When Can I Turn My Baby Around to Face Forward in the Car?

When can babies face forward in car seats? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should remain in rear-facing car seats until they have outgrown the car seat height and weight limits. Here's why.

While being one year old and at least 20 pounds used to be the standard for flipping car seats around, most experts now recommend using rear-facing child seats until children outgrow the manufacturer's top weight and height recommendations. This change means your child may be rear-facing until well beyond their second birthday.

"We know that the families and kiddos are all made a little bit differently, but the recommendation is to leave them rear-facing as long as possible," says Cass Herring, Senior Director of Road Safety and Child Occupant Protection at Safe Kids Worldwide. "We all have different needs, different types of vehicles, and other family that we transport, but but we do want to try to get as close as we can to those weight or height limits for rear-facing." 

These days, some car seats can accommodate kids weighing up to 50 pounds and measuring up to 49 inches tall. Car seats that double as infant carriers tend to have a much more limited capacity. If you start with an infant carrier seat, Herring recommends switching to a convertible car seat with a high rear-facing weight capacity in order to keep your child in the safest possible position.

Most vehicle collisions are frontal crashes. A rear-facing car seat offers much better protection in this situation and absorbs some of the impact. "It cradles the head, neck, and spinal cord in the event of a crash, and not as much of that impact goes on the head neck and spinal cord of the child," says Herring.

"In those younger ages, their head is much larger in proportion to their body, and their neck muscles and some of that growth development haven't quite caught up with that yet," she explains. Rear-facing seats protect this vulnerable area of the body as long as possible. 

There are some situations in which facing backward may seem uncomfortable for a child—such as long road trips when the little one’s legs are cramped against the back of the seat. You shouldn’t let the baby face forward in the car simply because they seem uncomfortable or don’t like to face the rear.

Tots are generally very flexible. Even when they seem cramped up by adult standards, they can actually be quite comfortable. Herring agrees: "Kiddos are just fine tucking those feet in and having them up against the back of the seat."

She adds that there's no evidence of an increase in leg injuries in kids who use extended rear-facing car seats, and suggests looking for a car seat with multiple recline angles to give your child more leg room as they grow. 

Adding a mirror that allows your child to see themselves (and you) while you are driving can help alleviate stress and boredom. And, taking breaks during long trips can give your little ones time to stretch their legs.

When it's time for a new car seat that has to meet forward-facing car seat requirements, check out our car seat buyers guide to ensure you pick the right one for your child’s needs.

Once you make the switch, be sure to properly install the car seat in its new position, tightening all anchors and straps, including the extra tether if available.

You should place the forward-facing seat in the middle of the back seat. This will provide extra protection since that's the safest spot in the vehicle.

When you're done, head to your local fire or police station. Often, there will be someone on duty who is trained to check the safety of the car seat installation. You can also use the National Highway and Traffic Administration's car seat inspection site locator to find installation help in your area or look for a Safe Kids Worldwide car seat event near you. 

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1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Car Seats: Information for Families. March 20, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025.
2. Digges, K. and Bahouth, G. Frequency of Injuries in Multiple Impact Crashes. Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, (2003). Accessed April 21, 2025.
3. Cincinnati Children's. Growth, Range of Height and Weight. September 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025.