would you let a large 9 yr. old sit in the front seat?

[AnnieW625]

My DH will most likely be taking my DCP's 9/1/2 yr. old son to school a few times a week (DD1 will go to the same school) in our 01 Corolla, he is tall, not quite 5'0" and weighs about 100 lbs. Would you be comfortable with him in the front seat in that car or in the front seat of our Pilot? I will potentially be picking up the kids if they stay in after school care.

An alternative would be to put either DD1 or DD2 in the middle of the back seat (which is what might do for my car), but the Corolla backseat is really small.

The drive to school from daycare does not have to involve the freeway, and neither does the drive to daycare from school.

 

[Brigala]

Accidents are less common on freeways than on city streets, so that wouldn't factor in to my decision at all.

If the child is mature enough to always sit back against the seat (not lean forward), the seat belt fits well (or he rides in a low-back booster), AND there was no other option because there were younger kids in all the back seat positions, then yes, I'd let a 9 year old ride in the front seat with the seat pushed as far back away from the air bag as possible.

If there were a way for him to ride in the back, however, that would be my first choice. Even if it were a little less convenient.

 

[wendytthomas]

Three kids and three positions in the back? No. A nine year old has a nine year old skeleton. Even though he's nearly as big as me, I have an adult skeleton. The airbag that bruises me could kill him.

And here in WA it'd be illegal to boot.

Wendy

 

[Brigala]

Are there 3 seat belts in the back? If so, it's a no-brainer. The kids can all three be in the back seat. And so they should be.

For a short ride, the kids won't be that uncomfortable.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Hi, Annie! Thanks for taking the time to think this through, you're doing great to want all the kids to be as safe as possible.

I have to agree with the others, I'd make all 3 kids in the back work. A child who has not yet gone through puberty is, regardless of size, more fragile and prone to injury from an airbag than one who has.

I've done 3 across in many a Corolla, and you'd be surprised what might fit. What seats do you have available to work with? Maybe we can help figure it out.

 

[AnnieW625]

I've done 3 across in many a Corolla, and you'd be surprised what might fit. What seats do you have available to work with? Maybe we can help figure it out.

Right now we have a RFing Evenflo Triumph 5 behind the passenger side, and a harnessed Safegaurd Go behind the drivers side.

I am thinking about getting DD1 a Turbo Booster or Boost Air Protect which I really could use in either car, and I have a Britax Frontier in my car that I plan on also putting in booster mode. Would it make more sense to put the booster in the middle seat or the Triumph in the middle seat?

If you think it would be safer I could put the Frontier in the Corolla instead of the other booster since it probably has better SIP protection than the other two seats.

We could also scrap the idea of getting another dedicated belted booster and keep DD1 in the Safegaurd Go (which is she doesn't complain about being harnessed in according to DH), which looks to be a bit narrower than either the Boost Protect or the Turbo Booster.

Any other <than $100 boosters I should think about?

Oh, and I figured out that if I have to either take or pick up both kids (in my 06 Pilot) at school I can stick DCP's son in the 3rd row which we never use and forgot I had so no need to move seats in my car.