Article at a Glance
• Children should be in rear-facing car seats until they turn 2 or reach the car seat’s height and weight limit.
• Children under 2 are 75 percent less likely to be severely injured or die in a car crash if they are rear facing.
• Children should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are between 8 and 12 years old and are over 4 feet 9 inches tall.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated their policy on the use of car safety seats — now requesting that parents keep their children in rear-facing car seats until they turn 2 or until they reach the car seat’s height and weight limit.
The policy also asks parents to have their children ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they are between 8 and 12 years old and are over 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Although the minimum recommended age has now changed from 1 to 2, for the last nine years the AAP has advised that children should stay rear-facing until they reach the car seat’s height and weight limit.
Why are children safer riding rear facing? The rear-facing position allows the car seat to better support the head, neck, and spine. Rear-facing seats are able to distribute the force of the crash along the entire body. Forwarding-facing seats only distribute the force against the straps.
Although parents are often eager to turn their children’s car seats forward, the best bet is to wait. According to studies, children under 2 are 75 percent less likely to be severely injured or to die in a car crash if they are rear facing. Since car accidents are the leading cause of death among children in the United States, waiting a little longer could literally mean the difference between life and death.
If you have already switched your child to forward facing before the age of 2, it would be a good idea to consider switching your child back. But if that is not possible, at least make sure your seat is installed correctly. There are a number of Car Seat Inspection Stations in Utah where you can go for free to make sure your car seat is installed correctly.
For More Information:
AAP Updates Recommendations on Car Seats (HealthyChildren.org)
Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2011 (HealthyChildren.org)
Car Safety Seats Product Listing for 2011 (HealthyChildren.org)
Car Safety Seat Check Up (HealthyChildren.org)
Air Bag Safety (HealthyChildren.org)
AAP: Toddlers in rear-facing seat until 2 (cnn.com)
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