NHTSA Wants Those Bigger Kids In Rear Facing Seats Too

I am always annoyed at how quickly some parents move kids to an inappropriate seating position, or lack of car seat. I kept my kids rear facing for 3 years, then in their full car seat until 6 or 7 before graduating to a booster. My wife in an RN in the emergency room and ICU. I can’t tell you how many stories she has of young children who were permanently injured or killed due to an inappropriate seating position, many of which possibly could have been prevented.

Height and weight should be the only factors that determine what is needed. Using age is arbitrary and could lead to a wrong decision.

Agree it is more weight/height, but some parents are quick to ignore that in favor of connivence of a front facing seat. They are putting their children at risk of serious injury, or death.

With this move a family with three kids would not fit in a LWB SUV like a Suburban.

It worked in my Q7, all in the middle row. Family of 5. Of the 3 kids, I had 2 rear facing at the same time. The oldest by then could safely go front facing.

Then you must have midgets for kids or you amputated their legs.

NHTSA and the car industry as a whole should be fixing the issue of front seats that snap in accidents (killing children seated in the rear) while they also address this issue of car seat use.

Just pass more laws.

It isn't the weight that is the main factor in moving to forward facing. Once their feet can press against the rear seat cushion, they should not be facing the back.

Not true. It is safer for a kid rear facing, risking a broken leg. Front facing, you risk a broken neck or vertebrae.

And anyone with kids will tell you why this won't work.

I have 3. We kept the, rear facing much longer than this. It works. But if you don’t care about your children’s safety, then go against it.

I call bullshit. And cut your superior asshole routine. Three to four car seats in most vehicles is not entirely feasible.

I’ll give you the number to my ER/ICU RN wife. She tell you plenty of stories that will make you sick to your stomach. Hence why we were pro rear facing. My kids complained all the time, but it did not matter to us. Diono Radian seats are built to allow for three in a row in most mid size cars. It’s designed to be thinner so you can fit them in.

Just put them in the trunk and be done with it already...

Amen.