CPST - Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Rear-Facing Car Seat Use Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA best practice recommendations, a child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they:
- Reach the age of two.
- Can sit up unassisted and have good head control.
- Reach the highest weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. (Correct answer)
- Have legs that touch the vehicle's back seat.
Correct answer: Reach the highest weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
Both the AAP and NHTSA recommend keeping children in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height or weight specified by the car seat's manufacturer. This provides the best protection for the head, neck, and spine in a crash. Age-based recommendations, like turning at age two, are no longer the primary guidance.
Question 2: A caregiver is concerned that their 18-month-old's legs are bent and touching the back of the vehicle seat while rear-facing. What is the appropriate guidance for a CPST to provide?
- This is a sign the child is ready for a forward-facing seat.
- Bent legs are a major safety concern and the seat should be adjusted immediately.
- This is a common and acceptable situation; it does not pose a safety risk and is not an indication to turn the child forward-facing. (Correct answer)
- The caregiver should purchase a larger rear-facing seat immediately.
Correct answer: This is a common and acceptable situation; it does not pose a safety risk and is not an indication to turn the child forward-facing.
It is common for a rear-facing child's legs to bend and touch the vehicle seat back. This is not a safety concern and does not cause injury in a crash. Children are flexible and will find a comfortable position. The decision to transition to a forward-facing seat should be based on the manufacturer's height and weight limits, not the child's leg position.
Question 3: When positioning the harness straps for a child in a rear-facing car seat, which of the following is correct?
- The straps should be positioned at or just above the child's shoulders.
- The straps can be in any slot as long as the harness is snug.
- The straps should be positioned at or just below the child's shoulders. (Correct answer)
- The strap position depends on the child's weight, not shoulder height.
Correct answer: The straps should be positioned at or just below the child's shoulders.
For a rear-facing car seat, the harness straps must be threaded through the slots that are located at or just below the child's shoulders. This helps to keep the child from sliding upward in the seat during a frontal crash, which is the most common type of severe crash.
Question 4: Which of the following is a critical rule regarding the placement of a rear-facing car seat in a vehicle?
- It should always be installed in the center rear seat.
- It must never be placed in a seating position with an active frontal airbag. (Correct answer)
- It can touch the front vehicle seat, but only if the car seat manual allows it.
- It must be installed using the LATCH system, not the seat belt.
Correct answer: It must never be placed in a seating position with an active frontal airbag.
A rear-facing car seat must never be placed in front of an active frontal airbag. If the airbag were to deploy, it would strike the back of the car seat with great force, directly where the child's head is, which could result in serious injury or death. While the center rear seat is often the safest, it's not always possible or required. Installation with a seat belt or LATCH is acceptable as long as it's done correctly.
Question 5: A CPST is checking a rear-facing infant seat installation. When testing for tightness at the belt path, what is the maximum acceptable amount of movement?
- Exactly one inch side-to-side and two inches front-to-back.
- No movement at all should be felt.
- The seat should rock slightly to absorb crash forces.
- Less than one inch of movement side-to-side or front-to-back. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Less than one inch of movement side-to-side or front-to-back.
When installed correctly, the car seat (or base) should not move more than one inch in any direction (side-to-side or front-to-back) when checked at the belt path. The test for tightness should be performed with your non-dominant hand where the seat belt or LATCH webbing passes through the car seat.
Question 6: When a newborn in a rear-facing seat needs additional support to prevent their head from slumping, a CPST should advise the caregiver to:
- Use any aftermarket head support products available at retail stores.
- Place rolled receiving blankets alongside the infant's head and shoulders for support. (Correct answer)
- Slightly recline the seat beyond the angle indicator's recommendation.
- Place a rolled towel under the harness straps to lift the baby's shoulders.
Correct answer: Place rolled receiving blankets alongside the infant's head and shoulders for support.
If an infant needs extra support, small, tightly rolled blankets can be placed on both sides of the child's head and shoulders *after* they are properly harnessed. It is critical to never use any products that are not approved by the car seat manufacturer, and nothing should ever be placed under the child or the harness straps.
CPST - Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Rear-Facing Car Seat Use Questions and Answers
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA best practice recommendations, a child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they: