New car seat guidelines for keeping your kids safe

Child Passenger Safety Week is September 23-29 and many organizations like AAA are encouraging parents to take a minute to review car seat safety guidelines.

Age and size matter when selecting the proper kids car seats, and there are some important changes you should know about.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says you should keep a child rear-facing in their car seat until they reach the maximum weight and height limit, regardless of age.

By keeping your kid rear-facing, you will protect them from head, neck and spinal injuries.

For older kids, the new policy recommends they stay in forward-facing seats and booster seats until they grow to the maximum height and weight recommended by the manufacturer.

The important takeaway is: don’t go by age alone.

It is never safe to let a child under the age of 13 ride in the front seat.

For more safety tips and where to get a free car seat inspection, you can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.