Family to Family Health Information Center - Idaho Family Voices
Parents are often excited to see their children achieve developmental milestones. These can include their children learning to roll over, crawl, walk and talk. A less common milestone is finally being able to switch from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat.
As exciting as this may be, a recent recommendation update by the American Academy of Pediatrics tells us that holding off on transitioning from a rear-facing car seat at age two to "as long as possible" until the child reaches the highest weight or height allowed by their seat is the best way to keep your child safe when riding in a vehicle. This recommendation update is made in large part because of the lack of data available to determine with certainty at what age it is safest to turn children to be forward-facing, and that given a choice, keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible is the best way to keep them safe.
Here is a list of Resources for parents to check out regarding car seat recommendations based on height, age and weight
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
-Provides important steps to choose the right seat, install it correctly, and to keep your child safe
Process
-Learn about the four car seat types
-Follow NHTSA's car seat recommendations based on your child's age and size
-Find and compare car seats
-Car seat installation instructions
-Car seat Inspections
-Register your car seat
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
cdc.gov
-Provides information and age and weight guidelines for when to use a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat, a booster seat, and seat belt.
Safeseats4kids
-Provides information and statistics about proper use of car seats
-Provides information about when to switch from a rear-facing to a forward-facing car seat
-Discusses when your child is ready for a booster seat, to use a regular seat belt and when they can ride in the front seat.
-Provides state law information by state
-Provides information about buying the right car seat, installation, getting the right fit, & when to change your car seat