A safety seat includes a base unit adapted to be attached to the vehicle. The base unit includes a base body, and a base carriage coupled to the base body and moveable relative thereto from a resting position to a ride down position. Movement of the base carriage from the resting position to the ride down position is caused by a force acting on the base carriage that is above a prescribed threshold. A braking element is coupled to the base body and the base carriage, and is adapted to bias the base carriage toward the resting position. A seat unit is detachably engageable with the base carriage and defines a seat cavity sized and configured to receive the child.