Plus, having a restrained child eat in the car carries risks, because a fastened seat belt can delay you from responding if he chokes or spills something. Best bet is to allow time for snacking before you head out or plan a few minutes to stop during your trip for a bite or drink.
For children who could ride facing either direction based on their height, age, and weight, forward-facing is less safe overall than rear-facing. And for slightly older children, using a booster seat with a seat belt is less safe than using a forward-facing seat with a full harness. Children can be eager for upgrade. Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Question How long should my child ride rear-facing?
Answer Article Main Image. Why the Change? More Evidence: Children in other countries routinely ride rear-facing until age 4. The Good News: Over the years, car seat manufacturers have increased the weight and height limits on their rear-facing seats.
Additional Information from HealthyChildren. The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician.
There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. Follow Us. Back to Top. Ask the Pediatrician. Rear facing children usually see much more than we expect. The high sitting position in a rear facing seat allows them to see through both the side and rear windows at the same time. Removing the head rests of the rear seats gives them an even wider visual field.
When changing from a baby carrier, your child actually knows nothing but travelling rear facing. From talks with parents we have learned that most of their children actually understand why they are travelling rear facing when the parents explain it to them in a way that is suitable for children. Safety should always go first and we encourage you to explain this to your children of course.
Besides rear impacts being statistically a much more infrequent source of serious injuries than frontal crashes, there are also some physical aspects to consider. When travelling rear facing, the child sits further away from the point of impact in a rear crash, so that a longer crumple zone is provided even in cars with a small boot.
Additionally, significantly less forces come into play in a rear collision, as both vehicles are moving in the same direction, so that the forces are spread on both cars equally. In contrast, in a frontal impact both vehicles are stopped from their speed to zero in an instant. Some people are naturally more sensitive regarding this than others and it is often that adults who get sick when travelling rear facing in a train or bus are also more sensitive towards motion sickness in general, sitting rear facing only enhances it for them.
Getting sick inside a car can have many other reasons for children. For some children the ability of seeing much more things through the windows when moving up from their baby car seat can cause a sensory overload, as objects seen through the side windows are flying by very fast. I already changed my toddler's car seat to forward facing.
Should I switch it back? What are the laws on age for rear- and forward-facing safety seats? Why is rear facing safer than forward facing with safety seats? What if my child's legs seem too long for a rear-facing seat? Will my child be safe in a rear-end crash? More information on extended rear-facing seats. For safety's sake, keep your child in a rear-facing safety seat for as long as possible.
More information on extended rear-facing 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 BabyCenter's Extended Rear Facing Photos club Learn more Car seat mistakes parents make and how to avoid them Buying a car seat for your toddler How to choose a car seat How to help your child with motion sickness.
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