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Is it safer to use a car seat with a base?
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That completely depends what you mean, and who you ask.
Do you mean an infant seat with a base that stays in the car, and you lift the carrier portion out? There will be those who say yes, infant seats tend to fit infants better and so should be used. There will be those who say no, the risk (however small) of the seat separating from the base is too much.
Do you mean something like a Britax that sits up high on a base? In which case you get people saying yes, it's safe, it's passed testing just like any other seat. You get people who say no, the physics seems to make more sense leaning toward a seat that sits lower in the car.
How old is the child for which you are asking?
Wendy
Do you mean an infant seat with a base that stays in the car, and you lift the carrier portion out? There will be those who say yes, infant seats tend to fit infants better and so should be used. There will be those who say no, the risk (however small) of the seat separating from the base is too much.
Do you mean something like a Britax that sits up high on a base? In which case you get people saying yes, it's safe, it's passed testing just like any other seat. You get people who say no, the physics seems to make more sense leaning toward a seat that sits lower in the car.
How old is the child for which you are asking?
Wendy
Everything Wendy said 
I also wanted to add that at least in my experience some people feel more comfortable with infant seats with a base that stays in the car because that way they don't have to re-install the seat every time they choose to carry baby inside in the seat. If you could clarify a little bit that would be great though
I also wanted to add that at least in my experience some people feel more comfortable with infant seats with a base that stays in the car because that way they don't have to re-install the seat every time they choose to carry baby inside in the seat. If you could clarify a little bit that would be great though 
luvsviola
New member
I think it also depends on how careful you are at installing your seat every time, if you are referring to infant seats.
For many people, a base is safer because it can be installed correctly once, and left, whereas without a base, you are installing the seat every single time it is placed in your car. For me personally, this is the case. I am much more likely to forget to lock the seatbelt if I was using an infant seat without a base.
However, a seat without a base that is perfectly installed has one less thing to fail in a crash. But for many of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we are not going to have a perfect installation EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. So in that case, most of the time, a base is safer.
For many people, a base is safer because it can be installed correctly once, and left, whereas without a base, you are installing the seat every single time it is placed in your car. For me personally, this is the case. I am much more likely to forget to lock the seatbelt if I was using an infant seat without a base.
However, a seat without a base that is perfectly installed has one less thing to fail in a crash. But for many of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we are not going to have a perfect installation EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. So in that case, most of the time, a base is safer.
Kat_Momof3
New member
I agree... for infant seats in general, I tend to think it is safer to use them with the base because you aren't repeatedly installing/uninstalling them. For the spare cars, though, it then depends on how often the infant seat is in that car, because for once/twice a month, it wouldn't be worth it to buy a spare base, but for once a week or more often, it's definitely worth it, unless you are really sure that it will be properly installed each and every time.
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