In a significant shift, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has introduced new guidelines for car seat safety, emphasizing that a child’s height and weight should dictate the transition to forward-facing car seats, rather than their age. According to the AAP, children should remain in rear-facing car seats “as long as possible,” until they reach the maximum height and weight limits specified by the car seat manufacturer. This update suggests that many children may need to stay rear-facing well past the age of two, reflecting recent research into child safety in vehicles.
Dr. Michael Roberts, chair of the AAP’s council on injury, violence, and poison prevention, noted to NBC News that the guidelines had not been thoroughly reviewed for years due to a lack of new data. However, advancements in understanding car seat effectiveness prompted this revision. “In the past year, we’ve gained valuable insights into how to better protect children in vehicles,” he stated.
The New Recommendations
- Children should use rear-facing car seats for as long as possible, typically covering all infants under 2 years old and most children up to age 4.
- Once children are turned forward, they should stay in a forward-facing car seat until they exceed the weight and height limits of that seat, which can accommodate kids up to 60 pounds or more.
- After surpassing these limits, children should transition to a belt-positioning booster seat until they are big enough to use a standard seat belt properly.
- Finally, once they outgrow the booster, children should always wear a lap and shoulder belt.
- For optimum safety, all children under 13 should ride in the back seat of vehicles.
The AAP revisits its policies every three years, adjusting recommendations based on the latest findings. A recent study from Ohio State University indicated that rear-facing car seats provide the best protection for children under two during rear-impact crashes. Julie Adams, lead author of the study, emphasized that a rear-facing seat effectively absorbs crash energy and protects vulnerable areas like the head, neck, and spine.
Ultimately, the AAP’s revised guidelines encourage parents to prioritize a child’s size over age when deciding on car seat transitions, reinforcing that rear-facing seats are indeed safer.
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Summary
The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated car seat guidelines to prioritize a child’s size over age, recommending that children remain in rear-facing seats until they reach the maximum height and weight limits. This change is based on new research emphasizing the increased safety provided by rear-facing seats.
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