Child Safety in Cars

Extended rearward-facing child seat

Only move your child out of a rearward-facing baby carrier when their head has crowned the top of the seat, or they have gone over the maximum weight outlined by the manufacturer. Some extended rearward-facing seats can accommodate children up to 25kgs (55lbs) in the rearward position. They are larger than the Group 0 rearward-facing seats and, therefore, need to be fitted into the car. Make sure they can be fitted safely and securely into the car, as some cars may not be suitable.

A baby’s head is five times heavier on their bodies than an adult head on an adult body. Therefore, babies need extra support to protect their neck and head from a whiplash-type injury. Because of this, rear-facing car seats provide more support for your baby than forward-facing seats. They protect your baby’s head and neck much better than a forward-facing car seat does. This is because, in an impact, the force is spread out much more, rather than being focused completely on the baby’s neck, as would be the case in a forward-facing child car seat. (See Child Safety in Cars DVD.) Children should use these rear-facing seats for as long as possible.