Who sits where when car pooling?

Unregistered · Mar 15, 2003

Hi,
I have found this page very helpful, I use it a lot. Thanks to you guys!
I car pool regulary. Sometimes, maybe couple of times a month, I have more kids than backseats. My car has a so called advanced airbag that shuts itself off if the passenger is less than 65 lbs.
Now my question is, who should use the front seat? The biggest kid is 7 and something between 65 and 70 lbs. So he'll turn the airbag on. He sits in a beltpositioning booster.
The smallest is 2 and under 30 lbs and of course uses a 5 point harness (ff). 4 kids are between 40 and 45 lbs and use beltpositioning boosters. I have tried to put the harnessed seat in the front but I don't get a good fit - the seat moves too much in any direction.
Thanks for your time
Susann

UlrikeDG · Mar 15, 2003

My research seems to indicate that the most critical factor in protecting children from an airbag is ensuring that they are properly restrained and that they remain properly restrained for the entire trip.

Generally, a child in a 5 point harness is going to be the "safest" in that position, as he/she cannot lean too close to the airbag. However, if the 5 point seat cannot be properly installed in that position, it cannot be used there. You will need to determine which child is most likely to stay seated properly for the entire trip and put that child there.

See:
http://www.iihs.org/safety_facts/airbags/airbag_switch.htm
http://www.iihs.org/safety_facts/qanda/airbags.htm#10

SafeDad · Mar 15, 2003

I agree with Ulrike-

This decision really has to be taken in a case by case basis, preferably in person with a technician.

In general, we would first probably try to seat the oldest child that is in a front-facing carseat with a 5-point harness in front. Deactivate the airbag if possible, and move the seat all the way back on its track.

Unregistered · Mar 15, 2003

Yes, I was hoping for the 5-point restraint (RA) to fit the front seat....
Anyway, from your answers I understood that any of the 40 to 45 pounders are the ones to be placed in the front since the 7-yr-old turns the airbag on because of his weight (over 65 lbs).
BTW, the rule in my car is that kids wear their seat belts properly or they wear a 5-point harness. Every time I have a new kid in my car, I ask him if he knows the difference between a toddler and a kid. The difference is that a kid knows how to wear a seat belt and a toddler wears a 5-point harness. So far that has worked with every single kid.

Susann

Who sits where when car pooling?

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