New Guidelines for Children in Cars

The American Academy of Pediactrics (AAP) has come out with some new suggestions for parents with children in the car. The first new recommendation is that children aged two and younger should be facing the rear of the car in their car seats. They feel that this will keep the children safer by that the children are 75 percent less likely to die in the car crash when facing the rear. The AAP also suggests that children remain in a booster seat until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall. Most children aren't this tall until they are between the ages of eight and 12. The AAP recommends that children should sit in the back seat until they are 13. It is expected that the federal government will change the guidelines to echo the AAP's suggestions.
I feel that if they are going to force parents to have their child in a booster seat until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall, they better make bigger booster seats. I remember my mom trying to be a law abiding citizen and keeping me into a booster seat until I didn't have to be. It was kind of hard near the end because I had grown out of it. At least it's not an age requirement. If they force parents until the children were 12 that would be ridiculous because children grow at different rates. I think there should also be a weight factor added to the height because that should be included into it also.
As far as the children facing the rear it makes me wonder if this is safer then why aren't all back seats facing the rear. Just turn them around and have them backed up to the driver seats.Of course you can't have the front seats turned around because the driver needs to see but as far as the back seats couldn't you do that or would it be more unsafe? It is hard though to have an age guideline because each child grows differently. One two-year-old could be a lot bigger than another two-year-old. According to Dr. Dennis Durbin, a pediatric emergency room physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, children in Sweden are usually in rear facing seats until they are four. I don't think this is as big of a deal as the booster seat guideline.
For more information click here: http://www.dallasnews.com/health/family-health/20110321-pediatrics-organization-changes-car-seat-recommendations-.ece