When to Turn the Car Seat Forward Facing

Tyria LockhartTyria Lockhartยท

Rear-facing seats spread crash force across the entire back, head, and neck, which is why experts now recommend keeping children rear-facing to age two or beyond, up to the seat’s height and weight limit.

Resist the urge to turn them early.

  • Rear-facing protects the head and neck in a frontal crash
  • Legs touching the seat back is safe and not a reason to turn
  • Check the seat’s rear-facing limit before making the switch
  • Turning is a milestone to delay, not to rush

The day they outgrow the rear-facing limit is the day to turn, not before. A little legroom is never worth the safety trade-off.

Crash data shows rear-facing children are far better protected in frontal impacts, the most common serious collision. Rear-facing to the seat’s full limit is a decision the research strongly supports.