Cast a critical eye toward your current vehicle to make sure it meets both the practical and safety concerns of your growing family. Check to make sure your current vehicle meets the following safety standards and allows you to take suggested precautions when baby arrives. If you have not checked off the entire list, record below what remains to be done to make your car baby-safe before your baby is born.

Sit back and be safe. The best place for any child is the back seat. If you have the choice, avoid pickup trucks or other vehicles that don't offer one.

Turn off the air bag. If your new baby must ride in the front passenger seat and there is an air bag, there absolutely must be a switch that allows you to disengage the air bag on that side. If your vehicle doesn't have a switch, obtain permission to install one from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Check with your state's motor vehicle bureau for details.

Skip the side air bag. Side impact air bags can also pose a significant risk of head and neck injury to children. If the vehicle has an activated rear seat side air bag, check with the car manufacturer or the NHTSA to make sure it has been adequately tested for safe use with children. Otherwise, have it deactivated (for complete information on deactivating airbags, go to www.safercar.gov/airbags).

Choose the right seat. Size and shape matter. Make sure your baby's car seat fits properly in the vehicle and there is adequate room if you have more than one child to secure. Remember your little one will ride in a rear-facing car seat until she weighs twenty pounds and is one year of age.

Use locking seat belts, tethers, or anchors. Most vehicles built after 2002 accommodate a LATCH system (lower anchors and tethers for children) that allows you to secure the top and side tethers on a LATCH equipped child seat to anchors built into the car interior. If your car seat or vehicle is not LATCH equipped, cars built after 1996 should have belts that work with most car seats. Always check the owner's manual of your vehicle and car seat for proper installation instructions.

Check the interior trunk release. If your car was manufactured after September 2001, it should have a release mechanism inside the trunk to prevent curious children from becoming trapped inside. Retrofitted release latches are available for cars without this feature.

Don't run hot and cold. If your car's heating and cooling system is out of commission, now is the time to get it fixed. You may not mind sweating in summer or freezing in winter, but an infant can quickly become overheated or chilled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends turning on the car's air conditioner in weather 75°F or warmer and firing up the heater when it dips below 50°F.

Accessorize. Car seat belts and buckles left in the sun can pose a burn hazard so consider a car seat cover or window and windshield sun screens, which are also useful in preventing your car's interior from absorbing the sun's heat.

Other features that may be helpful but aren't absolutely essential include built-in child car seats and safety door locks.