Here’s why a rear-facing car seat is a safer bet for your child

Rear-facing car seats have been shown to significantly reduce infant and toddler fatalities and injuries in frontal and side-impact crashes, but they’re rarely discussed in terms of rear-impact collisions.

A new study has explored the safety of rear-facing car seats in rear-impact car crashes, and with it parents are breathing a sigh of relief. The study conducted by The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center found that rear-facing car seats are efficiently safe in rear-impact collisions.

Rear-facing car seats have been shown to significantly reduce infant and toddler fatalities and injuries in frontal and side-impact crashes, but they’re rarely discussed in terms of rear-impact collisions. As rear-impact crashes account for more than 25% of all accidents, the team of researchers conducted the study to explore the effectiveness of rear-facing car seats in this scenario.

“It’s a question that parents ask me a lot, because they are concerned about the child facing the impact of the crash,” said Julie Mansfield, lead author of the study. “It shows parents are really thinking about where these impacts are coming from.”

Mansfield and her team conducted crash tests with multiple rear-facing car seats, investigating the effects of various features like the carry handle position and anti-rebound bars. The study showed that when used correctly, all were effective because they absorbed crash forces while controlling the motion of the child, making rear-facing car seats a good choice in this scenario.

Mansfield said what they found aligns well with what is known from crash data in the real world, and it’s important for parents to follow the recommended guidelines on the correct type of car seat for their child’s height, weight and age. “The rear-facing seat is able to support the child’s head, neck and spine and keep those really vulnerable body regions well protected. These regions are especially vulnerable in the newborns and younger children whose spine and vertebrae haven’t fused and fully developed yet,” said Mansfield.