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Why Kids Should Stay in Rear-Facing Car Seats Longer

Why Kids Should Stay in Rear-Facing Car Seats Longer
May 14, 2018Dr. Grant Radermacher

Why is rear-facing safer than forward-facing?

Parents are often tempted to “graduate” their kids from rear-facing to forward-facing car seats as soon as they can – often when they outgrow their infant carrier – but new research says that children’s spines aren’t ready for a major (forward-facing) impact and are safest riding in rear-facing seats until they’re closer to 4 years old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to wait as car seat studies have shown that children under 2 are up to 500% less likely to die or sustain serious injury in a rear-facing car seat than a forward-facing one. No matter what popular opinion says or how much your child protests, the fact is, with every transition to the next seat up there’s a significant reduction in the level of protection for your child, so it makes sense to keep your child in each stage for as long as possible.

Why does it make such a difference?

First, rear-facing seats spread out the force of a car crash more evenly across the car seat and the child’s body. It also minimizes the motion of the child’s head, reducing the risk of whiplash-type neck and spinal cord injuries, and protects them from potentially harmful glass and unsecured items bouncing around in an accident.
Why Kids Should Stay in Rear-Facing Car Seats Longer – Brookfield Chiropractor
This is more important for kids under the age of 4 than for older kids because toddlers aren’t just small adults; their bodies are still developing and those developmental changes make them far more vulnerable than an adult. A toddler’s vertebrae are connected via cartilage rather than ossified bone – in fact, even at age 3 there’s only a 50% chance that a child’s top three vertebrae (the bones we’re most concerned about injuring in an auto accident) are fully fused.

Additionally, an infant or toddler’s neck supports a head that’s much heavier proportionally than an adult’s (25% of their total body weight, while an adult’s head comprises only about 6% of their body weight). The difference in proportion of head to body, and the associated stress placed on the neck and the spinal cord in the event of an accident, only adds to the need to protect the spine.

Second, let’s talk crashes. According to NHTSA, roughly 60% of vehicle crashes are frontal impacts and 20% are side impacts. Occupants will always travel towards the point of impact, putting all the stress on the neck and spine, so it’s easy to see why experts strongly urge keeping your child rear-facing for as long as possible.

What the evidence says

A recent study from BMJ Injury Prevention compared 15 years worth of crash injury statistics involving children under age 2. They found that “the odds of severe injury for forward-facing infants under 12 months of age were 1.79 times higher than for rear-facing infants; for children 12 to 23 months old, the odds were 5.32 times higher”.

The bottom line

Many parents make the mistake of thinking that the transition from infant carrier to convertible is the right time to go forward-facing, but the evidence says they should opt for a convertible rear-facing seat instead until they’re closer to age 4. It’s not a choice to be made based on parenting style or opinion; it’s one based on fact. Keep your kids safe!


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About the Author

Why Kids Should Stay in Rear-Facing Car Seats Longer – Brookfield Chiropractor

Dr. Grant Radermacher

Dr. Grant Radermacher is a Brookfield, WI chiropractor providing unmatched results through gentle, evidence-based chiropractic care. Our mission is simple: get you out of pain so you can get back to being you, only better.

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Related

Comments

Muhanji Reply
August 24, 2018

I now get a sense of what you are talking about. Accidents do happen

saad Reply
September 23, 2018

What Price..?

DPLP Reply
October 11, 2018

I’ll definitely bookmark this for my records. I’ll be writing an article related to safety and this should be better known!

Kyle Reply
November 21, 2018

this blog is great i love reading your posts. Keep up the great work! You know, a lot of people are hunting around for this info, you could help them greatly.

Ben Zahel Reply
January 28, 2019

These are really nice and useful. I think the best way to keep your child safe in the car is to use the right car seat in the right way.
For example: Proper Installation of your car seat should be the first priority.

Ben Zahel Reply
January 28, 2019

These are really nice and useful. I think the best way to keep your child safe in the car is to use the right car seat in the right way.
For Example:
Proper Installation of your car seat should be the first priority.

kdm 171045 Reply
June 9, 2020

Sundar wrote, as well as visit our web site if it is of any use, thank you.

Jenna Brookes Reply
September 27, 2020

As a parent, it can be tempting to move your child to a forward-facing car seat before they’re ready but experts say keeping your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible.

Fahmida Rahman Reply
September 27, 2020

Your information is helpful. what is the price of this?

Fahmida Rahman Reply
September 27, 2020

A rear facing car seat is great advantage to all kids . It also a great help to parents..

sage Reply
May 20, 2021

such an eye opener. thanks for the great article!

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

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