Why Rear-Facing is Safest

How long should your child ride rear-facing in their infant car seat? As long as possible! When your rear-facing child is in a properly installed car seat and harnessed correctly, their head, brain, neck, and spine are best protected in a car crash. Read your car seat manufacturer's user manual to learn the maximum height, weight, and head height limits of your specific car seat. Max out those limits before you turn forward-facing. Long legs are never a concern when riding rear-facing.
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Century Drive On: urlgeni.us/amzn/centurydriveon
Crash Test Video Credit: Buckle Up with Brutus, The Ohio State University
#rearfacing #carseatsafety #childpassengersafety

[@BrandiBoomBoom]

My pediatrician laughed at me and said "your the only one in Tennessee who has a four year old rear facing".... So I'm changing doctors.

[@The10orangejuice]

I have my 4 year old rear facing in Tennessee!

[@safeintheseat]

Not even close to the only person! Hope your next ped is less rude!

[@klakelly]

That visual of the difference between rear and forward facing is so sobering. Thankful to have found you before our guy came and feel confident that he’s safe in the seat over a year later.

[@safeintheseat]

I am thankful that you are here and I'm glad you are feeling confident!

[@GingerBread1004]

My son is only 8mo so it obviously hasn't come up yet, but I'll be saving this for future reference to show to anyone who says something!

[@kerrymcq9812]

I'm going to send this to everyone who asks me why my 4 year olds are still rear facing!

[@safeintheseat]

That’s one of the main reasons why we created it!

[@emilyheney]

Me too!! I’m so tired of the questioning, and we’re only 9 months old 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@abbymoyer4359]

My mind was chamged on rear facing because of you4 content on accidents AND I was able to convince my husband we need a northern carseat because of your content. So glad you're on KZbin now so he can see your content without me showing him!🙌 SO glad you're here!

[@safeintheseat]

Glad to be here ❤️

[@lindsey_shipley]

As a nurse and a mom, thanks for educating me on the topic!

[@kerensapierce]

It would be awesome to see photos of 3, 4, 5 year olds rear facing. No faces necessary, just nice to see legs. My almost 3 1/2 year old is still rear facing (thanks to your past education) and seems fine, but photos or even drawings would be awesome.

[@safeintheseat]

Your almost 3.5-year-old is definitely fine! I've posted some on my IG page before, as old as 6. But if I remake this video at some point, I'll keep your idea in mind. If you email in at [e-mail], I'm sure we can show you some pictures.

[@jonigiarmo1148]

Love the work you do and so thankful for it!

[@safeintheseat]

Thank you for being here! I love doing this!

[@emilymartinez1754]

Love love love these videos! So easy to share as well!

[@safeintheseat]

a big part of why we are expanding past Insta! thanks for being here.

[@brittanydagenhart5521]

Yes yes yes! Thank you for putting this together and sharing crystal clear, evidence-based info.

[@safeintheseat]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@genenev483]

I didn’t learn anything- but that’s because I am a HUGE advocate of extended rear facing! My 5yo is still RFing as well as my 2.5yo (duh). I tell everyone possible to keep their kid RFing until they completely max their seat! 🤍

[@safeintheseat]

I'm glad you are here!

[@khrehome]

Me too even though it infuriates my parents and grandma (idk why as it doesn’t affect them)

[@msay4596]

My oldest and youngest are 9 years apart so I came here to get a refresher on rear facing. Thanks for the sobering image of why rear facing is so important. My youngest will stay that way as long as we can.

[@safeintheseat]

Always good to have a refresher! Thanks for watching!

[@allisonaprn]

My SIL turned her baby forward at 6 months old 😭 I tried to tell my MIL, but they just won’t turn him back! Thank you for the education!

[@courtneyscottxo7977]

My in law family is like this

[@safeintheseat]

If you are in the US or Canada, that's illegal. But there are sadly some places that do allow forward-facing at that age.

[@zowiepeters2656]

​@@safeintheseat​ unfortunately that's not true, many Canadian provinces and territories allow you to turn a child forward facing at 20lbs regardless of their age.

[@jilfina]

Incredibly informative, to the point, and easy to follow. Great video and thank you!

[@safeintheseat]

yay! so glad it was helpful!

[@halakasdano1089]

I am so glad that this channel exists, so helpful & informative!! I had no idea about the importance of car seats before I had my son, until I came across your instagram account. and in our country most people do not use one sadly. it’s very common to see toddlers & sometimes babies without car seats, and even, IN THE LAP OF THE DRIVER. 😢 love your content, hello from Lebanon 🇱🇧

[@safeintheseat]

Thanks for being here! I'm glad we can help you keep your son safe! We know that car seat use is not prevalent in many parts of the world still and we hope more people can find us so they can learn as well!

[@nattyh.6168]

Thank you so much!!!

[@safeintheseat]

You're so welcome!

[@dordonez163]

hello!!! love the work you do! We max out the refacing weight and then flip them which has been at about 4 yrs old for us. Still have 1 kiddo rear facing, you helped me convince my husband this was the best for our kids. I just rewatched the video to send to a friend who changed her kids bc "their legs don't fit" and I noticed you did not use the "toddler" doll rear facing....I think that visual would be important as well for those people who are not convinced. : ) all the best!

[@safeintheseat]

i hear ya!

[@nataliejk27]

Thanks! It finally makes sense!

[@safeintheseat]

I'm happy to hear that!

[@MissLovesScience]

Thank you for this!

[@safeintheseat]

You're welcome!

[@CherishDowneyy]

Thank you for this ❤️

[@safeintheseat]

You're so welcome!

[@daniprass847]

This video is so great! Simple to understand but has the important facts. In our Children's Hospital Trauma Bay where my friends work the doctors ask two questions 1) was the child properly restrained? 2) were they forward or rear facing? Because they know how many more hidden internal injuries can be there from FF babies.

[@safeintheseat]

Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked it!

[@kimberleighcampbell7787]

Our kiddo will be 5 this October and is still rear facing! Thank you for sharing this.

[@safeintheseat]

That's great! Thanks for watching it

[@MissMadeleineee]

Thank you! ❤

[@safeintheseat]

You're welcome 😊

[@mkain006]

Thank you!!!

[@safeintheseat]

you're so welcome!

[@amandachanay8267]

Wonderful content!

[@safeintheseat]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kristinholt2512]

Hahaha that ending. Thank you for the video. The best resource to explain why rear facing is so important!

[@safeintheseat]

im such a goof ball and so new at this that it's hard not to feel awkward!

[@kristinholt2512]

@@safeintheseat you’re doing fabulous, the goof ball allows you to be relatable 💜

[@nk3850]

Damn! I already knew why RF is better (because I follow you on IG!) so I almost skipped watching this - then I saw that SPINE in your hand 😅 👏🏼 love it

[@safeintheseat]

Isn't it cool?! I borrowed it from a friend for the video!

[@MBC991]

Loving the information! My son is almost 4 and getting close to the weight limit of his car seat, I’m nervous to turn him around FF but I can’t invest in another car seat right now.

[@safeintheseat]

You are doing great to get close to 4 even! The recommendation is the max out the rear-facing limit of the seat you have, and that's what you are doing!

[@manypandy]

Love the visuals! We're still rearfacing my son who turns 4 in Nov, but getting close to the rearfacing weight limit of the Extend2fit. My goal was as close to 5 years as possible.

[@safeintheseat]

Glad you liked it! We love to see rear-facing to the max limits of the seat; you are doing great!

[@genenev483]

Way to go!! We have 4 extend to fits for our two boys who are still RFing at 5 and 2.5 (duh). I will just add- I always think they’re getting really close, too, but then it takes 6 months for my boys to gain .5# 😅

[@manypandy]

@@genenev483 same! One day he's 47# then 43# so I'm all over the place thinking he's getting close. My goal was 5 years but he's already 45inches tall and back and forth on weight at almost 4 years so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

[@hannahscott6604]

The kiddo I nanny is 3.5 and we are still going. turns four soon I think. I think we will reach height first before weight for her to turn her

[@sscc6853]

Great video and information, request for video on BACK BOOSTER with seat belt and backless booster seat. Thxx!!

[@safeintheseat]

Great suggestion!

[@yehudasam]

Thanks so mucj

[@safeintheseat]

You're welcome!

[@corasproulermt5478]

Awesome video, you answered all my questions, I was thinking about my sons legs being a reason to change to forward facing but I won’t be doing that now . Do you have any recommendations for sleeping , I’d like his neck not to fall so forward, but unless I am back there with him and holding his head up by holding his forehead :) I’m not sure how to help safely. Thank you !

[@safeintheseat]

I'm glad you found the video helpful. For kids who can sit unassisted, there is no danger of letting their heads hang while they are sleeping. You can teach him to look up when he is tired, or you can give him a stuffed animal to hug. It's not safe to hold his head up because then part of your body is in his space. During a crash, this would not end well.

[@GardensOfChina]

Thank 😂! Its so hard to convince my family

[@safeintheseat]

You can do it!

[@maria-alejandraascenzo1658]

Loved your video! I am trying to keep rear facing as much I can but my 2yo has so much nausea when riding a car 🙈 we are getting used to vomits but, is there a way I can reduce it? Everybody tells me is because of rear facing but I am sure there is a solution w/o turn her forward. Thank you!!

[@safeintheseat]

Forward-facing usually doesn't help anyways. Have you had her eyes checked? This was our last post on Instagram about car seat sickness: instagram.com/p/CcQeEz5Lag1/

[@combzie2]

My child is 18 months and has figured out every possible way to get out of his car seat. My daughter didn’t do this. I don’t know what to do to keep him rear facing. He utilizes the seat to push himself out regardless of how tight I make the straps, how high I place the cross bar. He figures it out. I’m at a loss.

[@safeintheseat]

Making the harness tighter than it needs to be does increase the behavior. We have some tips on Instagram: instagram.com/stories/highlights/17881858399627624/

[@valeriepark9444]

Our kid is getting close to outgrowing his infant seat, so we are trying to find the best swivel/convertible carseat - the kind that turns to face outward toward the door when getting the child in and out of the car. Can you do a review on those?

[@safeintheseat]

If you head to my IG page, we do have a highlight on the Swivel seats. We are waiting for a few new options to come out that we have heard about and then we will make a youtube video on all of the swivel seats in the next few months.

[@SandyGaliano]

What about rear facing in a small compact car? My husband turned around the car seat for our 15 month old because he says it’s too tight and his legs are long. Can you provide more info?

[@safeintheseat]

There are plenty of very compact rear-facing seats that work in even the smallest vehicles. We have a lot of compact options for both US and Canada in our convertible car seat buying kit, and it's also possible to do a 1:1 consult instead. Our team member doing those is familiar with seats in Europe as well, if you happen to be there. safeintheseat.com/

[@adogmcdizzle]

This has made me do some thinking over my position on this. What are your thoughts on the safety of the third row rear-facing factory seats such as in the Mercedes E-Class, Audi A6 and the Tesla Model S? My wife would rather our eldest daughter sit front facing on the 2nd row, than rear facing in the 3rd row in our Mercedes S211 E-Class, but it seems to me that she might be better off rear facing on the third row based on what I'd previous read and from what you laid out here. I guess it comes down to the type of accident? My wifes concern is that if we were rear ended she would be very vulnerably to injury, even if her head was well supported.

[@safeintheseat]

I would rear face in the 3rd row if that was an option.

[@adogmcdizzle]

@@safeintheseat The seats themselves ARE rear facing without a child seat being fitted. Google one of those vehicles to see what I mean.

[@singers4life98]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Brandee__]

What is maxing out the limits? Like all the limits (height and weight)? Is it allowed to stay rear facing after you reach a limit? I’m buying the grace turn 2 me

[@safeintheseat]

Maxing out the limits, means rear-facing until ONE of the maximum rear-facing limits is reached. For the Graco Turn2Me, that means the child can stay rear-facing until they are 40# OR 49" OR they no longer have at least 1" of space between their head and the bottom of the headrest adjustment lever when the harness straps are in a position that is at or below their shoulder.

[@brittanystenger442]

So my almost 3 year old is almost 40 lbs. his seat says rear is only for less than 40 lbs. I want to keep him rear facing so would I need to buy a new car seat??

[@safeintheseat]

Hello Brittany! If you want to keep him rear-facing, then you would need another seat. There are quite a few that go to 50# rear-facing now.

[@KeepMoving4wrd]

I worry more about being rear-ended by some idiot. And my son-in-law parks to close while on the side of the expressway. So I watched (my rear view mirror) this video to see if rear-facing is just recommended for safety in head-on collisions. And it is. It has more to do with the type of crash than (it has to do with) generally speaking, overall. But guessing since we do travel forward at high rates of speed, crashing while moving forward is most likely.

[@articledon4880]

I can’t imagine seeing a 4 year old in a rear facing seat

[@safeintheseat]

I've seen quite a few and even a few 5 and 6 year olds too!

[@tolgatarhan6770]

I am just wondering how this applies also for the rear end crashes. Suppose you are hit by a truck from the rear and your childseat is rear-faced. What happens next? I think the infant will have the same neck injury just like the "front-facing and front hit crash". What is the difference ? Somebody please explain :)

[@safeintheseat]

When you are hit in the rear, the vehicle that hit you was moving forward, which means everything in your vehicle also goes forward. If you were driving in reverse at high speed and hit like a light pole, then in that case the child would be more likely to have the same injury as a forward-facing child.

[@jacobbooker1338]

@@safeintheseat Unfortunately that is not how physics works. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If you are rear ended by a truck, you and everything else in the vehicle will be exerting a force equal to the collision back in the direction of the truck. Once that force has been exerted, then inertia will take over and you will move forward.

[@beexiong2995]

I need to fit three rear facing seats in a vehicle. I dont believe it is doable in any backseat

[@safeintheseat]

It's doable in many vehicles with the right seats! We offer 1:1 consults to help fit 3 across in a vehicle. Having 3 rear-facing seats is very common actually. shop.safeintheseat.com/products/virtual-consult-help-me-choose-a-car-seat

[@beexiong2995]

@@safeintheseat the problem I have is probably legroom for the driver and passenger. Just not enough room. My truck is a 2021 toyot tacoma double cab

[@GlidinswoleNtactical]

So if you are at a stop light and get hit from behind the same physics apply?

[@safeintheseat]

Yes. The car behind you was moving forward so everything in your vehicle will still move forward

[@GlidinswoleNtactical]

@@safeintheseat no it wouldn’t. When you mash on the gas in car, where does you head go?

[@niesia412]

So, BS degree in physics here, hello! If you're stopped and get hit from behind, your head lunges backward first, then forward, a whiplash affect. So, if a baby is rear facing and gets hit from the back, they can still have the same issues as a child who is forward facing and gets hit from the front. However, statistically, forward facing accidents occur more often so therefore it'll be better to keep the child rear facing until the weight and height limits are met.

[@11118msn]

Why aren’t car seats designed backwards?

[@safeintheseat]

There are many car seats that can be rear-facing.

[@11118msn]

@@safeintheseat I mean the seats in the car, not specifically for children.

[@lissybaybe14]

I cannot tell you how many comments people have made to me about the fact that I still have my 2.5yr old rear facing. She’s on the smaller side and hasn’t maxed out the limits of her seat in the rear facing position. They look at me like I’m just being a paranoid parent who is babying their child. Silly

[@safeintheseat]

You’re doing what’s safest for her and that’s all that matters!

[@SAJohnson007]

Jesus bless you REAL GOOD. 🤗🤗

[@safeintheseat]

Thanks for watching!

[@kelseywebb7578]

My 3.5-yr-old is 37 pounds and our seat’s limit is 40 pounds. I want to max our limit, but I also don’t want to miss her being over the limit. Should I turn her now? Or how soon do kids gain 3 pounds? 😅

[@safeintheseat]

It usually takes 9-12 months to gain 3 pounds at that age, so I would just wait.