Safety issues putting FF child outboard?

karina250

New member
Another member on here mentioned that RF children are safer outboard that FF children. I need to figure out how to arrange my seats in my car. I originally wanted to put both seats outboard on each side. However, the infant seat takes up way more space front to back than I like so I was thinking of putting it in the middle. I do not like the way it puzzles with the MyRide so I was planning to get my 3 y/o a Nautilus. So I would have the OB35 Air in the middle and then the Nautilus outboard behind the passenger. Is the risk for the FF child riding outboard enough that I should put the Nautilus in the middle and just suck it up with the infant bucket outboard? Do any of you have your FF children outboard?

Or are there any infant buckets that take up less room from front to back and do not cost anymore than the OB35 Air? I paid $130 for this seat, so if I could get another infant seat that would fit better from front to back for the same or less money I would do that instead. It has to be front adjust though, I honestly do not like messing with rear adjust seats. (I just got the OB35 Air today and never removed the tags or anything, so I could just return it.)

I honestly might end up keeping him in the MyRide and putting him outboard on one side and the infant seat outboard on the other side. I just really dislike how little room the infant seat leaves for the person riding in front of it. Does anyone know how far back an adult sitting in the front seat should be sitting from the airbag?
 
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christineka

New member
We strive for ideals, but they don't always work in real life. If your child is properly restrained in a child restraint, they are already very safe. I have 6 children. Ideally the boostered kids should be in the middle seats, but that doesn't work. I have one ffing kid in an untethered seat. I know tethered would be safest, but things just don't work out for everything to be optimal.
 

aeormsby

New member
:yeahthat:

I'd say if you were planning on have them side by side anyway I'd try to put the FF child in the center. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with putting both kids outboard. My kids were side by side until DD turned FF. Then even though they still fit side by side they were constantly kicking each other in the face (they were 1yo & 3yo) so outboard they both went.
 

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
Both of my children are outboard. Technically, DD could be in the center of the 3rd row, but it is logistically easier to have her outboard, so she is. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Ideally, the least protected child/person is in the center, but sometimes that just doesn't work with the car or seats.
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
My rf'er is center while my ff'er is outboard. Why? Because you cannot install his seat (FR85) in the center....just doesn't work. So the only place for his seat, is outboard....so sissy is center and both boys are outboard (one in the 3rd row and one in the 2nd row).
 

jenfrogmom

New member
I have a Mazda 5, so they can only be outboard. It actually doesn't worry me a bit. I know they are installed correctly, and used correctly 100% of the time. :)
 

luckyclov

New member
RF children are safer...just being RF'ing (in a properly used, properly installed seat). That's it. Center or outboard, 2nd row or 3rd row, doesn't matter.

I've always had the bulk of my kiddos riding outboard (my boostered 8-year old rides in the center of the 3rd row). It's easier for me and I know their seats are properly used and properly installed. I'm perfectly OK with it.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
The safest way to arrange your car seats is the way in which they will fit well in your car and you will use them correctly every time.

The "put the rf baby outboard and the ff baby in the middle" rule only applies if all else is equal and you can't decide which one to put in which position. As others have already said, the RF child is safer than the FF child. And the center position is safer than the outboard position. So by putting the RF child in the center, you're essentially giving that child an unfair advantage in a car accident, in a sense.

On the other hand, the RF baby is also typically younger and possibly more fragile than the older, FF baby so a good argument could be made to put your RF baby in the center anyway.

Really it just comes down to which option works best for you and your family. There isn't really a "right" and "wrong" way to situate more than one kid in the back seat.
 

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