Which is safer?

natysr

New member
Small car. Infant seat and adult in the backseat.

Option #1:

Infant seat in the middle, adult crammed so tight on the passenger side that her arm must rest in/on the infant seat.

Option #2:

Infant seat and adult, both outboard.

I see Option #1 all the time when I'm driving. I just can't help but think how much damage the adult's arm could do to the baby in an accident.

Then again, if Option #2 is used, adult may have to lean slightly out of position to reach and attend to the baby.

I think I would still go with option #2.
 
ADS

LuvBug

New member
I would prefer #2 if #1 was really that cramped. I always sat in the back with DS in my corolla and him in the middle in his infant seat or RFing marathon. It actually was not cramped at all, but I did rest my arm on his seat in various places.
 

beeman

Active member
If it was cramped I'd go option 2. I've ridden in a Pontiac Firefly and it's not possible to get the door closed with 3 (smallish to average) people in the back, and couldn't imagine sitting outboard with a cr in the center position.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Shoulderbelt in the middle? Adult in the middle! Least protected person in the most protected spot ;)
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
But PS, seriously, being right next to each other is safer.... http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/chop-htb090905.php ("Seat belt restrained children aged 4 to 15 who were riding in the rear row of passenger cars reduced their risk of injury by up to 58 percent in side-impact crashes if they were riding with another seat-belted passenger in the rear row"...granted, they don't say infants in seats, but it stands to reason....)AND any seat in the back is incredibly safe as long as you're properly restrained (so both comfortably outboard is really ok)

:)
 

minismom

Well-known member
But PS, seriously, being right next to each other is safer.... http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/chop-htb090905.php ("Seat belt restrained children aged 4 to 15 who were riding in the rear row of passenger cars reduced their risk of injury by up to 58 percent in side-impact crashes if they were riding with another seat-belted passenger in the rear row"...granted, they don't say infants in seats, but it stands to reason....)AND any seat in the back is incredibly safe as long as you're properly restrained (so both comfortably outboard is really ok)

:)

Julie, why is that? I can't figure out how it'd make a difference? I read the article and it also says:
The data suggests that development of a restraint system that limits side-to-side motion would be effective in reducing injury during side-impact crashes
I know they're talking about older kids, but can this be interpreted to mean a RF tether would be good since it keeps the seat from moving too much?
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
It's probably because the great big adult is like an airbag for the kiddo, prevents them from sliding WAY sideways and hitting doors and windows (they should say whether the adult is better off when next to the kid, huh?). I'll need to find the videos that show side impact crashes with no back/highback/LATCHED highback, the differences are dramatic :eek:
 

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