Recommendations on Car Safety Seats for Children: AAP Update

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated recommendations on car safety seats. In the updated policy statement to be published in the November 2018 issue of Pediatrics, the AAP recommends children remain in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Previously, the AAP specified children should remain rear-facing at least to age 2; the new recommendation removes the specific age milestone.

Recommendations of AAP :

• Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for 2 years or more.


• Once they are facing forward, children should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, until they reach the height and weight limits for their seats. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds or more.


• When children exceed these limits, they should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s lap and shoulder seat belt fit properly. This is often when they have reached at least 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years old.


• When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.


• All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.

“Fortunately, car seat manufacturers have created seats that allow children to remain rear-facing until they weigh 40 pounds or more, which means most children can remain rear-facing past their second birthday,” said Benjamin Hoffman, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement and chair of the AAP Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention.

Hoffman said. “Using the right car safety seat or booster seat lowers the risk of death or serious injury by more than 70 percent. “Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for children. Over the last 10 years, 4 children under 14 and younger died each day. We hope that by helping parents and caregivers use the right car safety seat for each and every ride that we can better protect kids, and prevent tragedies,” said Dr. Hoffman.

For reference log on to

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Updates-Recommendations-on-Car-Seats-for-Children.aspx