Keep Car Seats Rear-Facing Until Age 2

Children should stay in rear-facing car seats until age 2 or until they grow too big for seat specifications, according to revised guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please watch the video below for more information.



The updated AAP recommendations are as follows:

• All infants and children should be in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they outgrow the height and weight specifications of the seat.

• Once children outgrow a rear-facing seat, they should be placed in forward-facing car seats with harnesses until they exceed the height and weight criteria.

• After forward-facing seats are no longer suitable, children should be placed in belt-positioning booster seats until the vehicle's lap-and-shoulder seat belt fits properly -- with the lap portion fitting low across the hips and pelvis and the shoulder portion fitting across the middle of the shoulder and chest -- usually when a child reaches 4 feet 9 inches or around ages 8 to 12.

• Lap-and-shoulder seat belts should be used at all times for children who have outgrown booster seats.

• All children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat at all times.

Watch for Ken Goore discussing these changes on KCRA Channel 3 News at Noon and 5:00 pm this evening.

~Jennifer Reed