The National Transportation Safety Board and the American Academy of Pediatrics are raising awareness of the importance of keeping a child rear-facing in the car for as long as possible. Since over 70% of car accidents are head-on collisions, the neck is severely impacted when facing forward. However, the risk of neck injury is dramatically reduced when children sit backwards. Many states require children who weigh less than 20 pounds and are under one year of age to be restrained in a rear-facing carseat. However, the AAP is considering extending that minimum requirement. In Sweden, most 4-year-olds are still rear-facing and European car seats are larger and engineered to be rear-facing.

See a video illustrating the differences in impact here.

Just in time for holiday travel, the NTSB is also encouraging parents to buy an extra plane ticket for their baby while traveling to make sure they are in an age-appropriate carseat where they are safer than on a parent’s lap. The Federal Aviation Administration had previously considered forcing parents to buy an extra ticket for their baby but feared that it would cause families to drive, instead of fly, and put them at a higher risk for a car accident.

Would you drive rather than buy an extra plane ticket for your child? How long will you keep your child in a rear-facing seat?

Rear-Facing Seats Aren’t Just for Babies Anymore [The Stir]

NTSB Wants Infant Air Travelers in Car Seats [NBC]

Facing Backward: Keeping Kids Safe in Cars [NPR]