Infants and Toddlers: Rear-Facing Car Seats | Injury and Violence Prevention Program | UC Davis Health
Car Seat Safety
Infants and Toddlers: Rear-Facing Car Seats
Infant car seat – use rear-facing only.
Convertible car seats – can be used in both rear-facing and forward-facing positions.
3-in-1 or All-in-one car seats – can be used in rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster positions.
Safety Tips
All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing child car seat until they are at least 2 years old or until they reach the maximum weight or height limit specified by the car seat manufacturer. There are several types of rear-facing child car seats: infant-only seats can only be used in a rear-facing position. Convertible and 3-in-1 seats typically have higher weight and height limits for rear-facing use, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for longer.
The harness straps in the child safety seat must be threaded through openings at or just below the top of the baby's shoulders.
Harness straps should lie flat and fit snugly. Pinch the harness at the shoulder. There should be no slack.
The harness chest clip should be secured at the armpit or nipple level.
The child safety seat must be secured in the back seat, facing the rear of the vehicle. Never place a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat where an airbag is present.
Babies must ride sitting semi-reclined to keep the airway open. Car seats that can be used rear-facing have built-in angle indicators or adjustors to assist you.