How long does car seat face rear

Keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until they outgrow the seat's rear-facing height and weight limits and are at least 2. Most children can remain rear facing – the safest position – until they're 3 or 4 years old. Don't turn the car seat around until you have to, and don't worry if you have to fold your child's legs against the back seat. Though it may look awkward, their legs are actually more vulnerable when forward facing.

Photo credit: NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

IN THIS ARTICLE

• How long should my child ride in a rear-facing car seat?
  
• When should I switch my child to a forward-facing car seat?
• What are the laws on rear-facing and forward-facing car seats?
• Why are rear-facing car seats safer than forward-facing car seats?
• What if my child's legs seem too long for a rear-facing car seat?
• More information on rear-facing car seats

It once seemed logical that when a baby reached their first birthday, they'd graduate from their rear-facing infant car seat to a forward-facing "big" car seat. In fact, this was American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy until 2011.

We now know that keeping a child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible is a much safer option. Extended rear-facing (ERF) is a practice embraced by safety-minded parents. And since 2018, it's been AAP policy, too.

How long should my child ride in a rear-facing car seat?

The guidelines aren't based on age, but on the maximum height and weight requirements set by the car seat manufacturer. Both the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend that all babies and toddlers face the back of the car until they reach the upper limit for rear-facing height and weight. Infant car seats, convertible car seats, and all-in-one car seats can be used rear facing.

Different car seats have different weight and height limits, and some enable a child to remain rear facing longer than others. In the right car seat, most kids can now ride rear facing from birth until they're 3 or 4 years old, with a minimum of 2 years.

When should I switch my child to a forward-facing car seat?

Wait until your child reaches the weight or height maximum for the rear-facing position and is at least 2 years old before turning the car seat around to the forward-facing position. (Most children reach the height limit before the weight limit.)

In addition to following your car seat's rear-facing height and weight limits, pay attention to how your child fits in the seat. Make sure that your child's head is at least 1 inch below the top rim of the plastic shell (not the padded area).

Children's bodies are different – their torsos can vary quite a bit in length, for example. So while they'll likely fit just fine in their car seat until they reach the height limit, it's a good idea to double check. Make sure that there's at least an inch of room above your child's head in order for the seat to provide full protection.

Many parents start with an infant car seat, while others use a convertible car seat or all-in-one car seat from the beginning. No matter which of these seats you have, use it rear-facing until you can't anymore.

Once your child outgrows an infant car seat (usually when they're 26 to 35 inches tall and between 22 and 35 pounds), replace it with a convertible or all-in-one car seat with a higher height and weight limit. (Some convertible and all-in-one car seats accommodate a child when rear-facing until they're about 49 inches tall and 40 to 50 pounds.) Install the new car seat in the rear-facing position to allow your child to continue to face backward.

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When your child outgrows the rear-facing weight or height limit, they can transition to a forward-facing car seat. Keep your child in a car seat with a harness for as long as possible, at least until age 4.

Hold off on switching your child from rear facing to forward facing, and from car seat to booster seat, for as long as possible. Each transition means a decrease in protection.

What are the laws on rear-facing and forward-facing car seats?

States set their own safety-seat laws for children, specifying minimum age, height, and weight requirements.

Some states (such as Colorado and Alabama), require children younger than 1 or less than 20 pounds to be in rear-facing child restraints, and others (such as California) specify that children younger than 2 and less than 40 pounds and 40 inches must be in a rear-facing infant seat. And some states only require that children of a certain age ride in a car seat.

State laws are often minimum standards, not ideal safety standards. Some of them don't line up with best practices. If your state law says your child only needs to be in a rear-facing car seat until their first birthday, for example, stick with what safety experts and pediatricians recommend.

Find out what your state requires – and what the fines are for violation – on the Safe Ride 4 Kids website.

Why are rear-facing car seats safer than forward-facing car seats?

Young children are safer in rear-facing car seats because they provide better protection for their vulnerable bodies.

Young kids have large heads compared to their body size, and the vertebrae in their spine aren't fused together yet (they're primarily connected by cartilage, not bone). These factors make them more susceptible to neck, head, and spine injuries in a crash.

In a forward-facing car seat, the harness straps hold the body. But the head can get thrown forward, putting the spine, neck, and head in danger. In a rear-facing car seat, the car seat will cradle their heads and back and disperse the force of the impact during a crash.

When facing against the direction of travel during a crash, a child will be pushed into the seat, which will cradle their neck and spine. Even in a rear-end collision, rear-facing car seats have been shown to provide good protection.

Research shows that toddlers and preschoolers, as well as babies, benefit from staying rear facing. In Sweden, where many children remain in the backward-facing position until age 4 or older, researchers found that rear-facing car seats were the most effective type of child restraint for reducing the risk of injury among children.

What if my child's legs seem too long for a rear-facing car seat?

Most kids eventually have limited legroom in a rear-facing car seat. Their legs may even have to be bent or crossed to fit. Some parents worry that their child is uncomfortable or that their legs could be hurt in the event of a crash. But experts say that's not the case.

As long as kids are within the height and weight limits of the car seat, they're safer – and likely quite comfortable, too. Children's bones haven't fully formed, and, because they're more flexible, kids can sit comfortably in positions that adults might find difficult.

Rear-facing car seats are not only far more effective at preventing fatal injuries (as well as those that could permanently disable a child), they're also much better at protecting your child's arms and legs. Children are more at risk of leg injuries when in a forward-facing car seat.

More information on rear-facing car seats

• AAP's car seat guide, including advice on how to install a car seat properly
• AAP's comparison of car seats by weight and height limits, as well as price
• BabyCenter Community's Extended Rear Facing group

Learn more:

• Your complete guide to car seats
• How to use a car seat on the plane

Karen Miles

Karen Miles is a writer and an expert on pregnancy and parenting who has contributed to BabyCenter for more than 20 years. She's passionate about bringing up-to-date, useful information to parents so they can make good decisions for their families. Her favorite gig of all is being "Mama Karen" to four grown children and "Nana" to eight grandkids.

How long should a baby be in a rear facing?

Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.

When can a baby face forward in the backseat?

Children may ride in a forward-facing car seat when they are at least 1 year old AND weigh at least 20 lbs. Keep your child in a forward-facing safety seat as long as the safety seat allows for it. If the child safety seat has a top tether strap and your vehicle has a corresponding tether anchor, use them.