NHTSA wants more children transported in rear-facing car seats

WASHINGTON — U.S. auto safety regulators on Thursday proposed revising recommendations to increase the number of children age 1 or younger who are transported in rear-facing car seats.

NHTSA is proposing to recommend that all children 26.5 pounds or less are transported in rear-facing car seats rather than the existing recommendation for children 20 pounds or less.

The agency says it is “significantly safer” for young children to be rear-facing than forward-facing in a crash.

Meanwhile, NHTSA introduced the first child-sized side impact crash test dummy in federal regulations.

The new dummy, known as Q3, represents the average weight and height of a 3-year-old child. NHTSA said the Q3 “will provide more realistic data about the effect side impact crashes have on children” because it was specifically designed for testing child seats in such crash tests.

“Every child’s life is precious, and the Department’s work will save young lives,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a statement.

Reuters and Bloomberg contributed to this report.