The American Academy of Pediatrics published new recommendations Monday citing strong evidence that children are safer remaining in rear-facing car seats until age two, and in booster seats as late as age 12.

The research reference in the journal, Pediatrics, shows that children under two who ride in rear-facing child restraints are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash.

Along with keeping kids in rear-facing seats until age two, the academy also suggests children remain in a seat with a five-point safety harness until they reach the weight and height limit of that harness. For older kids, the academy says children should use boosters until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall, likely between the ages of 8 and 12 years old.

This is a significant change from the prior recommendations, which called for babies to stay in rear-facing seats until they were at least one years old and 20 pounds. Rear-facing seats offer more support to the head, neck and spin of infants and toddlers in a crash.

The rate of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes in children under age 16 fell 45 percent between 1997 and 2009, according to background information in the article.

Yet motor vehicle accidents are still the leading cause of death for children ages 4 and older. Each year, more than 1,500 children under age 16 are killed annually in motor vehicle accidents. And for every death, some 18 children are hospitalized and 400 are hurt seriously enough to require medical attention, according to the article.

The recommendations also say that a forward-facing car seat with a harness offers more protection than a booster seat, while a booster seat is better than a seat belt alone.

Kids should be kept in a forward-facing car seat as long as possible, even through age eight if their weight or height is under the limit allowed by their child safety seats, according to the new guidelines. Studies show that the car seats reduce the risk of child injury up to 82 percent and the risk of death by 28 percent, compared to wearing seat belts.

Parents are also advised to keep older children in a booster seat, which properly positions the seat belt, until they’re 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between the ages of 8 and 12. The average child reaches that stature sometime after age 10, Hoffman said.

Booster position the seat belt so that the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder and keeps it off the neck or face, while the lap belt fits low and snug on the hips and upper thighs, not across the soft tissue of the belly.

Prior research shows booster seats can reduce the risk of injury by 45 percent in 4- to 8-year olds compared to kids of that age in seat belts.

Children should ride in the backseat until they are 13 years old, since studies have shown this reduces the risk of injury by 40 to 70 percent, the AAP added.