Updated Car Seat Guidelines to Keep Your Child Safe on the Road

New Side-Impact Guidelines for Your Child's Car Seat

It's been years since car seat guidelines changed to what they are now, but many parents still don't know what car seat their child should be in. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sets forth the guidelines. These guidelines are for what kind of car seat your child should be in, last changed in 2012.

There's a new change coming, though, that won't affect the guidelines for what seat your child should be in, but will affect what your child's car seat can do. Starting December 5th, 2026, all car seats sold in the United States must meet new federal safety standards aimed at improving protection during side impact collisions.

Many parents think that their baby can be changed to a forward-facing car seat when they turn 1 or hit 20 pounds, or they think they can have their child out of a booster seat once they hit 8 years old or 80 pounds, whichever comes first. Those guidelines changed a long time ago.

Rear-Facing Remains the Safest Position for Young Children

Rear-facing guidelines have been around for a while, and part of that is because there was a study done in 2007 that found that children under the age of 2 are 75% less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are rear-facing.

Another study found that rear-facing children were five times safer than forward-facing. What the article says is that a rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck, and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body.

How to Transition from Infant Carriers to Convertible Car Seats

The current guidelines state that infants should be rear-facing until at least age 2 and 30 pounds. Then they can be forward-facing in a five-point harness car seat.

Many babies are too big to stay in their baby carriers this long, so we recommend having them transition to what's called a convertible car seat. It's one that can be faced backwards until a child is 2, and then that same car seat can be turned around and forward-facing.

When to Move Your Child from a Harnessed Seat to a Booster

Kids need to stay in that seat as long as they can. Most kids don't transition to a booster seat until they're at least 5. Some kids, like my boys, could stay in there longer. Some states actually recommend that kids be in that car seat until they hit 40 pounds.

For most kids, it's when the straps are on their most extended setting and getting tight that they are ready to move into a booster seat. As I mentioned, the old guidelines were that when a child turned 8 or weighed 80 pounds, they could get out of the booster, and that changed years ago. Partially because we have 5-year-olds weighing 80 pounds, or like my kids, they don't hit 80 pounds until they're 10.

Height—not Age or Weight—Determines Booster Seat Readiness

The biggest reason the guidelines changed, though, is that kids now get to move out of a booster seat based on their height, and the magic number is 57 inches. That's 4-feet, 9-inches tall. Why 4-foot-9? If your child is not 4-foot-9, the car seat belt will hit at their neck, not at their shoulder, where it belongs.

If your car is rear-ended and the child has their seatbelt at their neck, it's not going to be pretty. It can actually cut through their necks, and that's not going to be what you want. You want your child to be safe.

My husband and I used to joke that I was going to make our boys go to prom in their booster seats, but they were small kids until puberty hit, and now they tower over me.

The guidelines also say that kids should be in the backseat until they are 13. I know there are a lot of big 12-year-olds out there, but those are the recommendations.

Common Concerns About Rear-Facing Comfort for Your Child

Parents will frequently tell me, "My child's legs are all squished up. They don't look comfortable." Here's the thing: kids who have only been rear-facing won't be bothered by that much. They don't know anything else, and they are way more flexible than we are as big people. They don't know what it's like to be forward-facing and have leg room, and it's completely fine for their feet to touch the back seat or even bend.

Once you make the switch and have them forward-facing, it's really hard to go back and get them rear-facing again, so try not to even switch them before they're ready.

I get asked a lot, "Well, why do I have to have my child in a booster seat? They don't like to be in it. I understand safety, but is there really a law that says I have to do this?" Well, yes. In many states, there are laws about what kind of child safety seat your child needs to be in based on their age, height, and even weight. You can check with your state's Department of Transportation for specifics.

In many states, if your child is not properly restrained in the appropriate car seat, you can even get a ticket.

How to Choose the Safest Seat for Your Child

Again, the most important thing is to make sure you pick the right seat for your child. You want them safe. You can check out the NHTSA's Find the Right Seat website for help. And if you're not sure, you can ask your pediatrician. We know the guidelines and can help you choose exactly what is right for your child.