The American Academy of Pediatrics is now advising parents that children should stay in rear-facing car seats until the age of two. The new advice is a significant shift from current guidelines suggesting when infants turn one and weigh 22 pounds, they can be turned around.

All infants and toddlers should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they are two years of age or until they outgrow the weight and height limits of their car seat," said Dr. Dennis Durbin with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

And one local emergency room doctor agrees.

"In a really bad crash where there are a lot of fatalities, usually the only one left alive is the rear-facing infant in the car seat," said Dr. Bill Sevik. " If I could drive my car rear-facing, in the back seat, I would do it -- it's the safest place in the vehicle."

Currently, the Canadian Pediatric Society suggests infants should be in rear-facing car seats until at least 12 month old, 10 kilograms, and are able to walk on their own.

"That suggests that your body has the right amount of strength to keep your head or neck in a good position should there be any sudden movement," said Dr. Mia Lang with the Canadian Pediatric Society.

Transport Canada reports 10,000 children under the age of 12 are hurt or killed in road crashes each year.

But the Canadian Pediatric Society isn't convinced its policy on rear-facing car seats should be adjusted quite yet.

"I think that would be an easy sell to parents to say you know what? Your child has a better chance of surviving serious injury if they're in a car seat, rear-facing, until two years of age," said Lang.

Marla Hennig says her daughter was well over 10 kilograms at the age of one, but her son was not and needed to be in a car seat longer.

She says while she supports the policy change, she still have concerns.

"Sometimes if they're having a snack or something with them, you kind of want to see them facing forward but from the safety standpoint, I guess you can't really go wrong."

The safety suggestions also mention older children should ride in booster seats longer, up to the age of 12.

With files from Susan Amerongen and CTV.ca