On Car Seat Safety

Safety is the only reason you need.

Ok, let me explain. But, before I do, I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this post, but there are a few things I had to get off of my chest.

My little boy recently turned one. So did many of the babies in my mom group and several of the other babies I know have recently turned one or soon will. The topic of car seats seems to be coming up more and more frequently in general conversations I have had, on websites I've visited, and in various forum discussions. Needless to say, not from a single source, but many, I'm inundated with tons of comments and opinions about car seats, in particular, turning babies forward facing when they reach the age of one since many of them are 20 lbs by then, and this is the legal age at which they can be turned forward facing.

Like many other parenting topics this generates some very strong opinions, arguments, judgments (forgive me, because I'm contributing to this), and excuses. The thing that has really gotten me thinking lately on this particular topic, unlike many other parenting issues, is that car seat safety is not a topic that should generate this sort of discussion. I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, but what I'm saying is that unlike whether or not you vaccinate, bottle or breast feed, circumcise or leave in tact, attachment parent or practice Baby Wise, etc. the issue of car seat safety is black and white. Many other issues that generate such strong opinions are surrounded with facts, circumstantial evidence, and anecdotal tales that offer two or more sides in many cases that may or may not affect the child's future, their intelligence, their over all health, their mental stability, etc. Car seat safety? That's a whole different ball game.

I think when we hear the word "safety" or "safer", we understand, but the concept does not sink in. That factor is given as much thought as many others. I hear tons of other factors to consider when selecting car seats for young ones and whether or not to forward or rear face. Here are some:

My spouse wants to forward face our one-year-old.
My child prefers to face forward.
I want to be able to see my child and can't when they rear-face.
I was given a forward facing seat.
My child is too big to rear-face.
Harnesses are not available for larger/older kids.

I've seen all of these comments in more than one place, multiple times. These are things that you hear especially when an individual is faced with someone commenting that rear-facing is safer. And then an argument and not so nice words are exchanged repeatedly among strangers on a public forum. It gets ugly. And this is all despite the fact that the AAP has updated it's recommendations and now recommends rear-facing at least until the age of 2 and TxDPS (for those that live in Texas) has changed it's recommendations that children stay rear-facing as long as possible and to the upper limit allowed by the seat.

Here is the thing though (and here is where I get all judgey and get up on my soap box): Safety is the only factor that needs to be considered. No other reason has the right to be factored in when it goes against safety. Let's put it another way. When your child's life is on the line, why are there other considerations? It sounds drastic, but that is the reality. We are told that rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward facing. So, let's put that in terms that may sink in more: when forward facing, a child is 5 times more likely to die in a car accident than when rear-facing. Yes, it sounds harsh, but that is the cold hard truth. Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death in children. I don't know that they have statistics about proper vs. improper use of seats/harnesses, forward vs. rear-facing, harnessed vs. not harnessed, correct installations vs. faulty ones, etc. related with that little tidbit of information, but they do know that car accidents are the number one cause of death in children.

We are in our cars on a daily basis, often many times a day, and don't think about getting in an accident because most of the time we arrive at our destination safely. Think of all the near misses we encounter - someone cutting us off, another driver trying to come into our lane who didn't see us in their blind spot, the line of cars slamming on their brakes in the middle of the highway - it goes on and on. It only takes one time for it to be fatal to us or our child.

So please, really consider it. Too many parents have had to suffer the loss of a child. This is one argument that the proverbial in-laws shouldn't win (I apologize to all in-laws that may find offense - I do not mean to insinuate that all in-laws do not have the child's best interest at heart). Rear-face as long as possible, use the seat you have correctly, read all of the instructions that are included, etc. When you are faced with the fact that a hasty car seat decision could mean your child's life, safety is the first and most important factor to consider.