Rear facing car safety seats (RFCSS) are greater than 5 times more effective than forward facing car safety seats (FFCSS) for protecting children during the second year of life; however, many drivers orient the child forward facing earlier than necessary. Data from 2008 showed that 21% of infants who should be rear facing were observed forward facing. Prior studies have identified forward facing orientation as a risk factor for cervical injuries among young children. Infants and young children are particularly susceptible when compared with older children and adults to cervical spinal injuries when forward facing because of the relatively large head, lax cervical ligaments, and weak cervical muscles that can result in increased cervical spinal cord tension load during a motor vehicle crash.3 Rear facing is safer because these seats protect an infant’s and young child’s head, neck, and torso by spreading the crashes over a larger surface area and to stronger bony structures. In addition to the study by Henary et al, other studies, particularly from Sweden, have demonstrated the safety advantages of rear facing car seats up to age 4 years. Messages from the American Academy of Pediatrics supported RFCSS to higher weights. Despite this and manufacturer’s recommendations to place an infant rear facing, many infants are forward facing earlier than recommended. There have been no studies examining why drivers choose a seating direction for their child passenger. This brief report describes the results of a study that surveyed drivers about their reasons for placing a child younger than 2 years forward facing. (Author/publisher)
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