Probably safer than having you ride half in front of an airbag with only a lap belt. She CANNOT at all go back there, doesn't matter if her seat fits there, in just about every manual I've looked at there are pictures specifically saying no to the side facing seats (and rear facing seats, carseats are only to be used on forward facing seats). So she would go in front passenger side, your DH driving, and you in the back. How would you get back there? Climb in the driver's side, get her in, pop back there, then your DH get in?
BTW, wanted to add how cute she is.
17 pounds at 14 months, sounds like Piper (actually, I have that she was 17.5 pounds at 15 months).
Wendy