Which condition requires a rear-facing car seat?

• A. A child older than 5 years
• B. A child weighing more than 50 pounds
• C. All children can ride without a seat
• D. A child younger than 1 year old or weighing less than 20 pounds

Answer: (D)

Rear-facing seats are required for the youngest children because their heads and necks are most vulnerable in a crash, and the seat’s back supports and distributes crash forces to protect the spine. The statement that a child younger than 1 year old or weighing less than 20 pounds must ride rear-facing directly reflects the age/weight threshold that mandates this orientation. As kids grow and reach or exceed those limits, they transition to forward-facing seats, following the seat’s limits. The other scenarios described do not reflect the rule, and riding without a seat is unsafe.