Rear end crashes may be one of the most common and severe types of accidents that occur today, but a new Ohio State study finds that rear facing car seats perform particular well in these types of incidents.

Rear-facing car seats are the go-to standard for kids inside cars because they help to block severe injuries in the event of an accident. Children, especially infants, could otherwise be exposed to deadly medical conditions and injuries on impact.

Even if a child is facing the direction of the impact, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a rear facing car seat will fail to do its job. There are many different mechanisms and features in rear facing car seats that can protect a child by absorbing crash energy.

Crash tests were performed with numerous different rear facing car seats and they identified that all of the rear facing car seats were affected in controlling a child as well as absorbing the force of the crash when it occurred. Furthermore, rear facing car seats have previously been shown to be instrumental in reducing injuries and fatalities in side impact and frontal impact crashes.

Having the appropriate car seat and installing it correctly inside your vehicle are some of the most important things you can do to decrease your chances of having a child catastrophically injured in an accident. Most parents do everything possible to protect the safety of their children and the use of the properly size and installed rear facing car seat can be important.

Parents should always follow recommended guidelines about the appropriate type of car seat for their child’s weight, height and age. The rear facing car seat has many benefits including being able to support the child’s neck, head and spine and protecting any vulnerable body regions in addition.