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How Long Should Your Baby’s Car Seat Face Backwards? Essential Safety Tips!

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From the moment of birth, a baby must be placed in a rear-facing car seat. But how long should this continue? Here’s the new standard you need to know.

At birth, it is essential for the baby to be installed in a car seat designed for their safety, facing the rear of the car. This seat can be positioned in the front passenger side or in the back, but must remain rear-facing. Note that if you choose to place the baby in the front seat, it’s crucial to deactivate the airbag to ensure safety. But how do you determine when it’s time to switch your baby to a forward-facing position? Here are some tips and guidelines based on the baby’s size.

The Rear-Facing Infant Seat from Birth

Upon birth, a baby’s muscles and cervical spine are not fully developed, making them extremely vulnerable to the force of a frontal collision. That’s why the car seat should be rear-facing until they are at least 15 months old, ideally positioned in the back of the vehicle. If the seat is placed in the front, ensure the airbag is deactivated. It’s important to remember that the child should be in a semi-reclined position, secured by the car’s three-point seat belts.

It’s worth noting that a new regulation, ECE-R129, mandates that from September 2024, infants must travel in a rear-facing position until at least 15 months old, with a minimum height of 76 cm. Previously, the requirement was based on weight, with a limit of 9 kg, which some children reached by six months old.

Once your child can sit up comfortably on their own, they can then be transitioned to a forward-facing bucket seat with a harness or a car seat equipped with a protective shield. This type of seat is suitable up to a meter in height and should be installed in the back of the vehicle, facing forward.

Later on, your child can move to a booster seat. “Based on the child’s size and weight, they should be placed in a booster seat with a backrest until they are about 10 years old. A seat may be approved for several weight groups (from about 15 to 25 kg and from 22 to 36 kg) or sizes” according to the Road Safety website.

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