Have you ever wondered about the history of car seats and why we have them today? We put our children in them everyday - it’s only natural to want to know how they became invented.

And like most things, the evolution of the car seat has been bumpy! But all rides can be bumpy, right? 

Getting parents on board with putting their child into a safety seat took some convincing. Parents didn’t exactly sign on in the beginning.

Now car seats are a no-brainer. Could you imagine just putting your child in the back seat and letting them roll around as you run errands or go from activity to activity? 

You probably can’t imagine this because nowadays car seat safety is extremely important for parents. 

In this article we’re going to talk about the history of car seats - all the way up to new technology and innovations of today. 

The history of car seats 

Did you ever notice that kids like to look out the window and never sit in one spot? That’s why early car seats were invented. 

The earliest car seat was a burlap sack attached to the headrest by a drawstring. It looked like a bag of potatoes should be in there - not kids! 

But then in 1933 something big happened. A company by the name of Bunny Bear Company made a basic booster seat. It made it so parents could see their  kids better. 

By the 1940s a new kind of car seat was invented. The new one was made of canvas and metal. But back then nobody cared about safety! All they wanted to do was make it so kids got a better view out the windshield.

It’s not surprising that safety didn’t matter because safety wasn’t on anyone’s mind when they made the first cars. Then, in 1959 things changed when the lap-shoulder belt was made. 

All throughout history different people have made it so parents became acquainted with car seats. 

#1 Jean Helen Ames, was a British momma that suggested that children should be as safe as possible in the car. In 1962, she told everyone she could that they should put their child in a safety seat. The first child she ever put in a car seat was her son, Richard Ames. 

#2 Leonard Rivkin, was a businessman and civil engineer from Denver. He’s the one that started talking about car seats in America. 

#3 In 1964 Bertil Aldman, a professor from Sweden, designed the first rear-facing car seat. Kids in Sweden are still in rear-facing car seats until they are 4 years old now. 

Two new innovations

In 1968 people started being concerned about car seat safety more than ever before. So big companies started making their own car seats like Tot-Guard by Ford Motor Company and the Love Seat by General Motors. Then came the Bobby Mac convertible seat - parents loved this one. 

Regulations 

Then came the regulations. In 1971 the first federal standards were started by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Eight years after that the first car seat law was created in Tennessee. In 1985 every state in the US had a law regarding child safety seats. 

People didn’t want to use safety seats for their kids though. Only 80% of families were using child safety seats in 1987. Didn’t people realise that car seats save their kids lives? Probably not, because 20% of all people STILL didn’t use them! 

Car seats today 

It’s safe to say child car seat safety has come a long way. Parents finally got the good idea that car seats protect their children. 

Nowadays, states started their own laws that say that people have to put their children in car seats. Some states have laws that make children travel in rear-facing car seats until age two; and in some parts of the country, laws make it so that older children have to stay in a carseat for longer.

But the new problem is that parents don’t use the car seat the right way. 75% of all car seats are being used wrongly in some way. 

Car seats in the Winter

When streets are icy and cold it presents a whole new set of safety concerns for your child sitting in their car seat. Protecting your child in their car seat in the wintertime is about keeping them warm and keeping them safe in their seats and using restraints the right way.The Buckle Me Baby Coat can help you do this by providing the warmth of a coat that’s not puffy (puffy coats were never meant for your child’s car seat) and the safety of optimizing the car seat’s harness. Below we’ll explain that more. 

Introducing Buckle Me Baby Coat 

Buckle Me Baby Coats are made for use with your child’s car seat. Simply put your child’s jacket on. Pull the front panel aside. Harness them into their seat, and you’re good to go. It's that easy. 

The coats have been crash tested and are designed to be safer than traditional winter coats. That means your child is safer in a Buckle Me Baby Coat than they’d be in a regular coat. 

Parents enjoy peace of mind that their child is safely buckled and warm and kids enjoy tantrum-free warm trips in and out of the car!

These coats have extendable chunky rib knit cuffs and collar, magnetic removable hood, and thick (but not bulky) sherpa lining with a fleece back that will leave your child feeling cozy and warm no matter the weather. 

And they’re cute, too! The Buckle Me Baby Coat comes in a variety of adorable colors. Limited edition Buckle Me Baby Coats have a cute inner lining featuring forest animals, milk and cookies or spaceships - a sweet, trendy design feature your child will love. 

But, let’s be clear, these coats are selling like hot cakes, and have been ever since they made their way into the market - get your hands on one before your favorite size, style and color sell out!