quickest line to explain ERF...

3j'smom

New member
A lot of my co-workers don't understand ERF, after sharing some videos and links from this site I've convinced a few. MOST are still too concerned with their LO's legs touching the backseat. What is the best, quick line that explains why it's fine if their legs touch. The line of broken legs are better than a broken neck works for some, but some moms are not okay knowing about any "broken" body part!!
Thanks!
Beth
 
ADS

Pixels

New member
Broken leg = cast it. Broken neck = casket.

Legs are actually MORE likely to be broken when forward facing.

It's safer for newborns and it's safer for toddlers, too. It's safer for everybody, even adults, to ride rear facing. The spine is perfectly supported by the seat.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
More legs are broken forward-facing than rear-facing. If there was a crash so extreme that a rear-facing child's legs were broken, it would probably cause paralysis or death to a forward-facer.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
The two most common injuries forward facing people get in car crashes are whiplash and broken limbs. Broken bones are painful and inconvenient, but let me tell you, I'd rather have back labor while standing in line at DMV than to ever have whiplash again. Just the thought of dealing with a cranky kid with whiplash is enough to make me want to run away and hide, so if a rear-facing car seat saves me from that, I'm all for it.
 
I think I'd redirect the focus towards the whiplash issue - I think everyone knows the feeling of their head flopping forward any time you hit the brakes hard. Add that a much larger percent of a child's body mass is in their head and then ask whether they think the child's head and neck would be better supported forward facing (where the head would snap forward) or rear facing (where the whole back and spine and head are supported by the rear facing seat).
 

emandbri

Well-known member
You could try "when rear-facing the back of the seat cradles the neck and spine. When forward facing the straps are holding them back and they are much more likely to get hurt."
 

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