Kids all around the US are yelling, ‘WHY?!’ with the news that the American Academy of Pediatrics has once again changed their recommendations on car seat safety.  

The answer is that they have looked at new data, old data in new ways, and some data from other countries, and have figured out what is the safest way for kids to travel in cars.  Yes, car travel has become much safer than it ever has been, saving countless children from death and injury via car seats and booster seats. However, since children still die and get injured in cars, there is always room for improvement.

Here are the new rules and the reasons for them:

Backwards in the car seat until 4 years old.  They can start in the infant car seat backwards until they get too tall or heavy for that one.  Then, switch them over to the older child seat that will most likely keep them until about 30 to 40 pounds (which is usually about 4 years old).  Yes, the bigger car seat is often able to go forward or backward, but please keep it backward until the child no longer fits the seat.

Because a child’s body is not done growing, including their larger head, it is safer for a child to be facing backwards during an accident than forwards.  

Forwards in a forward facing car seat until child no longer fits.  Because of how a child is secured in a car seat (more straps than a seat belt), the forces a child experiences in a wreck can be put over parts of the child better able to tolerate it.  This decreases both injuries and deaths.

In a belt positioning booster seat until 4 feet, 9 inches (57 inches), and between 8-12 years old.  To work properly a seat belt needs to sit across the middle of the chest and shoulder.  Also, the child must be able to sit all the way back in the seat, so the lap belt is across the hips and pelvis.  Any other variation risks serious harm to the child from the belt being in the wrong place as they are thrown forward from the impact.  

In the back seat with a seatbelt from 4 feet, 9 inches until 13 years old.  While you may feel a bit like a chauffeur, your child really needs to stay in the back until 13 years old.  Yes, this really became an issue with the advent of air bags, but even newer generation air bags can injure those under 13 years old.  However, even without airbags, those under 13 are more likely to be injured in the front seat than the back. (So turning off the airbag so the child can sit in front is not an option.)

At 13 years old anywhere in the car is fine as long as they are seatbelted.  Please use seatbelts with the shoulder and lap strap in the proper position and sit all the way to the back of the seat.  Put the seatbelt on before the car moves, and take the seatbelt off only when the car is stopped and parked.

What if my kid is premature, or can’t sit in a car seat because of a medical condition?  The American Academy of Pediatrics has thought of that, too.  There are a variety of ways these children can be made safe in cars, from car beds to positioning devices to car vests.  Since this sort of thing is specific to the individual child, it would be best to have a certified car seat technician work with you.  You can find one here.

Bottom line.  Kids often don’t like their car seats.  They will probably hate them more having to face backwards for so long.  That’s okay, let them complain. Better safe and complaining, than not.