Do you know when it’s time to turn your child’s car seat from rear-facing to forward-facing? What signs should you look for to know whether they’re ready to ride forward-facing?
In 2011 the Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children remain rear-facing car seats until age 2. Studies show that children this age are “75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are riding rear-facing,” the academy said at the time. Many states have recently changed their law to require that parents to comply with this recommendation including Illinois, which passed the law just this month. Keep this in mind for your next road trip to Chicago!
A new study from Chicco, makers of infant and child car seats, found that 28% of parents are unaware of the appropriate age to turn their little ones around and that parents who turn their child forward-facing prematurely are not reading the right cues:
40% think their child’s legs look too cramped.
32% think their child simply looks uncomfortable rear-facing.
19% say they will turn their child around based solely on what they see other parents doing.
9% even say they would turn their child around before the age of 2 because they noticed other children their child’s age, or younger, were already forward-facing.
Chicco is striving to educate parents about the importance of keeping kids rear-facing for as long as possible through its TurnAfter2™ campaign, a national movement that asks parents to share photos of their children riding rear-facing in the car and using #TurnAfter2 in the captions. Since the campaign launched last year, 26% more parents are aware of the 2-year rear-facing recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and ten states have passed legislation requiring children to remain rear-facing until at least age 2.
And while the current law in Michigan requires only that child remain in a car seat until age 4 (they recommend that children remain rear-facing until age 2), it is best to keep your toddler rear-facing in their car seat until age 2.
Win a Fit2™ Infant and Toddler Car Seat!
To encourage parents to keep their child rear-facing until age 2, Chicco has launched their new Fit2™ Infant and Toddler Car Seat which makes it easy with two unique rear-facing positions. The seat is designed to comfortably accommodate an infant and toddler, with even the longest legs, as they grow within the first 2 years.
Enter by August 24 to win. One entry per person. Winner will be notified on August 27 via email.
This post is sponsored by Chicco USA. Visit www.chiccousa.com and follow Chicco on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on product launches, giveaways and more.
