It is recommended, but NOT required, that child seats for children up to 4 years old should be rear-facing.

Research has shown that if the child is sitting in a forward-facing seat, the child's head will be thrown violently forward in the event of a frontal collision. This can lead to serious injuries to both the neck and brain.

However, if the child is sitting rear-facing, the violent forces in a frontal collision will be absorbed by the large back surface of the child seat, and the risk of injuries is drastically reduced.