Car seat placement?

Question

A friend and I are having a discussion about car seat placement. She says that a car seat can go in the front passenger seat. I am sure it is not safe. Can you help me find more info to inform my friend? Thanks.

Answer 1

The safest place for a car seat will be in the middle of the back seat.

Answer 2

NEVER EVER place a child restraint seat in the front seat!  

Go back and read the instructional manual.  It's always there, first page, big bold read letters.  It is always in the car's instructional manual-there is a whole section deveoted to installing car safety seats.  

Go visit the local fire or police department as well.  They will inform your friend that the child safety seat should ALWAYS be in the back seat.

The reason it is unsafe is because of an airbag.  If an airbag goes off it can kill the small child in the front seat.  The child does not have the body capacity for bracing their body or protecting themselves the way an adult would.  There are cases in which an airbag has snapped theh neck of a child.  A front impact can also kill the child, even if there is no airbag-or in the situation of a 2 seat vehicle.  

IMO, it should be illegal to place a car seat in a 2 passenger vehicle, because the child will be in danger.

Answer 3

I don't know your location, but where I am, it is unlawful to put a car seat in the front.

It should go in the back seat.

Check with your local Police Dept.

Answer 4

The front seat is much less safe than the back seat.  Children MUST be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Answer 5

In many places, it is actually illegal to place a child in a car seat (or actually any child under 6) in the front seat unless all other positions are filled. Even where it is legal, it is not particularly safe, that is why its not recommended for single cab pickups to be used to transport babies and children - they simply are NOT as safe in the front as they are in the back. Also, if there is an airbag in the front, you CAN'T put a child car seat in front of it, and even the sun visor in your vehicle should warn you of that.

The back seat is MUCH safer for children age 12 and under.