children in the front seat??

[kile529]

This is just a "curiosity" question that we came up with during our car search.....it was a topic of discussion and debate over which was safest! :) lol Neither of us could REALLY decide which one we thought was better.....so I said I'd find out by asking the techs here!

So - Michigan law says that if there are no (rear) seats available, then a child may be seated in the front passenger seat.....That being said.....

If you were putting your children in a vehicle that did not fit 3 carseats across....would you put the 3rd (oldest, 60lb child in booster) up front? or
would you place the child without a carseat in the middle of the cramped back row? (we were using our children ages & sizes as an example)

Which is safest??

That's the question of the day!!

PLEASE - Do not post anything of a "you idiot" nature! :D This is just a question brought from a debate!!!!! :)

(my vote's for the back seat/no car seat...but not 100% sure....) heehee!

[jen_nah]

In a case where a child had to be put in the front seat it would be the oldest child in a 5pt harness in the front passenger seat. So based off your siggie it would be the 3yr old that would be the safest to be forward facing in his 5pt harness then your older 2 in a booster seat.

[kile529]

GET OUT OF TOWN!!! LOL

I never saw that answer coming! LOL I guess it does make sense....
My husband will be surprised too!

Well, HUH!

[kile529]

I guess that's good information to have if I ever run into a situation like that...or see someone else in that predicament!

[skaterbabscpst]

Yep, seems somewhat counter-intuitive, but you put the most protected child in the least protected spot.

[KScpstMomof3+1]

Ive had to do it, I had no choice though. I put my 5y/o in a MA in the front, then had 6y/o dd in back with HBB, RF Snugride in middle, and FF MA behind driver. I would not have done it if I wasnt in a not so good situation. But when you have no choice, put the oldest, most protected child (5pt harness) in the least protected spot. We are not in that situation anymore and believe me, I still feel guilty about it. I spoke with all my senior techs on the issue and we came up with this together.

Taylor

[lovinwaves]

Ive had to do it, I had no choice though. I put my 5y/o in a MA in the front, then had 6y/o dd in back with HBB, RF Snugride in middle, and FF MA behind driver. I would not have done it if I wasnt in a not so good situation. But when you have no choice, put the oldest, most protected child (5pt harness) in the least protected spot. We are not in that situation anymore and believe me, I still feel guilty about it. I spoke with all my senior techs on the issue and we came up with this together.

Taylor


^^ HI TAYLOR, it's me Melissa!! Just saying Hi :D



sorry to slightly derail :o

[beeman]

I'd say the front facing child that's closest to the maximum weight's of the seat. So in this case, I'd assume that's you're 3 yr old, and agree with Jen-nah that he should be the one in the front. That would be far safer than having one child not in a seat. If your budget allows, another option would be to get a high weight harness seat for one of the older children and then put them in the front.

[UlrikeDG]

Oldest child in a 5 point harness would be my choice. Most fatalities of children in the front seat are because they aren't properly restrained or they lean out of position (e.g., to reach the radio or something on the floor). The 5-point harness eliminates that risk.

[1girltwinboyz]

this is exactly why I demanded a minivan rental when someone rear ended my honda ody. they tried to give me a 4 door sedan but i could not fit 3 carseats across (two MAs and a Booster). And I was NOT going to put dd in the front seat with airbag even though it has an auto off sensor.

[kile529]

Wow! I think I brought up quite the discussion topic! :) here's a question though - I understand the "risk" involved with the oldest in a HBB in the front seat.....but wouldn't it be better than being without a carseat in the middle of a Parkway & Roundabout in the back bench?

This all started out as a hypothetical question drawn from a debate of my husband and I had as we were perusing different vehicles....but I believe we're going to have to deal with a very similar problem soon.....I'm not thrilled - but I'm going to have to make a decision on what's safest....any help would be GREAT!

Please do an "if you were me" in that situation - where would you place your kids??

[UlrikeDG]

I've had to put one of my kids in the front seat a couple of times, and every time, I've put the oldest child in a 5 point harness there. That was the "correct answer" in the classroom exercises we did for the CPST course, as well.

In your case, that would be Camden in his Roundabout, unless you have the option to buy/borrow another harnessed seat for one of the older boys.

[papooses]

Yep, my state CPST coordinator told me the oldest harnessed child up front -- I'd only choose a boostered kid if there was a large age difference (especially if the harnessed kid should still be RF).

[kile529]

I'd only choose a boostered kid if there was a large age difference (especially if the harnessed kid should still be RF).

Well....my youngest is still RF....he's 23lbs....(hasn't gained weight in a year...doctors are working on why)....and my oldest is 6-1/2 in a PW.....

What I've thought with the booster up front is that I could "ratchet" it so he couldn't "lean" forward or anything....he'd be stuck in the same position.....

I'm so frustrated....I can't believe I may have to deal with this situation!:( ugh!

[papooses]

Sorry, should have clarified that I was thinking specifically of my own vehicle -- my front seat (& many others) have automatic airbag shutoff sensor which has not been very reliable but that which Ford won't do anything about.... So, if there is so passenger side airbag or it has a manual shut off, then I'd feel better with the RF kid up front compared to a boostered 5 ot 6 year old (if the boostered kid were 8+ years old, though, I'd probably put the booster up front regardless).

[skaterbabscpst]

I'd only choose a boostered kid if there was a large age difference (especially if the harnessed kid should still be RF).

That was my choice for my own situation, based on several factors, including:

the boostered child (I ut CJ in front in his booster) only rode in the vehicle occasionally
the Jeep is the 2 door model and having the harnessed seat in front would have made that door unusable for back seat passengers



It was my opinion at the time (and I would do the same now) that having my ten year old in the front seat with his booster (no airbag) for an occasional short trip was better than having my 3 yo in the front seat all the time, especially when the back seat was available 80% of the time because I was NOT going to reinstall the seat 3-4 times a day.

[kile529]

That was my choice for my own situation, based on several factors, including:

the boostered child (I ut CJ in front in his booster) only rode in the vehicle occasionally
the Jeep is the 2 door model and having the harnessed seat in front would have made that door unusable for back seat passengers



It was my opinion at the time (and I would do the same now) that having my ten year old in the front seat with his booster (no airbag) for an occasional short trip was better than having my 3 yo in the front seat all the time, especially when the back seat was available 80% of the time because I was NOT going to reinstall the seat 3-4 times a day.


That's the situation I'll be facing....once school starts - my oldest will be riding with me pretty much only to school and back....since we don't do a lot of driving once school lets out for the day....if we take a trip in it with my husband, Logan will have to be in the middle back without a carseat....unless I can find a backless booster to fit in a tiny space.....hmmmm......