In April 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new recommendation for parents of toddlers. Toddlers should remain in a rear-facing child safety seat until they reach two years of age. New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding this way in a child safety seat. The Academy had previously recommended that children stay travel in a rear-facing child safety seat until their first birthday.

Here are some safety tips for car seat use:

• All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant child safety seat or convertible seat.
• If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat and/or they reach the maximum weight of the seat, usually 22 pounds.
• Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum rear-facing height and weight, typically 30 lbs for their convertible seat model, or until age 2.

The Virginia Low-Income Child Safety Seat Program provides convertible child safety seats and belt positioning booster seats to low income families. Virginia Beach residents can apply for a free child safety seat for their child at any Virginia Beach WIC office or at the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health, 4452 Corporation Lane. For more information, call 518-2683.