Kids Should Sit in Rear-Facing Car Seats

Pediatricians have revealed that kids should sit in rear-facing car seats for as long as they fit in order to have a safe ride. This statement is part of the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, which also said that after the age of two, kids should ride in booster seats. Previous recommendations made in 2002 called for parents to follow the limits prescribed by car manufacturers and recommended a limit of one year and 20 pounds as a minimum.

"The best possible thing you can do is keep your child rear-facing as long as possible," said Dr. Benjamin Hoffman of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "We hope we will be able to convince parents to keep their children rear-facing longer."

The AAP statement also says that after using booster seats, kids "should be switched to a belt-positioning booster seat until they can use the seatbelt alone (typically between eight and 12 years, or when they've reached 4 feet 9 inches)." Furthermore, kids should sit at the rear-end of the car until the age of 13 if they are able to use the seatbelt alone.

The statement is detailed in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.



Source-Medindia