When should you turn your toddler from rear to forward facing?

One of the most confusing things about car seat safety is the fact that gray area abounds. What is the safest car seat for my child? It depends. Where is the best place in the car to install a car seat? Let's talk about that. When should I switch my toddler's car seat from rear to forward facing? Well...

As a CPST working in the foster care and adoption space, I find that parents and caregivers often want a hard and fast guideline for such things. (After all, our amazing caregivers have SO MANY THINGS to learn/keep track of.) And while I truly do wish I could give you a handy chart of "If child is x years old, they should be in y car seat," the reality is there is so much more nuance to it.

The question of when to turn your toddler from rear facing to forward facing is one of those areas that doesn't have an easy black and white answer. Let's break it down:

What does the law say?

Pennsylvania law requires that all children from birth-2 years old must be secured in a rear-facing car seat until they outgrow the maximum weight and height limits of the seat. So, legally you MUST keep them rear facing until they reach they age of 2 at the very minimum. The law does provide an exception if the child outgrows their seat before the age of 2, but most car seats currently on the market have limits that should easily get even off-the-charts children to their second birthdays. (If you have older/adult children or are a younger adult yourself and discuss this with your parents, you might have had a very different experience - this article does a good job of explaining how much things have changed even in the last few years.)

What do the experts say?

Virtually all child-safety experts promote the value of rear-facing as long as possible. For example:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) best practice recommendation is that "All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing CSS as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their CSS's manufacturer."
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that caregivers of children ages 1-3 "Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether."
• The National Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Training manual states that "The rear-facing mode is used for children from birth until they reach the upper weight or height limits of the car seat as labeled for use rear-facing."

What do caregivers say?

Many caregivers worry that their children are uncomfortable or unsafe rear-facing, especially if their legs no longer fit within the shell of the car seat. Thankfully, this is not a concern. Kids, especially at this age, are super flexible and aren't bothered by this position. Some caregivers worry about injuries, but the safety benefits of rear-facing far outweigh any potential (low) risks of leg injuries.

However, there are reasons that a caregiver may not be able or willing to continue rear-facing a child all the way until they max out the height or weight limits of the seat. For example, I (a CPST) turned my own children forward facing a few months before their fourth birthday - even though they were still within the rear facing limits of their seat - because my mom, who provides childcare for them full-time while I am at work, was beginning to have trouble lifting them into their seats and they were not able to climb into their own seats while in the rear-facing position due to their gross motor delays. I made this decision because I knew they were well above the legal limit to forward face, and at almost 4 years old their bodies had matured enough to where the risks to them forward facing were smaller than they had been as babies or toddlers.

What does the science say?

Rear-facing car seats are designed to support the head, neck, and spinal cord of a baby or toddler. In the event of a crash, a rear facing car seat distributes the crash forces across the shell of the car seat while the head and neck move together with the seat. This protects these crucial areas and prevents injury to them. This is especially important for babies and very young children because their heads are much larger in proportion to their bodies than older children or adults, and their neck muscles are weaker.

Young children have much higher rates of serious injury and death in a car accident when riding forward facing, even when they are properly restrained. 

What do YOU say?

All caregivers have their own choice to make when it comes to when they will turn their children from rear facing to forward facing. While there is no one "right" answer to this question, there are two wrong answers:

• You should NOT move your child forward facing before their second birthday, as this is illegal in Pennsylvania. (If you feel your child may be at risk of outgrowing the rear facing limits of their car seat before age 2, please reach out to a CPST for help finding a solution that can keep them riding safely.)
• You should NOT keep your child rear facing once they have maxed out the height and/or weight limits for their seat. This would no longer be safe.

When it comes to car seat safety, none of us are going to get it exactly perfect all the time. We are always learning, guidelines are changing, and new technology is developing. Maybe after reading this article, you are realizing that a child you care for or transport who is forward facing might be safer rear facing. It's not too late to make that change! Maybe you have been counting down the days until your child's second birthday so you can flip them around, and are now second guessing that - awesome! Any additional time you can give them beyond 2 is going to increase their safety. Maybe your child is nearing the rear-facing limits of their seat and you are worried about turning them forward facing - great job on maxing out your seat, you did the best thing for your child and they will be just fine turned around!

As always, if you have questions, need help selecting a car seat, would like a fit check, or need any other type of assistance, I am happy to serve you!

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