Safety of 3rd row v. 2nd row

goldmama22

New member
Hi all,

I've always been reluctant to put my kids in the 3rd row because I'm afraid of what would happen in a rear-end accident. I'm planning to have a 3rd child soon and am thinking ahead - I don't feel comfortable with any of the 3-across 2nd row arrangements I can come up with until my oldest goes into a booster hopefully not for another 2-4 years from now

. Does anyone have any info on 3rd row safety v. 2nd row? I have a 2007 Odyssey. If anyone has wisdom to share I would appreciate it very much.

BTW, I found a few links I was interested in on another thread, but they were old and file-not-found. :(

:) Megan
 
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skaterbabs

Well-known member
Honestly, if the 3rd row is factory installed, I would not have the least concern with using it. Three-across is also perfectly safe.
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
Rear crashes are not usually the same kind of force as frontal crashes. Either the vehicle being hit is stopped or moving forward, the same direction as the vehicle hitting them, resulting in less of an impact. In a frontal crash, it's often two vehicles travelling at "like" speeds, therefore more force. Plus, rear-crashes account for the fewest percentage of crashes on the road.

We have a Toyota Sienna and I'm fine with my children back there... Hope this helps!
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Rear crashes are not usually the same kind of force as frontal crashes. Either the vehicle being hit is stopped or moving forward, the same direction as the vehicle hitting them, resulting in less of an impact. In a frontal crash, it's often two vehicles travelling at "like" speeds, therefore more force. Plus, rear-crashes account for the fewest percentage of crashes on the road.

We have a Toyota Sienna and I'm fine with my children back there... Hope this helps!

:yeahthat: I also drive a Sienna and my oldest rides in the third row center nearly 100% of the time. I worry more about side impact crashes for outboard passengers than rear impacts from a statistical and severity standpoint. :twocents:
 

lovemyfamily

New member
I drive a GMC Yukon XL, the same as the Chevrolet Suburban and I have 2 riders in my 3rd row. While I do have more space behind my 3rd seat that most minivans, I feel better than the boys are back there, because of the wheel wells they are not up against the side of the vehicle as they would be, if they were both installed outboard in row 2. So for side impact protection, they have more than just the door between them and a collision. Sure I worry if we ever got in a severe rear end crash, but as the above posters explained they are typically not as severe as frontal crashes.
 

Guest

New member
I know there have been huge advances in safety, but I still feel safer with my kid in the 2nd row. Just more space btw a car crashing from the rear. However, the main thing is that I'm still freaked from the Chrysler minivans having that rear door flying open and some 3rd row seats flying out when that happened. We had a Chrysler Town & Country in the model years where that problem was and I was the one in the back and I was the one who found out about it.

Side impact seems the same to me whether they're in 2nd or 3rd row.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
:yeahthat: I also drive a Sienna and my oldest rides in the third row center nearly 100% of the time. I worry more about side impact crashes for outboard passengers than rear impacts from a statistical and severity standpoint. :twocents:

:thumbsup:

Any row in a rear seat is safe if the child is properly restrained. There just aren't huge differences as there are in the front seat. Middle of the second row may have a slight advantage for one child. Where do you put the second child? Middle of the third row to be farther from more common and severe side impacts? Outboard second row? Does the vehicle have good side impact ratings and side curtain airbags? Is the child in a harnessed seat with some side impact protection features or a backless booster? There are a lot of variables to consider and there are no statistics to support a choice in some cases because the differences aren't all that great.


I have no problem putting my kids in any 2nd or 3rd row seating position.
 

goldmama22

New member
Thanks for all the feedback. We have side curtain airbags and my kids are both in harnessed seats and will stay that way as long as possible. I have some other questions about arranging the seats that I think belong in another forum so I will post a new thread.

:) Megan
 

goldmama22

New member
Wait I do have one more question for here:

For a RF baby in a rear-end crash, I'm picturing all those FF front-impact videos and imagining that in reverse with baby so close to the intrusion. I know the speeds are much lower in most rear-end crashes but does anyone think differently about RF in the 3rd row compared to ff in the 3rd row?

Thanks,
Megan
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
My only issue with a RF child in the third row of most vehicles is that it's very difficult to get the baby into the seat. Rear-enders are usually at lower speeds and don't involve two vehicles moving toward each other, so they are much less energetic. Sever rear-enders involving fatalities are also much less common than frontal and side impacts. So, yes, you do play the odds. If you are rear-ended by a truck going 75mph while you are stopped, then the third row occupants are at great risk and it may be unsurvivable, just as if the same truck hits the side of the vehicle where a passenger is sitting.
 

lovemyfamily

New member
My only issue with a RF child in the third row of most vehicles is that it's very difficult to get the baby into the seat. Rear-enders are usually at lower speeds and don't involve two vehicles moving toward each other, so they are much less energetic. Sever rear-enders involving fatalities are also much less common than frontal and side impacts. So, yes, you do play the odds. If you are rear-ended by a truck going 75mph while you are stopped, then the third row occupants are at great risk and it may be unsurvivable, just as if the same truck hits the side of the vehicle where a passenger is sitting.

And honestly a wreck at 75mph, even the middle row occupants could be at risk. That family in So. Cal. had kids in the 2nd row that were killed.
 

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