# Car seats

**How long should our child stay rear-facing and in a booster seat?**

How long a child stays in each type of car seat, including rear-facing as long as possible versus switching at the legal minimum.

In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Rear-facing to the seat's limit; Rear-facing to 2, then forward; Legal minimum. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: during pregnancy.

- Area: Safety, risk and independence
- Evidence: Well established
- Best settled: During pregnancy
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/safety-risk-and-independence--car-seats

## Car seats: what are the options?

1. **Rear-facing to the seat's limit**: The child faces the back of the car until they reach the seat's height or weight limit.
2. **Rear-facing to 2, then forward**: The child faces the back until two, then turns forward.
3. **Legal minimum**: You follow what the law requires and no more.

## Car seats: what does the evidence say?

**Well established.** Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it.

AAP: rear-facing as long as possible

Sources:

- [AAFP](https://www.aafp.org/about/news/20180921kidscarsafety)

## What else is worth knowing?

Car seats greatly reduce injury in crashes, and facing backward protects a young child's head and neck. Pediatric guidance is to stay rear-facing as long as the seat allows. Laws set a lower minimum and vary by state and province.

## Questions to ask each other

- Who will learn how to install the seat properly?
- How long do we want to keep the baby rear-facing?
- How will we handle relatives who use their own cars?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=safety-risk-and-independence&topic=safety-risk-and-independence--car-seats