Why is ERF safer than FF carseats?

bump#1 · Nov 19th, 2011, 16:55 PM

May be a daft question but what exactly makes ERF safer than FF seats. My oh asked me and I'm not too sure of the answer.

Stinkyloo · Nov 19th, 2011, 17:01 PM

When you brake sharply, your heads are thrown forward, which could potentially damage your childs neck, whereas if they are in a rear facing, their head will be thrown backwards and supported by the seat behind them...

...hope that makes sense.

bump#1 · Nov 19th, 2011, 17:07 PM

Thankyou makes sense to me.
How old do they need to be before they can sit in a FF carseat.

bump#1 · Nov 19th, 2011, 17:08 PM

Thankyou makes sense to me.
How old do they need to be before they can sit in a FF carseat.

Stinkyloo · Nov 19th, 2011, 17:25 PM

To be honest, I don't really know when they (those who recommend ERF) deem it safe enough for them to forward face??

The general rule is that a child can forward face from 9 months and a certain weight (sorry, can't remember off hand).

I'm sure there's othere people on here who will know. My son has actually forward faced since he was about 13 months, but I think you can rear face children for a good few years (possibly up to 4?).

Hopefully someone more knowledgable about it will be along shortly.

Kimmer · Nov 19th, 2011, 17:32 PM

In this country, the law is 9 months. But that is FAR too young/small. Rear facing to the age of 4 is the safest way to travel.

There's loads of information on http://www.rearfacing.co.uk/

Here's a poster with some info

HippieJess · Nov 19th, 2011, 20:41 PM

In the US, they recommend rear facing until age 2 or (I believe) 40 lbs. Supposedly they settled on the weight because the 99th percentile for a 2 year old is 35 lbs.
This has just recently gone up. The general suggestion before was age 1 or 25 lbs.

whit. · Nov 19th, 2011, 20:56 PM

It's the law they have to be a year old and 20lbs in the majority of states. A few states are changing this to 2 years, though.

Watch a crash test video, it will change your mind about putting your child front facing. It changed mine for SURE. It can decapitate the child internally.

ashley2pink · Nov 19th, 2011, 21:45 PM

I'm not sure why it is, but I do know here in US its recommended to rear face until at least 2 years old because a child 2 and under is 75% less likely to die in an accident when rear-facing
Many car seat rear face longer than 2 years old depending on childs weight, look around for one that does

mommyof3co · Nov 20th, 2011, 00:59 AM

Here are some videos that show why it's actually safer to be RF

It's actually safer for everyone to be RF but obviously that isn't possible. The longer they RF the better. I turned my son at 3yrs old because no matter how tight his harness was he was a little houdini and was able to get out of it, so we made the decision that it was safer for me to be able to see what he was doing before he was out of his seat. My personal minimum would be 2yrs old. The recommendation here in the US is now 2yrs or outgrowing a convertible car seat-weight limit on them are 35-45lbs.

Nov 19th, 2011, 16:55 PM	#1
bump#1 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,104	Why is ERF safer than FF carseats? May be a daft question but what exactly makes ERF safer than FF seats. My oh asked me and I'm not too sure of the answer.

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Nov 19th, 2011, 17:01 PM	#2
Stinkyloo Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northants, UK Posts: 473	When you brake sharply, your heads are thrown forward, which could potentially damage your childs neck, whereas if they are in a rear facing, their head will be thrown backwards and supported by the seat behind them... ...hope that makes sense.

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Nov 19th, 2011, 17:07 PM	#3
bump#1 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,104	Thankyou makes sense to me. How old do they need to be before they can sit in a FF carseat.

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Nov 19th, 2011, 17:08 PM	#4
bump#1 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,104	Thankyou makes sense to me. How old do they need to be before they can sit in a FF carseat.

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Nov 19th, 2011, 17:25 PM	#5
Stinkyloo Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northants, UK Posts: 473	To be honest, I don't really know when they (those who recommend ERF) deem it safe enough for them to forward face?? The general rule is that a child can forward face from 9 months and a certain weight (sorry, can't remember off hand). I'm sure there's othere people on here who will know. My son has actually forward faced since he was about 13 months, but I think you can rear face children for a good few years (possibly up to 4?). Hopefully someone more knowledgable about it will be along shortly.

Status: Offline

Nov 19th, 2011, 20:41 PM	#7
HippieJess Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 709	In the US, they recommend rear facing until age 2 or (I believe) 40 lbs. Supposedly they settled on the weight because the 99th percentile for a 2 year old is 35 lbs. This has just recently gone up. The general suggestion before was age 1 or 25 lbs.

Status: Offline

Nov 19th, 2011, 20:56 PM	#8
whit. Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 5,477	It's the law they have to be a year old and 20lbs in the majority of states. A few states are changing this to 2 years, though. Watch a crash test video, it will change your mind about putting your child front facing. It changed mine for SURE. It can decapitate the child internally.

Status: Offline

Nov 19th, 2011, 21:45 PM	#9
ashley2pink Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Utah, USA Posts: 3,131	I'm not sure why it is, but I do know here in US its recommended to rear face until at least 2 years old because a child 2 and under is 75% less likely to die in an accident when rear-facing Many car seat rear face longer than 2 years old depending on childs weight, look around for one that does

Status: Offline

Nov 20th, 2011, 00:59 AM	#10
mommyof3co Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Waxahachie, TX Posts: 10,652	Here are some videos that show why it's actually safer to be RF It's actually safer for everyone to be RF but obviously that isn't possible. The longer they RF the better. I turned my son at 3yrs old because no matter how tight his harness was he was a little houdini and was able to get out of it, so we made the decision that it was safer for me to be able to see what he was doing before he was out of his seat. My personal minimum would be 2yrs old. The recommendation here in the US is now 2yrs or outgrowing a convertible car seat-weight limit on them are 35-45lbs.

Status: Offline

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