Car seats and rules?

Question

I know that the child has to be facing backwards in a car until they are 1 year old, but are there any exceptions to that rule. My almost 7 month old neice is so long that she when put in her rear facing carseat she has to bend her knees to sit in it. Shes no longer in the infant car seat shes in a bigger one.And its not just my sisters car that she has this problem w its everyones no matter how big the back seat it. Is there any exceptions to turning then around becuase they no longer fit at 7 months like a certain height or weight? If so where can I find this info at. Thanks

Answer 1

Try this site, it is very helpful............................

http://www.childseatcenter.com/article10...

Answer 2

There are not exceptions - and her legs bending are not a problem at all. This is something we adults decided a problem, but you don't hear the kids complaining. In fact, kids prefer to be rear facing, as they can prop their feet against the seat back. Once forward facing, their legs hang and fall asleep.

Babies should stay rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life! American Academy of Pediatrics says to keep kids rear facing to the limit of their convertible car seat. All current models go to at least 30lbs, many higher.

A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.

In the age of the internet its amazing so much misinformation exists! Please please do not listen to people telling you to turn your child forward facing 'at your judgement' or when her legs touch the seat. In truth, most children LIKE resting their feet on the back of the seat in front of them. Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum... It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see sources) that ALL babies stay rear facing as long as possible, up to the weight/height limits of their seat. Most seats go to 30lbs rear facing, some go higher, check your manual. They are too tall for an infant carrier when the head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Too tall for most convertible seats when their ears reach the top of the seat. Has nothing to do with how long their legs are! There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. They are safest rear facing b/c their bones have not yet completed the ossification process that bonds/hardens them like adults. They need the bracing support that a rear facing seat offers to withstand a crash. 20lbs AND 1 year is the bare minimum as far as the law is concerned, but the law is the bare minimum of safety, and who wants to do the bare minimum for their child?

Answer 3

To answer your question:  it's by age and weight.  Until the baby is 1, you need to keep her facing the back.  See, the age of the baby at 1 may be less than a baby less than 1, but it has to do with their development and the strength of their muscles.  Ohsovery important!  

Age and Weight Requirements

The type of child safety seat you need to buy depends on your child's age and weight. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a detailed chart that explains what type of seat you should use and how you should use it, based on your child's age and weight.

Below is a brief outline.

Infants under the age of one and weighing no more than 35 pounds should be in an infant-only, rear-facing child safety seat (or a convertible child safety seat turned to face the rear of the vehicle), installed in the back seat.

Children between the ages of one and four and weighing between 20 and 40 pounds can be in a forward-facing, forward-facing only, or convertible child safety seat, or a high-back booster or harness, installed in the back seat of the vehicle.

Children between the ages of four and eight can be in a high-back or no-back belt-positioning booster, installed in the back seat of the vehicle. If the child is under the age of eight but at least four feet and nine inches tall, a booster isn't required.

Answer 4

Glad to hear from a fellow Hoosier! Having spent 33 years in the school bus business, I have a LITTLE knowledge of these things; however, in order for you to see it for yourself, go to Yahoo home page and enter 49CFR571.213 in the search block. This will take you to NHTSA's verbiage.

After reading that one, go to 49CFR571.225 as well.