American Academy of Pediatrics and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Issue New Child Car Seat Guidelines

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics, with the blessing of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the governmental entity overseeing car safety, amended child safety seat usage and recommended that you keep children in a rear-facing car seat until 2 years old. This is based on research that children are better protected in accidents in a rear facing child seat. If your child grows out of their rear facing child seat before they reach the age of 2, it is recommended you buy a convertible seat that will allow you to keep them rear facing until 2 years old, and then switch it to forward facing. According to the NHTSA “the rear-facing position reduces stresses to the neck and spinal cord and is particularly important for growing babies.”
The NHTSA also recommends that you keep your child in a car safety seat as long as possible. If your child fits in the car seat and is within the height and weight limits indicated by the manufacturer of the seat, it is safer for them to be traveling in the car safety seat. It is also recommended that as your child reaches the ages of 8-12, you should switch them to a booster seat which will allow the lap/shoulder belt of the car to fit them better. Until the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs of your child, not on their stomach; and the shoulder belt lie snug across your child’s shoulder and chest and not across their neck and face, you should keep your older child in a booster seat which will permit proper placement of these belts.
These are your children we are talking about and they completely rely on you to do what you can to keep them safe. Following these general guidelines regarding children riding in cars, can only help to keep them as safe as possible should an unfortunate event like an accident occur. Review and become familiar with the car seat recommendations….they help save lives.