I've got people fighting with me about keeping my 15 month old rear facing! They think it's ridiculous that I am following the new guidelines and that "every other kid has been just fine" forward facing at a year or YOUNGER. Well, no, the ones who have died in car accidents as a result of internal decapitation because they were forward facing too early were not just fine. Per my son's pediatrician he needs to be rear facing until at LEAST two, and as long as possible. As he said "Our Children's Hospital has amazing surgeon's that can repair broken legs as a result of an accident, but we just haven't found a surgeon that can sew a head back on". 'Nuff said as far as I'm concerned.
Despite what other's tell me, I will ALWAYS err on the side of caution when it comes to my children. Think I'm crazy or not, if the guideline is at least 2, then at least 2 it shall be. As long as your son is not throwing a holy fit every time you put him in the car and you have a car seat that fits his weight and height and can be rear facing, I say keep doing what you are doing to protect your son. Good job, mama!
**ETA**
For those who say it is uncomfortable for them, or that they could break their legs, please do your research. I felt this way too, until I decided to really find out WHY the guidelines changed. I thought it was silly until I did my research, and now my mind is changed.
If I were to be involved in a serious crash, I would much rather have a child with two terribly broken legs than a child with a broken neck, back, or did not survive the crash. In serious crashes, children under the age of 2 are 75% more likely to survive a crash than children who are forward facing (per the American Academy of Pediatrics).
I believe it was Sweden who made it law that all children rear face until 4 years of age. Sounds crazy, I know, however, their birth - preschool age deaths due to car accidents are almost 0% now.