Question

What’s the 2-hour car seat rule? 

The 2-hour car seat rule is a guideline that warns against seating infants and newborns in booster seats in a car for more than 2 hours. 

These booster seats do ensure that the strapped-in infants are safe. It keeps their body upright and gives extra support to their head or neck. It also reduces the risk of injury in a crash. However, keeping newborns or infants in an upright or semi-upright position for longer periods can negatively impact their health. It could strain their neck and spine and also cause breathing difficulties.

So, if you’re on a long ride, it’s better to take regular breaks and not let the child ride the booster seat for more than two hours in a stretch. For newborns (under 4 weeks), the expert recommended time is 30 minutes. Even though there is no set age where you can stop seating your infant in a booster seat, it’s best to wait till your baby gains better control of their neck/head and can safely sit upright without support.