Back to school, but not back to booster
Another school year has started, and while your little one may not feel so little anymore, the fundamental priority of being a parent remains the same: keeping your child safe. And one of the most important ways to do that is by keeping them rear-facing in the car for as long as possible.
Why? Because rear-facing is simply the safest way for children to travel.
As your child heads back to school and continues to grow, one important question arises: Is your child in the right car seat for their age, size, maturity and safety?
Why rear-facing matters
As children grow, they often notice friends or classmates riding forward-facing. But just because others are, doesn’t mean your child is ready yet. Safety isn’t about age alone—it’s about anatomy and protection. Before switching your child forward-facing, please consider these points:
- A child’s head is proportionally larger and heavier than an adult’s.
- Their neck and spine are still developing and are much more vulnerable.
- In a crash, the forces on the neck are five times greater in a forward-facing seat than in a rear-facing one.
Stay safe, stay rear-facing
At Axkid, we cannot emphasize enough the safety benefits of traveling rear-facing for as long as possible. Each additional year your child sits rear-facing means one more year of added protection. For us, it’s simple: safety first. Therefore, we recommend children to travel rear-facing up to 6-7 years. Our rear-facing seats are designed to support this recommendation:
However, while rear-facing travel is the safest choice for young children, there comes a time when families start asking: “Is it time for a high-back booster seat?”
So, when is the right time to turn your child?
The time to change from rear-facing to forward facing depends on the individual child. We always recommend keeping your child rear-facing up to 6-7 years of age. But it is mainly the length that determines when it is time for the child to ride forwards. We prefer that the switch to forward-facing takes place after the child has passed 125 cm.
When your child has grown out of a rear-facing car seat, but has not yet reached the optimal length for the car’s three-point seat belt, it is time to change to a forward-facing booster seat or booster cushion.
Learn more here
