Holiday Road Trip With Kids: A Car Seat Checklist

A long holiday drive leaves little room for a seat problem you could have found at home. The checklist below follows the order of the trip: before you pack, what your child wears, where the seat goes, and what to do when the plan includes a seat that is not yours.

Before you pack

Check harness height and tightness at home, with the manual open, rather than at a rest stop.

Winter layers

AAP says bulky coats and snowsuits can compress in a crash and leave the harness loose, so dress your child in thinner layers and place a coat or blanket over the buckled harness. Warm the car up first rather than adding a thick coat. Our winter car seat guide explains the options and the manual check.

A relative's vehicle

A seat that installs well in your car may not install the same way in another. Read that vehicle's manual for the child restraint section: where the lower anchors and tether anchor are, which seating positions allow a seat, and how the seat belt locks. NHTSA says to pay close attention to how the vehicle locks its seat belt. Older vehicles may lack anchors; see installing in an older vehicle without LATCH and the top tether. Do a practice install the day before, not in the driveway on the way out.

A borrowed second seat

If a relative is lending a seat, go through NHTSA's used seat checklist. The seat is acceptable only if every item holds:

• It has never been in a moderate or severe crash.
• The label shows the manufacture date and model number.
• It has no open recalls.
• All its parts are present.
• The instruction book is there, or can be ordered.

If you cannot answer the crash question, treat that as a no. AAP also advises avoiding used seats unless you know their full history. More in our used seat guide.

A rental or rideshare

Treat the rental like another relative's car: read its manual, find how its belts lock and check where the tether anchor is. If the rental company supplies a seat, apply the same label, parts and manual checks, and remember you usually cannot verify its crash history. Our guide to rideshare seats covers the options.

On the road

• Plan stops so a baby who has fallen asleep can be moved to a firm, flat surface. AAP says to move a baby who falls asleep in a car seat to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as possible.
• Ask your pediatrician about time in a seat for a young baby; do not rely on a number from the internet.
• Re-check that the chest clip and harness are snug after each stop.
• Hold off on adding new gear right before the trip. AAP says products that add padding or change belt fit should not be used unless the manufacturer made or approved them for that seat.
• If a seat is in a crash, even a minor one, follow the maker's replacement instructions. NHTSA defines a minor crash by specific criteria, and the manual may be stricter.