Is a rear facing stage 1 car seat as safe as a stage 0?

[Maud]

Our LO is 16 months and she still comfortably fits her 0+ seat but we have just bought her stage 1 so that we are ready for when she needs it.

We have two cars and have to move the seat around twice a week which is a bit of a faff, so are considering keeping one in each car until she outgrows the 0+ but unsure whether the 0+ should be her main seat or the 1.

Everything I've read says that infant seats are safest and to keep them in them as long as possible, but the fitter (who was excellent) told us that because she is staying rear facing in her new seat it is just as safe as the infant seat. I want her to be in the safest seat possible the majority of the time, so does anyone know which is true? Is it just the rear facing bit that makes the infant seats safer, or is there something else about them?

 

[kumber]

I think it's just the rear-facing aspect of it as being rear-facing provides more support for their backs and necks to prevent spine and neck damage in a crash.

 

[G4YLE]

Rear facing is 5 times safer and you should try and keep wee one rear facing for as long as possible. In a lot of Scandinavian countries kids rear face till 4/5 or beyond and the number of children killed or seriously injured is a lot less than the UK where we can be far too eager to turn them forward facing! As long as it's rear facing it doesn't matter if it's still get group 0 seat she is in provided her head isn't over the top yet. We've bought a seat which should allow our wee one to rear face until she is about 6/7 if we want her too!

 

[Pumpkin9]

From what I've read I believe group 0 seats are the safest and ideally you would use that as long as possible. Onviously keeping our children rear facing is also the safer option when moving them to a group 1 or higher seat too until they are at least 4. I can't remember where I read it (probably the facebook care seat advice group) but I'm sure they always recommend to use group 0 as long as possible as it sort of cocoons baby/ toddler better

 

[Maud]

Thanks for the replies. Decision taken out of our hands for the time being as someone hit our car with the new seat in it and insurers said to replace it so it's a good thing we've got two seats she fits!

 

[kumber]

Ohh no Maud, hope you're all ok!