The American Academy of Pediatrics is making it official: you should keep your child rear-facing until age 2.
As you may remember from 2009, the AAP issued a report advising the 2 year old rule:
Recent data shows why toddlers between ages 12 and 23 months who ride rear-facing in a car safety seat are more than five times safer than those riding forward-facing in a seat.
Previously, the AAP only said babies should be rear-facing to age 1.
By issuing a formal “policy statement,” the pediatrician group makes this recommendation official. The AAP notes that car crashes are still a major cause of injury to small children.
What about concerns for kids being uncomfortable riding rear-facing? Would their feet or legs be injured in a crash? The AAP says this is a common concern, but not supported by any evidence.The benefits of riding rear-facing outweigh concerns about leg injuries.
The good news: more car seats today have rear-facing limits that go to 40 lbs and beyond. That will make it easier to follow this advice; older seats had such low limits it was hard to keep a child rear-facing behind a year.
We obsess over gear for families . . . so you don't have to. Baby Bargains has one mission: help you find the best gear for your family and home with unbiased reviews by experts with 20 years of experience. At prices that don't break the bank. When you purchase a product from links on this site, we make a small affiliate commission. Learn more 
We should just stop allowing children into these dangerous cars altogether.
Problem with that – if you have a normal size car and not one of those SUV things, there is no way a driver can squeeze behind the wheel if the kid’s carseat is rear-facing behind you. So now that I have a second baby, it’s getting the rear-facing position behind the passenger seat, and my 15-month old is facing forward behind the driver’s seat. I’ve got top rated carseats, but that’s the best I can do.
Hey annonymous, obviously we’re all just supposed to buy giant cars, right? 😉
(I’ll do this, but it only works out because my kids were 3 years apart. Otherwise my husband wouldn’t be able to drive.)
We bought a carseat with a 45 lb weight limit rear facing, but my daughter is too tall at 16 months and we had to turn the seat front facing. I was much happier with her rear-facing!
I am six feet 2 inches tall and my husband is six feet 4 inches tall! Needless to say we have huge children!!! My first born weighed 30 pounds at a year! My second born was 10 pounds at birth and 25 pounds at one year!! His first birthday was yesterday and he has been too long to sit rear facing for 2 months now!!!!!! He literally had to sit with his legs crossed!! So regardless of what the docs says… My one year old will be forward facing at 1!!!
God forbid he has to cross his legs. Slaps forehead.
omg.. the comments are horrific on here!!
I cannot believe that ANY ONE OF YOU would make an excuse to justify the 25% chance that you will kill your baby by allowing them to be forward facing!!!
ITA, horrible to have legs crossed in a seat, eh?!?!?
Legs are too long, give me a break! What a cop out comment. I urge every one of you to do your research.. not just say that because you have a baby on the way, or your tall or what ever excuse you want to use that you will forward face your infant/toddler.
*I* much rather my little one be rear facing & be safe then to turn them for MY convince & chance a 100% PREVENTABLE injury, or worse, 100% preventable death.
Remember, we as drivers, are not the problem on the road… we can be the greatest driver ever.. it is the OTHER drivers that are the problem!!! You cannot prevent a car accident, but you CAN prevent harm to your child.. why would you not do absolutely everything in your power to protect them?!?!
My little girl is nearly 3 yrs old.. she is still rear facing & we have NO INTENTION on turning her any time soon. Given that keeping her rear facing gives her a 75% chance at survival in the event we are in a horrific car accident, well that is not one I will play roulette with…why would any of you?!?!?!
btw, my 6.5 yr old is in a 5pt harness seat & my nearly 9yr old is in a high back booster as well.