing rebound injuries. Remember, the less movement, the better! Currently, the only infant seats in the US with this feature are Diono LiteClik 30 XT and Diono LiteClik 30 RXT.
Steel-Reinforced Frame
Many car seats use hard plastic for the frame, but some have steel-reinforced framing. This provides a solid foundation and structure, enhancing the seat’s overall strength and durability. This frame helps absorb and distribute the energy from a collision, reducing the impact on the child inside the seat.
SensorSafe
Some car seats have a special clip equipped with “SensorSafe” technology. The chip inside the chest clip sends alerts to an app on your phone in a variety of potentially dangerous situations. It alerts you if your child has been left in the car, if the car has reached an unsafe temperature, if the chest clip has been unbuckled while driving, or if the infant has been sitting in their seat for too long. (Most car seat manufacturers recommend that your baby shouldn’t be in the car seat for more than 2 hours.) It’s a great added monitor to ensure your infant is always safe in their seat.
Rigid Latch System
The Rigid Latch system is a type of car seat installation method that uses metal connectors to attach the car seat directly to the vehicle’s lower anchors. Unlike flexible LATCH, which relies on straps, Rigid Latch connectors integrate directly into the car seat, delivering a more secure and stable installation. This system helps prevent side-to-side and front-to-back motion of the car seat during a crash, enhancing safety by directly securing the car seat’s steel frame to the vehicle’s steel frame.
Instruction Manual
The final safety feature on your car seat is the instruction manual! It contains all the specific standards for your seat, such as maximum weights and heights, proper installation instructions, and fit guides. These directions come straight from the car seat manufacturer, who knows the seat best. While online information about car seats can be general, the manual provides precise details about things like how long your child should ride rear-facing and how to get proper installation with the LATCH or seat belt methods.
Additionally, the instruction manual usually includes a car seat registration form. Submitting this form ensures you receive up-to-date information on any car seat recalls or safety issues related to your child’s seat. Unlike the instructions for your child’s last birthday present, the manual is essential for your seat’s safety and should always be kept.
What Are The Safest Car Seats for Infants?
First, keep in mind that all car seats must meet the same safety standards to be legally sold. So, you won’t hear us say that one seat is safer than another! There’s a lot that goes into choosing a seat for your newborn, and you don’t need the pressure of finding and paying for the “safest” option. They’re all safe! However, here are some infant car seats with some advanced safety features that go beyond the requirements of FMVSS 213:
Infant Car Seat: Evenflo Litemax DLX
The Evenflo Litemax DLX is a great, affordable infant car seat! Its standout safety feature is the load leg. Beyond that, it has all the standard safety requirements. However, one added safety benefit we appreciate is that the Evenflo LiteMax DLX is suitable for preemies, comfortably supporting babies as small as 4 lbs!
Infant Car Seat: Clek Liing
The Clek Liing is another infant car seat great for babies as small as 4 lbs all the way up to 30 lbs. It has a load leg and rigid lower anchors for increased stability! Additionally, this infant seat has seven recline positions, allowing you to get the perfect safe angle for your child. The Clek Liing has a number of additional features for convenience and practicality, making it one of the more expensive infant car seat options out there.
Infant Car Seat: Graco Premier Snugride Snugfit XT
As long as you’re not looking for a car seat suitable for a preemie, the Graco Premier Snugride Snugfit XT is a good pick in terms of added safety features for an infant car seat. It includes an anti-rebound bar AND load leg for lots of extra stability in the event of a crash. It also has five recline position options to get the right angle. As far as car seats with a load leg and anti-rebound bar go, this Graco model is also very affordable!
Infant Car Seat: Nuna PIPA RX
Here’s another option with a load leg and anti-rebound bar! However, for additional stability, the Nuna PIPA RX also has a Rigid Latch system to make the seat that much more solid and secure. Other safety features include the 4 recline positions and the steel reinforced base! It’s also a good choice for preemies, supporting babies easily as small as 4 lbs.
Infant Car Seat: Evenflo Gold Shyft DualRide
While all the infant car seats on this list offer stroller compatibility, the DualRide stands out as a favorite because it features an integrated stroller within the seat. You’ll never need to remember to grab the stroller! However, that’s a convenience feature. What about the advanced safety features? The Evenflo Shyft DualRide has an anti-rebound bar and a steel-reinforced frame. It’s also the first car seat on our list that includes SensorSafe technology!
Infant Car Seat: Cybex Cloud G Lux Comfort
The other car seats on this list we have used, tried, and reviewed. To be completely transparent, we haven’t had the opportunity to test the brand new Cybex Cloud G Lux Comfort infant car seat yet. However, it deserves a spot on this list due to the fact this car seat is all about enhanced safety.
The seat has a whopping 12-position recline, allowing the car seat to lay nearly flat if necessary! You’ll also find that the Cybex Cloud G Lux has great stability with the Rigid Latch system, the anti-rebound base, and the load leg. If that wasn’t enough, the seat also has advanced side impact protection and the SensorSafe chest clip. All in all, it seems like a great choice for anyone looking for as many advanced safety features as possible in one seat.
Infant Car Seat: Uppababy Aria
This infant seat has both a load leg and an anti-rebound bar. Although it does not feature rigid lower anchors, it instead comes with self-retracting lower anchors that make installation very simple! The seat belt installation is easy as well if you prefer to install it with that method. This infant seat is one of the lightest on the market at 6.8 pounds. It’s very compact front-to-back if you install it without the base; in fact, it is one of the most compact seats available when installed baseless. Installing it with the base takes up 4″ more space, but it’s still pretty compact when installed like that as well.
Infant Car Seat: Romer Juni
The Romer Juni is one of the newest infant seats on the market. The base features an anti-rebound bar, rigid lower anchors, a load leg, and a seat belt lock-off. Whether you choose to install it with the lower anchors or the seat belt, you will find it is very quick and easy. The fabric is flame-retardant-free and is made from recycled materials. It’s also potentially a good option for parents who are expecting a smaller-than-average baby.
Convertible Car Seat: Clek Foonf
When you are expecting a new baby, you can go straight to a convertible car seat if you want. You can find more in our post comparing infant car seats vs. convertible car seats. Many convertible seats just don’t fit infants well despite the weight minimums, however that is not the case with the Clek Foonf. You will need to buy a separate insert from Clek, called Infant-Thingy. We find that it works great for infants as well as toddlers! Beyond the practicality, this convertible car seat has an anti-rebound bar, the Rigid Latch system (for forward-facing), and you can buy a rear-facing tether from Clek (Q-tether.) Combined, those make for a secure install that won’t move much in a crash! The Clek Foonf also has a steel frame for additional safety. This seat is quite heavy, so we recommend installing it with the seat belt from the beginning.
All car seats on the market are safe for your little one.
All car seats have to be compliant with federal regulations on child restraint systems, so there’s no reason to fret about your seat not being safe enough! However, the field is always advancing with additional safety features that add another layer of protection in the event of a crash.
We hope this post helped clear up any confusion! For more car seat reviews and car seat safety information, head over to Safe in the Seat! And, don’t forget to take our quiz to find the right seat for you. You can also grab our infant car seat buying kit for a more in-depth approach to the purchasing process!
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