Postitioning your childs' carseat rearfacing in your vehicle offers him/her the absolute best protection in the event of a crash. A rearfacing childs' head, neck, and spine are cradled and supported in a crash, and the back of the carseat absorbs the crash forces. For this reason, it is reccomended that infants and toddlers ride in a rearfacing carseat until at least age two, and preferably beyond. There are carseats available now with rearfacing weight limits that range from 22lbs to 45lbs, so there are options out there that will keep your older toddler/preschooler comfortably and safely rearfacing.
By law, infants must be 12 months old and weigh 20 pounds (9 kg) before they can be turned forward facing. It is important to note that the law does NOT reflect best practice, it is simply the minimum required. Once your child is turned forward facing, you must attach and properly tighten the top tether that came with the carseat. The tether drastically reduces head excursion in a frontal collision, and its' use is required by law.
We have two kinds of rearfacing carseats available in Canada: infant (commonly referred to as bucket seats), and infant-child (also known as convertable carseats). Some of the infant seats are typically outgrown before the child is ready to face forward, and in that case, a convertable seat should be used. Many parents simply skip the infant seat and instead purchase a convertable seat that will grow with their child.
Whichever seat you choose, it is important to ensure that it has low shoulder harness slots, as the harness must be below the childs' shoulders when rearfacing. Our "Carseat Stats" page has a list of all the seats currently available in Canada, with their weight and height limits as well as their harness heights, and is a good starting point if you are shopping for a carseat.
