Keep your toddler in a rear-facing car seat until age 2 (not 1)
Lori O’KeefeCorrespondent
New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. Following are some safety tips for car seat use:
All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant car seat or convertible seat.
If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) have been reached for that infant seat as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.
Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.
To see if your car seat is installed properly and to find a certified passenger safety technician in your area, visit www.seatcheck.org or www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm. You also can call 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) or 888-327-4236.
2 comments:
So I guess right now you're not even technically "extended rearfacing" any more (well, in a few months you will be ;). Holly said Lucy's up to 28lbs now, only 5 more pounds left (I have a 35lb seat I might swap out for her Britax for 2lbs). BTW, have you thought about switching the covers on Hayden and Ava's carseats for Hayden to get 2 more lbs rearfacing(her's is a newer one that goes to 35lbs in case you hadn't looked super closely at the labels), then when he's forward-facing you can switch the covers back! You guys should come up to Des Moines sometime, it would be fun!
Oh I didn't know that. Ava's cover got a little dirty at the airport and I tried taking it off and it wasn't happening. I ended up spot cleaning it and everything came out. I'll have to look at it closer when the time comes and try to figure out how to take it off. We definitely should. That would be fun.
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