Do you ever wonder where the safest spot in the car is for your child? You need to take into consideration their age, the type of Child Restraint, how many people typically ride in your car and the recommendations of both the Vehicle Owner’s Manual, and the Child Restraint Manual. Then see what configuration works best in your car.
What really concerns me is that I have seen so many children under the age of 8 riding in the front seat of a vehicle, without even benefit of a booster seat!
On the visor of the passenger side of my car there is a warning: “Children can be killed or seriously injured by the air bag. The back seat is the safest place for children.”
The vehicle owner’s manual says “Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in the second or third row seats.”
I understand if you have a large family, or are transporting many children, you need to figure out the best seating position for all of them. If you have no other choice than to use the front seat, see if you can switch off the passenger side airbag and move the seat back as far as possible. However, NEVER put a rear facing child restraint in front of an active air bag! So, why do so many parents act carefree and let their young children ride in the front seat?
Most children of this age should be in car seats or booster seats. Most children this age are not tall enough to use a lap/shoulder belt without a booster seat. As stated in www.safekids.org, “For children ages 5-9 who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall and less than 80 to 100 pounds, a car seat or booster seat is recommended.”
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