Q: A Rhode Island Mom has wondered: “My daughter is 15 months old and hates her car seat because she hates facing backward. When can she turn around?”
A: This is a well timed question because there is breaking news from the AAP as of this April! They now recommend that all children younger than two years old be restrained in rear-facing carseats. This recommendation has come about because of alarming new data:
- Toddlers from 12-23 months who ride in a rear facing car seat are five times safer than children their age riding in forward facing seats.
- Children under the age of 2 are 75% less likely to die or suffer serious injury (if involved in a car accident) if they are in rear facing car seats rather than facing forward ones.
This is probably a great opportunity to remind all parents that–as children move from infant, to rear- facing convertible, and then finally to forward facing booster seats– there is one common denominator: keeping children safe within the car! Many parents let children “loose” after they outgrow their booster seats at about age 4. Children of all ages–like adults–need to be buckled in!