Beyond the Law: Why Keeping Children Rear-Facing in Car Seats is Best

Hello,

You’ll see that we make suggestions in many of our blog posts, but today, we’ll go further than that and make a strong recommendation:

You should keep your little one rear-facing as long as possible!

What’s the law?

According to British Columbia law, the minimum standards for moving to the forward-facing position are being at least one year old and weighing at least 20 lbs (9 kg). However, moving a young or small child to a forward-facing position does not ensure the best safety in case of an accident.

In this case, the law provides a guideline, but it shouldn't be the sole basis for your decision. Think of it this way: Smoking tobacco isn't illegal, but it also isn't the best practice for good health. 

Reasons to keep Rear Facing:

We know that it is not fun to imagine a car crash, but let’s do that for just a minute.

If your car is moving at 50 km/h, everyone in the car is also moving at 50 km/h (including your baby)! And, in the case of a crash, everything inside the car will move towards the point of impact.

In a 50 km/h accident, the head will experience 600 lbs (272 kg) of pull! This is comparable to the force of a grizzly bear pulling the passenger's head forward. This pull has more impact on young kids than adults because their muscles and bones are still developing, and their heads are still disproportionately big compared with the rest of their bodies.

When in the rear-facing position, the car seat distributes crash energy in a way that significantly reduces the load on your child's neck and spine. This is why it's also crucial to maintain at least one inch of space between the top of your child's head and the top of the car seat shell. In a collision, your child will move up and towards the front of the car seat, and this extra space provides vital protection for their head and neck. 

What about the pretzel legs?

It might look like the child will be uncomfortable with their pretzel legs. But as mentioned before, their bodies are still developing, so they’re very flexible. The risk to the legs is low in a rear-facing position, while the risks to the spine and neck are higher in a forward-facing position.

In summary, when the child is rear-facing, we’re protecting the things that aren’t easily fixable or not fixable at all.

Best Practices:

According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, the best safety practice is to move a child forward-facing only when they’re at least 2 years old. But focus on keeping them rear-facing until they are 3 or 4 years old.

Another important point is following the car seat manufacturer’s weight and height limits. However, most convertible car seats nowadays will allow a child weighing up to 40 lbs (18 kg) and 49 inches (124.5 cm) in rear facing position. Just make sure to confirm this information in the car seat manual.

At the store, we have Child Passenger Car Seat Educators who can answer your specific questions. You can stop by the Kelowna store Monday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, or contact us on social media or by phone.