When used correctly, rear-facing car seats provide significant safety advantages in frontal, frontal offset and side impacts. Frontal/frontal offset and side impacts occur most frequently, account for the majority of fatalities in accidents and are typically far more severe than rear impacts which in comparison account for a very small percentage of fatalities in accidents.
The forces for a forward-facing child in a frontal crash differ quite significantly to that of a rear-facing child:
** The rear-facing child has the frontal crash forces spread over their back, head and neck (a large portion of the body) in an accident. The rear-facing child is also supported by the back of the car seat meaning there is little stretching of the neck.
** The forward-facing child's torso is restrained by their harness straps. The head of the child however is restrained by nothing and thrusts violently forward, which places them at risk of serious spinal cord injury or even worse, death.
Rear-facing child restraints also offer significant safety advantages in side and frontal offset impacts. When rear-facing in a side-on or frontal offset impact, the head of the child is better kept within the confines of the seat and can reap the benefits of the restraints side wings for protection.
The anatomy of a young child is very different to that of a developed adult. This puts them more at risk for certain serious injuries. The head on a child is relatively large and very heavy in relation to the body. The head constitutes approximately twenty five per cent of the child's weight. For a developed adult, the head constitutes approximately six percent of their weight.
When the heavy head of the forward-facing child is thrust forward in an accident, this puts an enormous amount of stress on the child's neck, which is trying to hold back the head. The heavy weight of the child's head can stretch the spinal cord. "According to documented research, autopsy specimens of infant spines and ligaments allow for spinal column elongation of up to two inches, but the spinal cord ruptures if stretched more than 1/4 inch. Real-world experience has shown that a young child's skull can be literally ripped from her spine by the force of a crash." (source: CPSTE ). If the spinal cord stretches too far in an accident this can cause it to tear, thus resulting in paralysis or death of the child. This is often described as "internal decapitation".
Even babies who ‘appear’ to have strong neck muscles and good head control are susceptible to these risks.
Rear-facing car seats may not work as effectively in a rear impact but frontal, frontal offset and side impacts are not only more common, but account for the most percentage of fatalities. As discussed above, rear impacts account for a very small percentage of fatalities in accidents in comparison to frontal, frontal offset and side impacts.
Young children have immature cervical vertebrae that are not strong enough to protect the spinal cord adequately in an accident when forward-facing in a frontal crash. The vertebrae are still in pieces joined by cartilage. These pieces are soft and have not yet ossified into a complete circle of bone which will enclose and protect the spinal cord.
Because the vertebrae are still in pieces (joined only by cartilage), a child that is forward-facing faces a heightened risk of damage to the spinal cord when their head and neck pull forward and back in a frontal crash.
Small children also have poorly developed, fragile, flexible neck muscles, loose ligaments to allow for growth, small rib cages, undeveloped abdominal muscles, soft spinal columns and unprotected relatively larger abdominal organs.
The vertebrae do not completely ossify until ages 3-6 years old. This is why rear-facing for as long as possible is safest, because it gives more support and protection to the incomplete vertebrae and therefore the spinal cord.
Children with chromosome disorders such as Dwarfism may be at greater risk of paralysis or death compared to those that do not have these disorders.
The Kyle David Miller Foundation recommends that once your child outgrows an infant seat, to purchase a convertible car seat which rear-faces to a high weight limit - this is usually between 30 and 35 lbs.
Children in Sweden ride rear facing until they are three to five years old or as much as 25kg (55lbs), lowering traffic death and injury rates in Sweden considerably. It is uncommon to turn a child to forward-facing before these ages. "From 1992 through June 1997, only 9 children properly restrained rear-facing died in motor vehicle crashes in Sweden, and all of these involved catastrophic crashes with severe intrusion and few other survivors." (source:
CPSAFETY).
In "Child Safety Seats: Rear-Face Until at Least One Year" Kathleen Weber, (Director, Child Passenger Protection Research Program, University of Michigan Medical School) states "In the research and accident review that I did a few years ago, the data seemed to break at about 12 months between severe consequences and more moderate consequences..." This is another reason why it is best to rear-face for at least one year of age, but even better, to rear-face well past that, if at all possible.
Once your child has reached the weight of height limits of their convertible car seat and you now have to place them in the forward-facing position, it is also important that you use an upper tether strap. These are designed to lessen head excursion in an accident.
At one time, doctors and other organizations suggested turning infants to the forward facing position at about 12 months and 1 year. This information is now outdated, 12 months is too young to turn a child to the forward-facing position. Still, there are some doctors and organizations repeating this incorrect information because they have been reading old literature, or because they have not been told, or researched otherwise.
If possible, purchase a restraint which lets you rear-face for high weight limits.
Questions and Answers:
Q: If my baby can hold his/her head up can they be turned to face forward?
A: Even babies who ‘appear’ to have strong neck muscles and good head control are susceptible to the risks of forward-facing prematurely. 'Head control' is not a good indication as to whether or not to turn a child to the forward-facing position.
Q: If my baby's feet are touching the back of the vehicle seat, do they need to be switched to forward-facing?
A: No. Rear-facing car seats are not a safety risk if the baby's feet are touching the back of the vehicle seat. There have been no documented cases of rear-facing children breaking their legs, hips or feet because of their feet touching the back of the vehicle seat. There have however been many documented cases of head and spinal cord injuries because children were turned to the forward-facing position prematurely. Even if the child's legs did break, it is much easier to repair broken legs then it is to repair broken necks and ruptured spinal cords.
Q: Won't this positioning of the legs be uncomfortable for my child?
A: It's highly unlikely. This positioning of the legs is not uncomfortable for young children who naturally prefer to bend their legs anyway. How many children do you see sit with their legs straight out in front of them and not bent? While this may be very uncomfortable for an adult, children are very flexible and often get in to all kinds of positions that are totally comfortable for them, but not for us adults!
Q: Because my seat says I can forward face from 20lbs that means that my baby is ready to be turned, right?
A: No, that is not right. Weight is not an indication of whether or not to turn your child to the forward-facing position. These weight limits hold no relevance as to how your baby's spine, skeleton, muscles and vertebrae have so far developed, they are merely entry level weight limits.
Q: But having my child forward-facing is easier for me because I can see them so does this mean it's better?
A: Everyone has different circumstances and they really need to weigh up the pros and cons. However, what's convenient, doesn't always mean it is best and doesn't change the fact that an infant's body is still incredibly undeveloped compared to that of an older child or adult. If your child has remained rear-facing for how ever long so far, then try your best to keep persevering till they reach the weight and height limits of your convertible car seat.
Q: What if I am hit from behind? Won't my child be safer facing forward?
A: Frontal and side impacts are the most common type of crashes. They account for 96% of all crashes. They are also the most deadly type of crashes (especially side impacts) and rear-facing children have MUCH more protection in both types of crashes than forward-facing. In the 4% of rear impact crashes that a rear-facing child would be in, they have at least the same amount of protection that a FF child would have in a frontal impact, with the added benefit of less crash energy being transferred to them, and the fact that the rear impact is usually not as severe.
The forces in a rear impact crash are much different from the forces in a frontal impact crash. In a frontal impact, the forces are much greater because the vehicles are usually traveling in opposite directions. Experts suggest that a frontal crash is the same as hitting a concrete barrier – the vehicle and all occupants come to a dead stop within less than 1 second.
When you are struck in a rear impact, the vehicles involved are traveling in the same direction, and the vehicle that is hit in the back has room to move forward. The crash force on the occupants is much less than in a frontal impact. The movement of the impacted vehicle, in addition to the crush zone, absorbs a lot of the crash energy, so it is not transferred to the child. Additionally, the majority of rear impacts are at low speeds.
In short, if your child is rear-facing, he has optimal protection in the types of crashes you are most likely to be in. If he is forward-facing, he may have optimal protection in a rear-end crash, but statistically, that is the least likely to happen and he is 60% more likely to be injured or killed in the types of crashes (frontal, side impact) you are most likely to be in.
Fatality Analysis Reporting Sysytem - From FARS:
Impact Point-Initial --- Total Vehicles
Non-Collision --- 3,088
Front --- 37,194
Left Side --- 6,390
Right Side --- 5,416
Rear --- 4,284
Other/Unknown --- 2,834
Total --- 59,206
Please review these videos about the importance of extended rear-facing:
Please read our 