The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued complete new guidelines on car seats for children from birth to 12 Months.  Below is a summary of the study's findings.

Birth - 12 Months - Children under the age of 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.

1-3 Years - Keep your 1 to 3 year old children in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, as it is the best way to keep them safe.  They should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer.

4-7 Years - Keep your 4 to 7 year old children in their forward-facing car seat with a harness until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer.

8 - 12 Years - Keep your 8 to 12 year old children in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly.  For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must tie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.  The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck of face.

For complete details on this study, including instructional videos - click here to check out the NHTSA web site.

This week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued new safety guidelines for child seats in automobiles. Under the new guidelines, the safety agency recommends using the restraints in the rear-facing position as long as children fit within the height and weight limits of the car seat as established by the manufacturer.  The rear-facing position reduces stresses to the neck and spinal cord and is particularly important for growing babies. The guidelines advise parents to keep kids in rear facing restraints until two years of age.

 "Safety is our highest priority," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "The 'best' car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and one you will use every time your child is in the car."

Click here to learn more about this study from the NHTSA website.