A Guide to When It's Time for a Forward-Facing Car Seat

Forward-facing car seat weight guidelines

In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new recommendations for car seat safety, replacing the age requirements with height and weight limits.

The AAP now suggests that children remain rear-facing until they reach their rear-facing car seat’s weight or height limits, which, for most children, will extend their rear-facing period beyond the previous age recommendation. This is based on research that rear-facing offers safer support for the head, neck, and back.

Until your child has met the weight and height limits of their rear-facing car seat and has met the requirements of any applicable state laws, it is preferable to keep them rear-facing. Once your child has reached the weight or height limits for their specific rear-facing seat — likely sometime after age 3 — they’re ready for forward-facing.

Are there laws about rear-facing?

Yes, there are laws about car seats for children. Car seat laws vary by location, depending on the country, state, province, or territory. Check your local laws to ensure that you are in compliance.

What about their legs?

Many parents express concern that their child seems cramped or that their legs must be folded before they have reached the maximum height or weight for their rear-facing seat.

Children can safely sit with their legs crossed, extended, or hanging over the sides of their rear-facing seat. Leg injuries for rear-facing children are very rare, according to the AAP.

When should you face a child’s car seat forward?

The following information helps determine when your child has graduated to a forward-facing car seat and how long they need that seat or a booster seat:

• Reach the manufacturer’s limits of the current rear-facing car seat: They should remain in their rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car until they reach the height and weight limits specified for their particular seat.
• Babies don’t generally face forward: Children under the age of 1 year should always be in a rear-facing seat. Most manufacturer requirements will apply to a child between the ages of 1 and 4 years.

Tips when deciding on a forward-facing car seat

All certified car seats meet safety requirements regardless of the price. The best seat is one that:

• fits your child
• fits your vehicle
• is properly installed

Here are some options available to choose from when selecting the best seat for your child.

• Rear-facing only: These are generally the bucket-style infant seats that most parents use for their newborns. These seats often come with a base that is installed in the car that couples with a removable seat portion.

• Convertible seats: Most convertible car seats can be used in the rear-facing position until a child reaches the weight limit, typically 40 to 50 pounds (lb). At that point, the seat can be converted into a forward-facing car seat. These seats are larger and feature 5-point harnesses – straps with 5 contact points at both shoulders, both hips, and the crotch.

• All-in-1 or 3-in-1: The 3-in-1 car seat can be used as a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat, and a booster seat. You’ll still need to follow the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements for each stage.

• Combination seat: These seats work first as forward-facing seats that utilize a 5-point harness, and then as booster seats that can be used with the shoulder and lap belt. Use the harness up to the height or weight maximum for their seat, as the harness helps ensure your child is sitting in the safest position.

• Booster seat: A child isn’t ready for a booster until they are at least 4 years old and at least 35 inches tall. Other requirements include:
  • having outgrown their forward-facing car seat with the 5-point harness
  • being capable of sitting properly in the booster, with the seatbelt strap in the correct position across their hips, chest, and off their neck.
  • in a high-back booster seat (if your car lacks headrests or the seat back is too low)
  • using a booster until they’re over 57 inches tall (4 foot 9 inches) and at least 8 years old

Tips for installation and use

When it’s time to install a car seat, it’s important to get it right. Here are tips for safely installing a car seat:

• Before installing, always double-check to make sure that your car seat is not expired or recalled.
• Use an appropriate mechanism to secure the car seat. You should only use either the LATCH (lower anchors and tethers for children) system or the seatbelt option to secure the car seat. Make sure not to use both at the same time unless your specific car seat states both may be used simultaneously.
• Whether you use the LATCH system or seatbelt option to secure a forward-facing car seat, it’s important to always install the top tether. This adds important stability to a forward-facing car seat.
• When using the seatbelt option, it is also important to make sure the seatbelt locks to get a tight fit. In newer cars, simply pull the seat belt out all the way and allow it to retract to achieve this!
• When using a booster, always use a lap and shoulder belt, never just a lap belt.
• Regardless of how you secure the seat, ensure it is at the correct angle. Many car seats will have markers to help you make this determination.
• Consider taking your seat to get checked by a certified child passenger safety technician (CPST) or at least watching an instructional video to double-check your work.
• Register your car seat, so you receive recall and safety updates.
• Remember to use the car seat every time your child is in the car and to make the harness appropriately snug.
• Do not place your child in their car seat in a bulky winter coat as this can create too much space between the harness and their body to be effective. If the car is cold, consider draping the coat over the top of your child once they’re buckled in.
• Car seats are designed to be used at a specific angle. They aren’t meant for sleeping outside the car. Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs, on a flat surface, for safety.

What to do once a child outgrows the forward-facing seat

Once your child has outgrown a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness, they are likely ready to transition to a booster seat if they can sit properly in the booster, with the seatbelt strap positioned correctly across their hips, chest, and away from their neck.

• They will use a booster until they’re over 57 inches tall and at least 8 years old.
• Even after your child has outgrown their forward-facing car seat, they should still use a booster seat to ensure your car’s seat belt system fits them properly.
• Children aren’t ready to use the seatbelt alone until they’re around 4 feet 9 inches — usually around 8 to 12.
• Once your child is using a booster seat, they will need a high-back booster seat if your car lacks headrests in the rear seats or the seat back is too low to provide adequate head support for your child.

The bottom line

If your child can continue to face the back of the car in a rear-facing seat, it’s generally best to allow them to continue facing that way, even if they are older than 2 years old.

Once the child reaches the maximum height and weight limits set by the manufacturer of the car seat, they may move to a forward-facing car seat. Double-check that the seat is properly installed and fits correctly in your vehicle.

Consider talking with a CPST for advice about how best to keep your child safe while they are riding in your car. The child’s pediatrician can also provide information about car seat requirements.