If I had to put an 8yo in front

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #1

I know, not ideal. But an emergency situation (not like life and death, but like if *I* take the extra kids everyone will at least be boostered and buckled, which is not likely with the other mom who might pick them up).

2 8yos, 1 5yo, 1 6yo. All boostered. 1 8yo will go in front: backless or highback? I'm thinking backless to keep her further from the airbag. I do have side air bags in front.

 

LM4M

CPST Instructor

• Sep 3, 2010

• #2

Has the 8 year old sat in a no back booster before? I would go with a high back, since it wouldn't allow as much side-slouching, and just put the seat all the way back.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #3

I'm not sure which 8yo I'd put in front. My daughter is a few months older, the other kid is a few pounds heavier. My daughter has been in a backless once, briefly, and she was okay. Other kid usually rides in nothing. He might balk at a booster of any sort, but I'm mean (he is nowhere near 5-stepping in most cars, including mine).

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #4

Personally, I would not opt to transport a child if I couldn't do so safely.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #5

I wouldn't either, but I don't think a boostered 8yo in front is UNsafe. Less than ideal, yes. UNsafe, no. I recognize that this is somewhat a matter of opinion.

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #6

I would think that an 8 yo in front of an active airbag would be unsafe.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #7

As I wrote, I acknowledge that this is a matter of opinion. I consider an 8yo in a booster when all backseat positions are full to be not best practice, but not UNsafe. I am willing to practice un-best-ly when the alternative is having the kids UNsafe (definitely unboostered, possibly unbuckled as I've been told the kids in other mom's van don't always have to buckle).

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #8

What is the boostered torso height of each of the 8yos? Either of them approximately adult height (with booster)?

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #9

It doesn't matter how they ride in the other car. You have no control over people being unsafe in other cars. You DO have control over kids being unsafe in your car. I would not be comfortable going against all the rules so to speak. I don't see how this is different than any other kid of misuse . Yes it might be my opinion that it's unsafe, but it also happens to be the opinion of lots of major organizations such as NHTSA and Safe Kids, to name two.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Sep 3, 2010

• #10

How about harnessing the 5 yr old in the front?

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #11

I think that with a tallish booster, the other kid would be close to small-adult torso height. He's a big kid.

Again, I do not consider a kid in the front when all backseat positions are occupied to be *misuse*. SafeKids doesn't either. There's a lot of grey between best practice and misuse, and I feel that this falls into that grey area. I will own that it is less than best practice.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Sep 3, 2010

• #12

It does not matter if he is the size of an adult. He does not have adult bone structure.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #13

Judi said:

How about harnessing the 5 yr old in the front?

Click to expand...

I don't have a harnessed seat, her parents don't have a harnessed seat, I don't know anyone who has an extra HWH seat I could borrow, and I'm not buying one for a five-minute ride.

I know he doesn't have adult bone structure, but I was answering Pixels' question.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #14

No, but it makes it more likely that his face will impact the airbag as designed, rather than being too low.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #15

I think I'm with Chickabiddy on this one. If all rear seats are full, I think putting the oldest child up front in a booster with the seat pushed as far back as possible is the safest option, and not in the "misuse" category, just the "less-than-best-practice-but-as-safe-as-it-can-be" category.

The question of highback or backless is debatable. I've heard the argument that a backless would be better because in a crash the child's head will start out a few inches further back, lessening head excursion. I've also heard the argument that the few inches less in head excursion isn't worth sacrificing the added side impact protection of a highback. I do believe an average 8yo in a booster will sit up tall enough that the frontal airbag wouldn't be a huge concern of mine, and tall enough that the side airbags should be of some benefit.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #16

I'm also debating oldest vs. largest. My daughter is 2 months older, but the other kid is about 3" taller and probably 5#-10# heavier.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #17

Scatter raises an interesting question. Side impact airbags? Side curtain airbags?

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #18

Two months age difference at 8yo isn't much. I'd go with 3" taller.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Sep 3, 2010

• #19

Side impact airbags.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 3, 2010

• #20

If they're anything like my car, even a small child would be protected by SIA. They only cover as high as my bra strap (approximately).