Adventuredad
New member
A couple of general thoughts and clarifications. Using front passenger seat is an excellent place for a child as long as airbag is turned off. It should be turned off with a key or switch, I would not trust a sensor.
Front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is the safest place in the car for a rear facing child when we look at all factors. Leaning against the dashboard, strongest point on the car, will lead to excellent crash performance. We also have other benefits such as increased flexibility for placement, better leg room for the child which leads to parents keeping kids RF far longer, better overall space for passengers in the car and better communication between driver and child.
We have been keeping kids rear facing for almost 50 years in Sweden and use front passenger seat with deactivated airbag extensively. Up until the 1990's rear facing seats were not even installed in the back seat. Rear facing seats are made for using the front seat.
Airbags in US can't be turned off, with some exceptions, so the front seat is not a good place for a child. That does not change the fact that it's an excellent place for a child. The airbag policy in US means back seat is a better place over there but not in other places where airbag can be turned off.
Just because US opinion or policy says one thing doesn't mean it's correct. That is especially true regarding car seat safety where US is 30+ years behind. There is also for example still the US belief that harnessed forward facing seats are safer than high back boosters for older kids. That is also nonsense.
Using the front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is also a great place for a forward facing child. It's just as safe as the rear. That is not an opinion, it's a fact. Telling someone front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is a poor place for a rear or forward facing child is simply incorrect.
Using the third row is fine and there are no safety issues. I don't think it's practical though. Collisions from the rear is the situation we care the least about. Reason is that injuries for kids are unusual thanks to crash dynamics. Collisions from the rear most often occur at low speeds and both cars are also traveling in the same direction.
Select a car which works for you and use front seat if you feel like it. For your youngest or oldest child. Always turn off the airbag. The Renault Scenic is spacious and works well. Mazda 5 is smaller. The Chevrolet should not be an option since this brand, and other US car brands, have very poor reliability. Especially compared with the Mazda. Sad but true.
Front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is the safest place in the car for a rear facing child when we look at all factors. Leaning against the dashboard, strongest point on the car, will lead to excellent crash performance. We also have other benefits such as increased flexibility for placement, better leg room for the child which leads to parents keeping kids RF far longer, better overall space for passengers in the car and better communication between driver and child.
We have been keeping kids rear facing for almost 50 years in Sweden and use front passenger seat with deactivated airbag extensively. Up until the 1990's rear facing seats were not even installed in the back seat. Rear facing seats are made for using the front seat.
Airbags in US can't be turned off, with some exceptions, so the front seat is not a good place for a child. That does not change the fact that it's an excellent place for a child. The airbag policy in US means back seat is a better place over there but not in other places where airbag can be turned off.
Just because US opinion or policy says one thing doesn't mean it's correct. That is especially true regarding car seat safety where US is 30+ years behind. There is also for example still the US belief that harnessed forward facing seats are safer than high back boosters for older kids. That is also nonsense.
Using the front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is also a great place for a forward facing child. It's just as safe as the rear. That is not an opinion, it's a fact. Telling someone front passenger seat with deactivated airbag is a poor place for a rear or forward facing child is simply incorrect.
Using the third row is fine and there are no safety issues. I don't think it's practical though. Collisions from the rear is the situation we care the least about. Reason is that injuries for kids are unusual thanks to crash dynamics. Collisions from the rear most often occur at low speeds and both cars are also traveling in the same direction.
Select a car which works for you and use front seat if you feel like it. For your youngest or oldest child. Always turn off the airbag. The Renault Scenic is spacious and works well. Mazda 5 is smaller. The Chevrolet should not be an option since this brand, and other US car brands, have very poor reliability. Especially compared with the Mazda. Sad but true.