Keep children rear-facing until age 2

Montana Buckle Up

Coalition

Recommendations have changed for keeping children rear-facing in child car seats, from age 1 until at least age 2, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Starting in 2011, the Academy advises parents to keep their toddlers rear facing until age 2 or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their car seat. While that is several years ago, many parents seem unaware of this important change in recommendations.

It also advises that children need to ride in a belt-positioning booster until they have reached about 4 feet, 9 inches tall and are between the ages of 8 and 12.

“A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,” said Dr. Dennis Durban, the lead author of the 2011 policy statement. (1)

Another child safety expert, Dr. Michelle Macy of the University of Michigan Medical School puts it this way, “When a child is sitting in a rear-facing car seat, the stopping forces are spread out over their entire back. The back of the car seat is a cushion for the child,” she explained. “However, in the forward-facing position, all of the crash forces are focused on the points of the body that come into contact with the car seat straps. The child’s head and limbs keep moving forward, pulling against the seat.” (2)

It is easy to see these crash forces in action by going to a multitude of You Tube videos on the subject. If you are tempted to turn your child around before then because they want to or you want to be able to see them, I urge you to watch one of these short clips. It is OK if their knees are bent at the back of the seat, this is still the safest way for them to ride.

“Age 2 is not a deadline but a guideline to help parents decide,” Dr. Durbin said. Smaller children will benefit from remaining rear-facing longer. A German video clip urged rear-facing up until age 3 or 4. Your car seat will have a sticker on it, or in the car seat manual that has the upper limits for weight and height rear-facing.

Children should then transition from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat with a harness, until they reach the maximum weight or height for that seat. The next important step is a booster seat, which will lift your child up to make sure the vehicle’s lap-and-shoulder belt fit properly. The shoulder belt should cross the middle of the chest and shoulder, not near the neck or face.

The lap belt should fit low and snug on the hips and upper thighs, not across the soft tissues of the stomach. The main purpose of a booster is to position the seat belts across the strongest bones of the body, the shoulder and hip bones, just like an adult.

Most children will need a booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years old.

And, children should ride in the rear of a vehicle until they are 13 years old.

1. http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/

2. http://consumer.heatlhday.com/kids-heatlh-information-23/.