From birth, children should be positioned with their backs to the road so that they are well protected in the event of an accident. But as time goes by, we often want to turn the swivelling baby car seat upside down or put the child in the same position as a grown-up so that we can look at him, talk to him or simply watch the scenery together during long car journeys.
So, in practical terms, at what age can you start to sit your child facing the road?
What the law says
Legally, the age at which babies can sit facing the road depends on the car seat.
All children under the age of 10 must travel in a seat that is suitable for their age, height and weight, or face a fine, but the regulations differ depending on how the car seat is approved:
- If the seat is ECE R44/04 approved, the child must be facing away from the road up to a minimum of 9 kg. Moreover, no baby car seat allows a baby to be placed facing the road during the journey, whether it's a swivelling baby seat or a more conventional car seat.
- If the car seat is ECE R129 approved: the minimum age for forward-facing travel is 15 months. In this case, the law also stipulates that your baby can continue to travel with his back to the road up to 105 cm, which is always safer for his still fragile head and cervical vertebrae.
What's more, the rear-facing car seat can remain in the front of the vehicle, which is not the case if the child is facing the road.
Please note: if the baby is travelling in the front of the vehicle, the airbag on the passenger side must be deactivated.
My advice for the road! Adding a small mirror to the headrest allows you to maintain visual contact with your little one without compromising on safety. You should also avoid using a baby seat or carrycot, which may be comfortable but less safe in the event of a problem.
The right age to sit your child facing the road
The law stipulates a minimum age for turning babies to face the road when they are old enough.
However, in terms of safety, it is preferable for your child to be facing the road for as long as possible. This is the best position for looking after the neck and cervical vertebrae. At 50 km/h, this position presents only an 8% risk of serious injury in the event of an accident, particularly a head-on collision. But if the child is facing the road, the risk soars to 40%.
The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends this position until your toddler is 2 years old.
As well as safety, rearward-facing positioning also depends on the size of your car. Up to the age of two, it's fairly easy to fit the baby seat, but beyond that it can be difficult to position your child rearward facing in small vehicles. The size of the seat also depends on the car seat group (group 0+1, 2 3, 0123, etc.).
To improve your child's comfort during journeys, Bebe2Luxe offers swivelling baby car seats and other models that are easy to put in place without hurting your back.
Choosing the right car seat for your baby
For the most part, car seats are designed to protect children by keeping them facing away from the road until they weigh 18 kilos, usually at the age of 4 or when they are taller than 105 cm. Of course, this depends on whether you choose a swivelling or static baby car seat. Some child seats allow you to keep your child facing backwards up to 25 kilos.
With Bebe2Luxe, you can choose from a range of child car seats to combine safety and comfort. For example, you can opt for a swivelling baby car seat. With this 360 car seat, you won't have to twist your back to put baby in the seat, or to turn him round. What's more, these seats allow you to keep your child facing or facing away from the road, whether you have a small or large car.
We also offer booster seats with isofix fixings. The Isofix baby car seat helps prevent the seat from being installed incorrectly. It's easy to install (after 1 or 2 tries) and designed to protect baby in all circumstances. So even if your child is facing the road, their safety is always guaranteed.
If your car is less than 10 years old, it's bound to have isofix attachments! You can feel them by passing your hand between the seat and back of the rear seat.
And that's it! In short, children should travel with their back to the road until they are 4 years old, 105 cm tall or 18 kg. But even if it's not always practical, we advise you to keep this position for as long as possible so that your child is always safe.
The easiest way to do this is to opt for a swivelling car seat, so you can put baby in the seat and turn him over easily without breaking your back, even when he's all grown up!