...that young children should stay rear-facing in their car seats well beyond the one year and 20 lbs required by law? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear-facing to the limit of your child's car seat. Rear-facing is far safer for children. All covertible carseats are made to safely rear-face until the child is 30 lbs, and most are made to safely rear-face until 35 lbs or more.
- Rear-facing is safest for both adults and children, but especially for babies, who would face a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.
- Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.
- Rear-facing carseats may not be quite as effective in a rear end crash, but severe frontal and frontal offset crashes are far more frequent and far more severe than severe rear end crashes. Rear end crashes account for only 4% of crashes.
- Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a child's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.
- Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatricians, and can reduce injuries and deaths. Motor Vehicle Crashes are the #1 overall cause of death for children 14 and under.
Still not sure? Read this article and watch this very convincing video. Many people are unaware of the benefits of extended rear-facing, so please share this information with anyone who has young children.
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