Question Who Goes In Front?

kathysr98 · Mar 19, 2014

My BFF sometimes takes her two kids, my dd, and another girl to church or other activities. She only had two rows, so someone has to go in the front seat. All kids are harnessed since buckling boosters would be a nightmare in her car.

Options:
6yo, 47lbs, 42"
5yo, 43lbs, 46"
5yo, 53lbs, 44"
5yo, 35lbs, 40"

Seat used in the front is an XTSL and all kids fit correctly.

safeinthecar · Mar 19, 2014

if there's a tether for the front, the lightest kid that doesn't need the Safestop. If there's no tether, then the lightest kid. Less weight equals less head excursion.

Brigala · Mar 19, 2014

I would have voted for the oldest child. Older children have stronger skeletons.

The reality is that although the back seat is safest, a forward facing child in a properly installed and properly adjusted car seat is still pretty safe in the front. I wouldn't stress TOO much about which one goes in front.

bella_1818 · Mar 19, 2014

DS had to ride in the front a few times when DH broke his leg. We were told a Frontier was our best option because we didn't have a tether option.

If sometime needs a new seat, that might be one to think about.

Keeyamah · Mar 19, 2014

But they are all, relatively speaking, very close in weight and age, hrmmm. I think I'd honesty be tempted to let them take turns :/.

Keeanh · Mar 19, 2014

They're all so close, I would go with the "take turns" idea. Unless it's illegal in your state for some reason (sorry, I have no idea about different laws and how they're worded). In that case I would advise her to put her own child in the front for her own protection from liability. Not that you would sue her or anything, but it's a good thing generally speaking to do the illegal thing with your own kid.

Brigala · Mar 19, 2014

Are there any states where this would be illegal? Every "back seat" law I've seen (which surely isn't all of them) specifies that a child needs to ride in the back if a seat is available.

Keeanh · Mar 19, 2014

Brigala said:
Are there any states where this would be illegal? Every "back seat" law I've seen (which surely isn't all of them) specifies that a child needs to ride in the back if a seat is available.

That's what I'm assuming, but just wanted to mention it.

For sure when they get bigger and are in boosters, this could come into play in a proper-use jurisdiction, with boosters being effectively illegal in front of an airbag.

ETA: Actually, even without a proper-use clause, it's still against manufacturer directions. So if it were to come to everyone in boosters, I'd say driver's child in a front seat with an airbag regardless of the law.

And thinking about it more, even without the question of legality, the front is not recommended for children. So if I was the driver, I would always have my own kids up front even in harnessed seats. Even with the law on my side, I still wouldn't want to deal with the risk of putting someone else's child in the not-recommended spot. Hope I'm making sense...

kathysr98 · Mar 19, 2014

BFF prefers one of her kids be in the front, but has been forced to put the smallest in the front due to seat availability. (Only free seat had a 40lb limit & makes a terrible booster. Plus not wanting a boostered kid in the front.) A trusted friend is selling me her Radian soon, so I'll give it to BFF for this purpose. Her dd is the oldest & her ds is the heaviest, but there's only 15 months from oldest to youngest.

ETA: Our state law reads backseat if available. I called the state police to verify & ask about dh 'a jeep with the backseat removed. They verified that it was legal for her to be in the front with the backseat removed, so she rode RF in the front of the Jeep several times with the air bag off.

Question Who Goes In Front?

kathysr98

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