Infant car seat- handle up or down driving?

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I have a graco snug right & don't know if the handle should be up or down while driving?? I remember reading in the paper once how an infant carrier was thrown out of the car during a major accident & the handle being up saved this baby but I dont remember which way is the correct way to leave it!??
Thanxs so much! KIm

[CDNTech]

Your instruction manual will tell you if you can have the handle up. If you have a model that allows the handle to be up... it will say something like "never use position b in the car". Position B is when the handle is right in line with the shell of the carseat (up by babies head).

Some models of snugrides do allow the handle to be up. If your seat is newer than 2006, you definitely have a model that allows the handle to be up.

[skaterbabs]

Check your manual. In late 2003 Graco redesigned their infant seats and the new ones (generally speaking, the ones with the 22 lb limit vs the 20 lb limit) allowed it to be up. But don't leave it up without checking the manual for your specific seat first.

I went through child restraint training in 2009 through AAA for daycare, and they said to NEVER leave the handle up. It is plastic. In an accident I can shatter and stab your child. That is a more common than the car seat being thrown from the car.

[wendytthomas]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I went through child restraint training in 2009 through AAA for daycare, and they said to NEVER leave the handle up. It is plastic. In an accident I can shatter and stab your child. That is a more common than the car seat being thrown from the car.

Their advice is outdated. Evenflo and Baby Trend require the handles down (Evenflo requires an additional 1.5" of clearance). The Peg requires the handle at the head of the seat. Any Britax Companions in service require the handle at the head. Graco, Dorel, the Britax Chaperone, Chicco all allow the handle to be up.

As with any carseat, READ THE MANUAL. They'll tell you where the handle needs to be. But the universal "handle must be down" went out in 2005.

Yes, it's plastic. So's the carseat. If the plastic was that brittle, would it save a child's life?

Wendy

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I went through child restraint training in 2009 through AAA for daycare, and they said to NEVER leave the handle up. It is plastic. In an accident I can shatter and stab your child. That is a more common than the car seat being thrown from the car.

The problem with this is that some seats require the handle to be up. You really have to read the child restraint manual to know for sure.