The mother of a toddler asks when it is safe to place the car safety seat in a forward-facing position. The best response is:

• A. When the weight of the toddler is greater than 40 lbs
• B. When the weight of the toddler is 20 pounds
• C. When the weight of the toddler is 2 years old
• D. When the car seat has no top tether

Answer: (B)

Keep the child rear-facing as long as the car seat allows, because this position better protects the head, neck, and spine in a crash. You switch to forward-facing when the child has outgrown the rear-facing weight limit for the seat. If the rear-facing limit is 20 pounds, then moving to forward-facing at 20 pounds is appropriate provided the child then fits the forward-facing weight and height limits and the seat is installed correctly. The reason this is the best choice is that staying rear-facing longer reduces injury risk, and switching too late can neglect the seat’s design limits. The other options aren’t correct because timing by weight like 40 pounds isn’t the standard switch point here, age alone (2 years) isn’t the determinant, and the presence or absence of a top tether isn’t about when to switch—it’s about how the forward-facing seat is secured once you do switch.