With back to school being at the forefront of our minds, it brings about questions regarding forward facing in a car, and when the best age is to use a high backed booster. This is a very common question and there are essentially three answers:

• Legally
• Safer
• Safest

Legally you can forward face at 9kg with a R44.04 seat, or at 15 months AND 76cm in height in a R129 seat (Read about the differences here – COMING SOON). To be really clear, both the age and the height limits of the child must be met before facing forward legally in a R129 seat. Currently, it is legal to continue using a car seat until the child is at least 135cm OR 12 years old, whichever occurs first. Whilst this is legal, we strongly advise against it and will elaborate below.

The safer option, is to rear face for as long as your seat permits. There is an extensive range of seats that will rear face to 105cm which equates to an average 4 year old. Often these seats will offer the choice to face forwards after it’s regulated limited (i.e R44.04 will be >9kg and R129 will be >15months AND >76cms). We strongly recommend leaving your seat in the rear facing position rather than using the forward facing option.

The safest option is to rear face to 125cm for R129 seats, and to 25kg for R44.04 seats, specifically in Swedish Plus Tested seats (Read more about this test here – COMING SOON). The longer all humans remain rear facing, the safer we all are so if you are ever on a bus or a train, do choose a rear facing seat for yourself too. The rear-facing position provides the best protection for a child’s head, neck, and spine, which are particularly vulnerable in young children. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, which is not developed yet. Ossification of the vertebrae in children is not fully completed until they are around 6 old, meaning their spinal cord is better protected after this age.

On the left of this image, you have a three year old’s vertebrae and on the right, is a six year old. Notice how the three year old vertebrae are in three pieces, whereas the six year old’s are in a solid ring? Your child’s spinal cord runs through the center, and so you can see how much greater the protection is aged six and above.

For this reason, it is ideal to keep your child rear-facing until at least six years of age.

Once the child outgrows the height and weight limits of their rear-facing car seat, then it is safe for a transition to a booster seat to be considered. However, following these guidelines is crucial to ensure safety:

1. Stay Rear-Facing as Long as Possible Pediatricians and safety experts recommend that children remain rear-facing for as long as possible, ideally up to 6-7 years. In a crash, a rear-facing seat cradles the child’s head, neck, and spine, reducing the risk of severe injuries. This is especially important because a child’s skeletal system is still developing, making them more vulnerable to injury.
2. Back Against the Booster Seat When transitioning to a booster seat, ensure that the child is seated correctly, with their back fully against the seat. This helps the booster seat provide the necessary protection. However, remember that transitioning too early can compromise safety due to incomplete skeletal development.
3. Knees Bend at the Edge of the Seat The child’s knees should comfortably bend at the edge of the booster seat. If they do not, it may indicate that the seat is too deep, and the child is not yet ready for this transition. Keeping your child rear-facing longer will be the safer option.
4. Lap Belt on Top of Thighs, Not Over the Soft Stomach The lap belt should lie flat across the child’s thighs, not over their soft abdomen, to ensure the force of a crash is absorbed by the pelvis, a more robust part of the body. Misplacement of the belt can lead to severe internal injuries, so this transition should be made only when the child is physically ready.
5. Shoulder Belt Between the Neck and Shoulder The shoulder belt should fit snugly between the child’s neck and shoulder, without touching the neck or slipping off the shoulder. Incorrect belt positioning can lead to inadequate protection and increase the risk of injury.
6. Sits Properly – No Slouching, No Playing with Seat Belt, etc. The child should sit upright in their booster seat, without slouching or playing with the seat belt. Proper seating is crucial to ensure that the child is fully protected by the booster seat in case of an accident.

To add to the above, we are asking children to remain seated absolutely still. If they put their feet up on the seats in front and are in an accident, they will crush their legs. Leg injuries are unheard of in rear facing seats. Children are not squished, they genuinely are more comfortable curled up. That said, the Axkid One 2 and Minikid 4 offer fantastic leg room!

In summary, while a high-back booster seat is essential, parents should prioritize keeping their child rear-facing for as long as possible, ideally until at least six years of age. This ensures the best possible protection for their still-developing head, neck, and spine. Transitioning to a booster seat should only be done when the child has reached the appropriate physical milestones to ensure their safety.

For the longest lasting rear facing, Swedish Plus tested car seat for ages 5 months* to 7 years (60cm to 125cm), we recommend the Axkid Minikid 4 or Movekid. When looking for high backed boosters, we recommend the Axkid Nextkid.