Question about car seat safety?

I switched DS at 13 months to forward facing. I'm currently PG with #2 and have been reading alot about not switching the car seat till they are 2 years old.
Now I understand the safety concerns, but why have they not made it a law yet? Everywhere I read said it a recommendation, but the law is still 12 months old. Just wondering why they haven't changed it yet.

Message edited 12/12/2011 11:30:12 PM.

Re: Question about car seat safety?

Its not a law in NY to rear face your infant until 1 year.. It is a recommendation... Some states require it, but NY isn't one of them...The new recommendation is to rear face until 2 or longer...

Re: Question about car seat safety?

Right, there is no law other than you have to have a child safety seat for them. There are some states with rear facing laws. Why isn't it a law in NY? Not sure to be honest since it seems some parents would abide by the law, but dont abide by the recommendations of safety experts and the AAP, which IMO are the ones that actually know the possible effects.

Re: Question about car seat safety?

Because changing laws involves bureaucracy. It's not that easy to change the laws. Has to go through the state legislature etc and it would probably get bundled in with some controversial issue or something related to budget and sit for 5 years before passing or something.

NYS does have a proper use clause, so if you're turning your child prior to age/weight the seat manufacturer states is the minimum that is illegal. There are no seats currently manufactured that do not state at least 1 yo to turn FF. With the new recommendations, manufacturers will eventually follow suit with their labeling.

The law as it exists is a bare minimum, not best practice. Never has been. The laws are made to protect those who otherwise wouldn't be protected at all. Follow the recommendations of AAP, Safekids, NHTSA etc as those will be more up to date than the laws of any state.