Parents Turning Kids' Car Seats Around Too Early

Most parents wouldn't think of putting their infant or toddler in the car without a child safety seat, but a new study shows many aren't using the seats properly, putting their children at risk.

As infants, children begin riding in the car seat with the seat facing backwards for increased safety. A new report from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health shows that many parents turn their child’s seat to face forward too soon.

The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines for child passenger safety in April 2011, recommending children stay in rear-facing car seats until the age of two.

A month later, to determine how many parents were following this practice, the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked parents of children seven to 48 months old about their use of rear-facing car seats.

Most parents change too soon

The study found that 73 percent of parents switched their child from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat before the age of two. Thirty percent of parents turned their child’s seat to face forward before their child reached one year of age.

“Research has shown that riding in a rear-facing car seat is up to five times safer for toddlers than riding in a forward-facing car seat,” said Michelle Macy, M.D., M.S., a clinical lecturer of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. “Parents want to keep their children safe, but they may not be aware of the safety benefits of keeping their child rear-facing beyond their child’s first birthday.”

According to Macy, rear-facing car seats can prevent serious injury to children involved in front end motor vehicle collisions.

“When a child is sitting in a rear-facing car seat, the stopping forces are spread out over their entire back. The back of the car seat is a cushion for the child,” Macy said. “However, in the forward-facing position, all of the crash forces are focused on the points of the body that come into contact with the car seat straps. The child’s head and limbs keep moving forward, pulling against the seat.”

Relying on manufacturers' instructions

According to researchers, the majority of parents - - 72 percent – said they relied on car seat packaging information to determine the right time to allow their toddlers to ride facing forward.

According to Macy:

• Car seat instructions often say that the seat can be used forward-facing when the child is 20 pounds. However, this does not mean the car seat should be used in the forward-facing position if the child is still under the height and weight limits to continue riding rear-facing.
• Most children will outgrow a rear-facing infant carrier style seat well before their first birthday, but that doesn’t mean it is time to turn the baby to face forward. The next step is to get a larger convertible car seat that can be used both rear-facing and forward-facing.
• Newborns who weigh at least five pounds can start out using a convertible car seat in the rear-facing position. If money is tight, parents should consider forgoing an infant carrier for a convertible car seat that their child can use from birth into the pre-school years.

• Contact a local car seat inspection station to make sure your child safety seat is being used properly. Visit seatcheck.org and enter your zip code to find an inspection station close to your home. Local inspection stations can also point you toward resources in your community that offer assistance to parents in need of obtaining proper car seats for their children.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keep up-to-date information for parents about child safety seats.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has a listing of child restraint laws across the United Sates. For the most current information about laws, parents should check with their state.