Most toddler car seats have a lot of overlap in their height and weight limitations for rear- and forward-facing travel… which means that you can max out that seats rear-facing capabilities to protect your little one from serious injury in the event of a crash.
Car seat safety is about following the laws and the limitations of the car seat you have, but it’s also about going a step further and following best practice recommendations.
Follow @katiefranklindoulaservices (CPST) for more car seat content.
A toddler’s head is proportionately HUGE compared to an adult which means that in combination with the bones and muscles of their neck and spine not being fully developed, there is serious risk of injury when the head is thrown forward in a collision.
Did you know that some kiddos will rear-face until they are 4 years old?
Just because they can forward face, doesn’t mean they should.
Keep your kiddo rear-facing until they max out your seat’s capabilities.
PSA do not sit in your child’s car seat as I am doing. You are definitely above the weight restriction 😉. This seat is expired and for demonstration purposes only!
#carseatsafety #cpst #rearfacing #forwardfacing #bentlegsincarseat
3 months agomora.klarissa22
Internal decapitation is very very real with forward facing. So there neck breaks inside and there head may not completely come off but internal decapitation will kill them
4 months agosoyang3lica
I have a 3 1/2 old daughter and she still seats rear facing, when is the maximum age that I could keep her in that position? I’m in the US
4 months agothemobilityquestion
What undermines folks who talk about this topic like experts (maybe that’s what a CPST is?), is the vagueness of the word “crash”. I did my own research. I looked at a number of different crash scenarios: frontal impact are marginally more common than rear end crashes, both of which are more common than side impacts. Many modern vehicles have active mechanisms for side impact safety. As it turns out the OP is correct; statistically your child is safer from head and spine injury overall when rear facing. Though they may suffer broken limbs and other facial injuries rear facing in a strong rear end collision - these of are viewed as less serious than spine and brain injuries. The subtleties are important though, and I wish more proponents would explain their logic as opposed to just regurgitating others statements - it would drastically increase credibility.
4 months agoruthmbrazis
You are young, you believe all this bs, l can't imagine making em sit like that on a trip
4 months agojohnfagan65
All the comments saying rear facing in a rear impact would be the same result as 100% false. OMG. I can’t believe she could even say that if your rear facing and get hit from the rear at a high speed or any speed, your body yes is going to go forward. Your head is not. It will go down just like it does if you’re forward facing, and you have a front impact. Why do you think there’s headrest and vehicles for rear impact to keep your head from snapping back also for front impact when your body goes forward, but your seatbelt stops you and pulls your body back. It keeps your head from snapping back. No difference when a person gets hit by a car The shoes or where they got hit simulating your head, but the body is down the road simulating your body being in the car seat being strapped down. It naturally will go with a car, but your head won’t in a rear impact. Now all I said I do believe rear facing is the safest especially if you’re driving in states that have a lot of two lane highways with no center K rail separating traffic.
4 months agopetite.lumiere.studio
I will keep my kids rear facing until they move out if I can 🤷🏼♀️🥴
5 months agobrittaberry_
My 4yo is still in the height and weight for rear facing. He says hes very comfortable and enjoys propping his legs up
5 months agoiggysgma
What happens when they hit the weight limit at a younger age ? we are worried about this he is only about 4-5 pounds away from the weight limit ?!?!
5 months agomeooow____
How do you say this with a straight face every few years when they change their mind on what’s safe?
5 months agoserialc87
I am in Ireland and have extended rear facing Swedish plus tested seats for both my kids in my car and my parents car. My oldest is 5.5 and youngest is 2 and will be staying in their seats until they are maxed out. Irelands rural roads are diabolical at best so no way am I taking chances. Sadly I dont see many kids in our area in similar seats. Most are front facing before they turn 2
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