· By Britney Schroeder
How Do I Pick A Car Seat for the Middle Seat or Three Across?
If you’ve got three kids and one backseat, you probably have some questions! How will everyone fit? Can the car seats touch? Will school drop-off still work? Three across can be a puzzle, so here are some tips to make it easier to solve.
5 Tips For Fitting Car Seats In Small Cars
Trying to fit three across for the first time? Don’t run out and buy all new car seats right away! Use the car seats you already have first to see if they fit. You might be pleasantly surprised! Try car seats in different seating locations to find a winning combination. Still need some tips to get it right? Here are five things you can try to fit everyone safely in the backseat.
- Look For Narrow Car Seats: The narrowest car seats on the market are just under 17” wide. These narrower car seats can help fit three across even in smaller cars. Look for words like “slim,” “narrow,” or “three across friendly” in car seat descriptions! You might only need one narrow car seat to make your three across work.
- Use Seat Belts To Install: Using LATCH makes a car seat sit right in the middle of the vehicle seat. That can make it harder to fit three across. Using the seat belt to install your car seats makes it easier to put them where they need to go on the vehicle seat.
- Try The Narrowest Seat In The Middle: If your middle seat isn't very wide, the narrowest car seat might fit better there. Bonus points if it’s a forward facing car seat! It’s easier to harness rear facing car seats when you have easy access - near a door. A forward facing kiddo may be able to buckle or harness themselves with minor adjustments from you.
- Don’t Forget The Top Tether: Forward facing car seats should use a top tether. If you have any forward facing car seats in your lineup, make sure there is a top tether anchor available to use!
- Make Sure All Car Seats Are Independently Tight: All the car seats have to be installed tightly - even if you take out the one next to it. The car seats shouldn’t press hard against each other. None of the car seats should sit on top of a seat belt, buckle, or LATCH anchor you need to install another car seat. When in doubt, call the car seat manufacturer to make sure everything looks okay.
Best Narrow Car Seats For Three Across
Car seats come in all different shapes and sizes, but if you’re trying to fit three across you’ll want narrow ones! Here are some great narrow options that might help you fit three across:
Narrow Infant Car Seats
- Chicco Keyfit 30 (16.5” wide)
- Chicco Keyfit Max (16.7” wide)
- Graco Snugride Snuglock (17-17.5” wide depending on model)
Narrow Convertible and Multi-mode Car Seats
- Graco SlimFit3 LX (16.7” wide)
- Britax Poplar (17” wide)
- Britax One4Life Slim (17.5” wide)
Narrow Harness-to-Booster Car Seats
- Chicco MyFit (17.5” wide)
- Graco Tranzitions (17.5” wide)
When To Ask A CPST For Help
If you’ve tried on your own and can’t make three across work, use the Safe Kids Find A Tech portal to ask a local CPST for help.
CPSTs can help you try different set-ups and teach you how to get a more secure seat belt installations. They might even have a few car seats you can try out in your car before you buy.
Not every car can fit three across in the backseat, but there are lots of ways to try and CPSTs are always happy to help!
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