At what age should a child be placed in a rear-facing car seat?

The recommendation to place a child in a rear-facing car seat at birth and to keep them until at least 2 years old is based on safety guidelines established by child passenger safety organizations. Research indicates that rear-facing car seats provide the best protection for a child's head, neck, and spine in the event of a crash. Infants and toddlers are particularly vulnerable to injury due to their developing bodies, and rear-facing seats significantly reduce the risk of severe injury.

Maintaining rear-facing positioning until at least 2 years of age gives children the time to grow in a way that their bodies can better withstand the forces in a crash. Furthermore, it's important to note that many children will fit better and be safer in a rear-facing seat beyond 2 years of age, given the chance to reach the maximum weight and height limits specified by the car seat manufacturer.

The other options do not fully align with the recommended guidelines. For example, stating that a child should only be in a rear-facing seat until 1 year or until they are 4 years old does not account for the developmental safety considerations advised by experts. Similarly, focusing merely on weight, such as stating only those who weigh less than 20 pounds should be rear-facing, ignores the broader range of