Back seat or front seat?

[Jackie010307]

Normally my kids ride in my 06 Odyssey and this isn't an issue, but this weekend I'm in a spot. I have to make a 3 hour trip (not going is not an option) and I have to take hubby's car which is an 09 Mercury Milan because the van is having mechanical issues. The back seat does not have adjustable headrests, just what I call the little bumps. They come up off the back of the seat some but not a lot. My issue is that our 12 year old no longer has headrest up to the tops of his ears back there. He's not over by a lot, but he is over. Would you keep him in the backseat with not quite enough head support or move him to the front seat where there is an airbag? I know neither is a great idea but I have to do one or the other. There is no airbag off switch, just a sensor, but I think I read the limit on the sensor is 60 or 65lbs so he will not turn it off. The 12 year old in question is 5'5 and 90lbs if that makes a difference in your answer. Thanks for the help!

 

[LISmama810]

I would put the 12-year-old in the front seat without hesitation. Just put the seat as far back as it will go.

ETA: It's also quite possible that an '06 will have advanced airbags, which aren't nearly the safety threat to smaller people that regular airbags are.

 

[CrunchyMaineMama]

I would feel more comfortable with him in the front seat, moved back as well.

 

[trippsmom]

I would put him in the front seat and move the seat back.

 

[Jackie010307]

Just looking at info it seems the Milan has dual stage accident severity sensing airbags. I assume that's the same as smart airbags. The seat goes pretty far back, so he won't be right up in the dashboard. I am going to call a few other places to see if I can get my van fixed today, but I don't think it's likely. Honestly, I don't like the idea of him in the front seat.

 

[tiggercat]

I would put him in the front, seat pushed back, with instructions that he is not to fiddle with the dials or fool around while up there (I have a 12yo boy, lol).

Greg is 12, 5'3 (?) and 100lb-ish and I would put him in the front in a pinch. I wouldn't like it, but I am not sure I am ever really going to like any of my kids up front!

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

[Jackie010307]

He will have his nook so I'm not too worried about him fiddling with things. When he's reading it's nearly impossible to pull him away! I'm just really not comfortable with him being in the front. Hubby is busy calling around now to see if anyone can take care of the van today.

 

[mdsvc89]

Just curious -- at what age/size DO people feel comfortable moving their big kids to the front seat?

My 12.5 year old has been in the front seat for over a year, at least when we're only 3 (me, her, and DS) or just the 2 of us, or the 2 of us plus our full car pool. When DH is in the car she rides in back

She's 5'6", probably 140lbs if I had to guess...

Sorry to thread hijack, but I'm always curious why people aren't comfortable with pretty tall kids (over 5') in the front seat.

Michelle (whose carpool buddies think she's nuts because I won't let the 8 year old ride w/o a booster in my car...)

 

[nannykates]

I kinda base it off "development" for girls. If they have their "lady body" I'm more ok with it because their body is more mature. Girls who still have "girl bodies" go in the back. I don't really deal with boys in the gray area. But I still prefer kids in the back seat when possible.

 

[tiggercat]

I am not sure I ever want my kids in the front full time, lol. I like my space. But yeah, I like to see kids well into puberty to make sure they have an adult skeleton.
I guess at some point they will have to, so they can learn to drive

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

[safeinthecar]

I let my kids ride in front once they are 5ft tall.

There was a study out not long ago (someone please come along with the linky) about the difference in seat belt performance in the front seat vs the back that showed newer cars have significantly better frontseat belt crash performance than backseat belt performance due to the presence of pretensioners and load limiters that are usually not included in the back seat. Back seats aren't even covered under vehicle occupant safety standards actually.

Knowing this, I figure that for a properly restrained and fitting adult sized child, the safety of a better overall restraint system and the safety of being farther from a crash (because back seat recs are more than just about airbags) and the increased danger of airbags or lack of head restraints leave the front and back seat pretty much equal.

 

[bree]

Just curious -- at what age/size DO people feel comfortable moving their big kids to the front seat?

My 12.5 year old has been in the front seat for over a year, at least when we're only 3 (me, her, and DS) or just the 2 of us, or the 2 of us plus our full car pool. When DH is in the car she rides in back

She's 5'6", probably 140lbs if I had to guess...

Sorry to thread hijack, but I'm always curious why people aren't comfortable with pretty tall kids (over 5') in the front seat.

Michelle (whose carpool buddies think she's nuts because I won't let the 8 year old ride w/o a booster in my car...)

I personally am not comfortable with an under-15 year old in the front seat unless it were a necessary scenario, based on this research: http://pediatrics.aappublications.o...79f45bc768e57003f15c30da&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha.

One of the authors of that study, after conducting the research, said, ""When my 13-year-old nephew wants to sit in the front seat now, I won't let him." (article with that quote here: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/airbags_teens.html) Apparently, it's not about the weight or height of a preteen or teen but the fact that the skeleton is still younger than an adult's skeleton and may not be able to withstand the forces of the airbag.

 

[Jackie010307]

Great link, thanks! I just shared it with the 12 year old who is constantly begging to ride in the front seat. To update, hubby found a place to take the van to get it repaired and we were able to take that on our trip. We ended up leaving very early Saturday instead of Friday evening, but it was worth it just for our piece of mind. Once hubby found out that he needed to be in the front due to head support he was determined to get it fixed in time! Thanks again for all the info, you guys are great!