A mom from Australia is sounding the alarm for fellow parents after her daughter suffered severe injuries in a car accident, which she believes were exacerbated by her forward-facing car seat. Until recently, many parents were told they could switch to a forward-facing seat when their child turned one, but experts now strongly recommend keeping kids rear-facing for as long as possible.
During a routine drive home from a dentist appointment, Jenna Reed lost control of her vehicle and collided head-on with a tree while traveling at about 62 miles per hour. The impact was so intense that it flipped the car over and caused a large tree branch to fall on top of it, trapping Jenna and her kids inside.
In her heart-wrenching Facebook post, Jenna, who affectionately refers to her children as “Little A” and “Little B,” explained that while both kids were securely strapped in their car seats, there was a crucial difference: Little A’s seat was rear-facing, while Little B’s was forward-facing. The result? Little A emerged from the crash without a scratch, while Little B, just two years old, had to be airlifted to the hospital with two broken vertebrae.
“The nightmare just got worse when we found out she had broken her C2 and C3 vertebrae and tore all her ligaments in her C1,” Jenna wrote. “She was one of the youngest to be fitted with a Halo Brace, and doctors warned us that most kids with her injuries don’t typically survive.”
Although the accident occurred in February, Little B is still receiving treatment and has no clear timeline for recovery. “Two properly restrained children in the same crash—one with life-threatening injuries and the other perfectly fine,” Jenna lamented.
Current guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest keeping children rear-facing until at least age two, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises parents to adhere to the height and weight limits set by the car seat manufacturer. Many modern seats can accommodate children in a rear-facing position until age three or even four. Jenna hopes her experience will encourage other parents to think twice about their car seat choices.
“I was always on the fence about turning my babies around, but after our accident and the solid evidence before us, I will keep my kids rear-facing for as long as possible. Don’t make the same mistake I did. It could cost your baby’s life.”
For more insights into safe parenting practices, you can check out our other blog posts like this one on home insemination. And if you’re navigating the journey of starting a family, Make a Mom is a great resource for everything from parenting tips to products. For comprehensive information on pregnancy, visit this Healthline article.
In summary, Jenna’s heart-wrenching story serves as a powerful reminder for all parents to prioritize their children’s safety in vehicles. By keeping car seats rear-facing as long as possible, they can significantly reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of an accident.