COLUMBUS – Rear-impact collisions account for more than 25 percent of all accidents but there hasn’t been a lot of discussion on how well rear-facing child safety seats – which have proven effective in front- and side-impact accidents — perform in those cases when the baby is looking in the direction of the crash.
Researchers at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center conducted a new study and found they work pretty well.
“The rear-facing seat is able to support the child’s head, neck and spine and keep those really vulnerable body regions well protected,” said Julie Mansfield, lead author of the study and research engineer at the OSU College of Medicine’s Injury Biomechanics Research Center.
Mansfield and her team conducted crash tests with multiple rear-facing car seats, investigating the effects of various features like the carry handle position and anti-rebound bars.
The study, which is published in SAE International, shows that when used correctly, all were effective because they absorbed crash forces while controlling the motion of the child.
Mansfield says what they found aligns well with what is known from crash data in the real world
She says it’s important for parents to follow the recommended guidelines on the correct type of car seat for their child’s height, weight and age.