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Car Seats for Toddlers and Infants

New research reported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shows toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. - April 4, 2009
It is a common misunderstanding that rear-facing toddlers whose feet reach the back of the vehicle seat are more likely to suffer injuries to the lower extremities in a car accident, according to Marilyn J. Bull, M.D., FAAP, one of the co-authors of the study. Lower extremity injuries are rare with rear-facing seats. Rear-facing seats are more likely to support the back, neck, head and pelvis because the force of a crash is distributed evenly over the entire body. Forward-facing children are more likely to be injured because the force of the crash is concentrated on seat belt contact points, and younger children’s heads are disproportionately large for their small, weak necks, according to the study.

In Sweden, children ride in rear-facing seats until the age of 4, which has been proven to be 90% effective compared to children who ride unrestrained. However, car seats are engineered differently in Sweden to allow older toddlers to remain rear-facing longer.

“Since motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death in children, the Academy must do whatever it can to educate our members and the general public about the safest ways for children to ride in motor vehicles,” said AAP President David T. Tayloe Jr., M.D., FAAP. “We should make sure all of our members know to encourage parents to keep their children in rear-facing car seats as long as they do not exceed the size limits of the car seats.”

Following are some safety tips for car seat use:

   ● All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant car seat or convertible seat.
   ● If an infant car seat is used, the infant 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) have been 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.
   ● To see if your car seat is installed properly and to find a certified passenger safety technician in your area, visit www.seatcheck.org or www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm.

● You also can call 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) or 888-327-4236.

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