Experts recommend keeping kids in rear-facing car seats until 2 years old

It was common wisdom to keep children in rear-facing car seats until their first birthday. New recommendations from safety experts encourages parents to keep kids rear-facing until at least 2 years of age.

"In Sweden they rear-face until the minimum of age four, and they average 1 fatality per year for the country," says Kathleen Clary-Cooke with the Benton-Franklin Health District.

She says a lot of parents are worried about the child's feet if they're rear-facing.

"We never worry about their legs," says Clary-Cooke. "People are always worried that the kids' legs are too long. They can put them up, put them over, criss-cross-applesauce. Their legs are not going to get injured. And even if they do, we can heal the legs, ankles and feet-- it's really hard to heal a brain, a neck, and a spine. That's the part of the body we're most concerned with.

The law in Washington requires that kids under the age of 13 sit only in the back seat, because their spines aren't strong enough to withstand impact from an air bag in the case of an accident.

Clary-Cooke says 80% of all car seats are either installed or used incorrectly. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children ages 2 to 14, and properly-installed car seats and correctly used booster seats can significantly reduce the risk of death or injury.

BFHD offers a free 2-hour class on Saturday, March 11, on car seat safety. Space is limited so registration is required. The class begins at 10:00 a.m. at the Benton-Franklin Health District, 7102 West Okanogan Place, Kennewick. Call 509-460-4214 to register.