In a story out of the American Academy of Pediatrics, new recommendations would keep a toddler in a rear-facing seat until they are 2 years old, not 1.
Recent research has revealed that children under 2 years of age are 75% less likely to die or experience serious injury when rear facing.
Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 2 are five times safer when rear facing.
When an accident occurs, a rear-facing child distributes the force evenly over the entire body. Forward facing children concentrated all the impact on the seat belt contact points, and they can suffer from neck and head injuries.
According to the AAP, all children should ride rear-facing in an infant car seat or convertible seat as long as possible. If an infant car seat is used, the baby should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) are reached for that infant seat, as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.
Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.
This heart-breaking video from You Tube explains it very well. Warning though, it is a real tear-jerker!
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