child sitting in the front seat...law/recommendations? What are they?

[ProudGrandma]

I have a 12 year dd who wants to sit in the front seat sometimes...but she is small for her age and our vehicles have air bags. what is the law and recommendations for her safety?

[Guest inoubliable]

I think you need to look up your own state to see...

Try your state's DMV website.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Our car can turn off the front passenger air bags if the passenger isn't heavy enough. You might want to check and see if that is the case.

[Um_2_4]

If you are unsure after reading the website, you can always call your local highway patrol info number (not the emergency). DH works with them and they are always willing to answer questions.

[J-rap]

I think I've heard that they recommend about 100 pounds, but I'm sure the law varies from state to state. My youngest is now 18 and is just 100 pounds. I didn't let her sit in front for a long time.

[SKL]

I agree that it depends on the law and also on your car. I would be surprised if the law reached to that age (it's age 10 in my state), but the safety issue might.

[wintermom]

I believe it's 12 in our province in Canada, but I would check your local laws and/or recommendations. In any case, I'd move the seat back to the farthest position or turn off the air bags. If you don't have to have the child sit in the front seat, then stick to the back as it is safer in most cases. There is a higher occurrance of front-end collisions.

[Ravin]

I would check your car manual for guidelines on turning off the airbag, but usually 12 is the recommended age. It's not just height/weight but muscle and bone development that are factors in setting age limits, so being small isn't necessarily a nix to the front seat, but the suitable-for-airbags factor may be if they can't be deactivated.

[Joker]

Most things online say kids younger than 13 should ride in the back. I don't know what the actual laws are, though. My dds both ride in the front and are 11 and 13. They're both taller than me and 100lbs or more.

[Cinder]

I just checked our state law--GA. The law says the child must be at least 8yo but they (this is from the governor's highway safety website) recommend waiting until the child is at least 12yo.

 

Q: When can my child ride in the front seat?

 

A: Georgia law requires children to ride in the back seat until age 8.

 

However, children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat of the vehicle whenever possible as the back seat is the safest position for children.- See more at: http://www.gahighway...h.HZTzlzfE.dpuf

 

[gardenmom5]

in our state, it's 12 or 100 lbs. I also require they be over 5ft. it is a case of airbags are coming with such force, they have killed children because they are simply too small. if you can turn off your passanger side airbag, you might want to do so before allowing a child in that seat. I just made the big kids sit in back until they were big enough.

[ElizabethB]

It is mainly a height problem, you ideally should be at least 5' 3" for them to work. This article explains why and that they might be harmful if you are too tall, as well:

 

http://abcnews.go.co...=1#.UcM9-EKbi24

[Laura Corin]

Age fifteen for us: when the skeleton/musculature has matured enough to withstand the extra forces of the impact. Age seems to be the key, not height or weight. I'll see if I can find the study that recommended this later.

 

Here it is.

 

L

[Mrs Mungo]

My youngest is 12, and I let him ride in the front even though he is small. My passenger side airbags do turn off. I wish my driver's side airbag turned off because I don't sit far enough away from the steering wheel (I am under 5'3" and drive an SUV).

[In The Great White North]

I had heard the maturity (as opposed to age/height) issue as well, and had an airbag deploy on me once, so the dc rode in the back til they got their permit (15 here).

[Garga]

Another vote for waiting until she's older. I read something about how it takes until 16 or so for a person's bones to be strong enough to withstand the impact of an airbag. Don't quote me. I'm going from memory. A google search will probably uncover something about it.

[Guest]

My 12 year old is small for his age, so he has to sit in the back even though the airbags will turn off automatically if you don't weigh enough.

[Lanny]

Here in Colombia, the minimum age for riding in the front seat is 12 years of age. The air bag issue, depending upon weight of the passenger, is another issue. Possibly the manual of your car addresses that issue. If not, look on the web site of the NHTSA. http://www.nhtsa.gov/

[Matryoshka]

Age fifteen for us: when the skeleton/musculature has matured enough to withstand the extra forces of the impact. Age seems to be the key, not height or weight. I'll see if I can find the study that recommended this later.

 

Here it is.

 

 

Laura, my kids will always be annoyed that you posted that, because I read it the first time you posted it, and no one is allowed to sit in my front seat before they turn 15! Well, actually, one of my dds talked me into letting her sit in front about a month ago (she's turning 15 this week). She asked what magic bone development could be taking place in one month, and I relented. ;)

[Tita Gidge]

My general rule is when the child is taller than I am. That has generally worked out to about age 12.

 

I'm 4'10" give or take an inch, depending on how my posture is on any given day. It varies LOL.

 

I only weighed more than 100 pounds if I was pregnant. My boys have all hit 100 pounds around the age of 12.

 

If I'm only taking 2-6 of them, they can all ride in the back; I like having the front space all to myself.

 

If I'm taking more than 6 or just one, I begrudgingly allow the front passenger seat to be used. I'm a total space hog.

 

I make sure my passenger seat is pushed as far back as it allows. It's more comfortable for the boys, any way. That hadn't occured to me until I read a thread like this somewhere online. Maybe it was here, I don't remember.

 

I worry about myself and airbags. I'm very short and sit as far up as the seat allows. My older boys do a lot of the driving. Even when I carpool with friends, I'm happy to offer my car and gas but prefer they do the driving. My friend bought the same model car as mine because she learned to love it after driving us around in it so often!

[G5052]

We did age 15 because of the study Laura posted. Mine are big by then and have done most of their growing, so it makes sense.

[Lizzie in Ma]

The laws generally refer to height so that the seat belt fits properly and so the air bag doesn't cause damage. Check your DMV.

[Χά�ων]

Many newer models have to be taken to the dealer to have the airbag shut off.

 

FYI if you shut off the passenge airbag the insurance company can change the classification of the vehicle and change your insurance. If you do not report the change and are in a collision it could be cause for your insurancy company to void your policy. I looked into shutting off the passenger air bag when I was moving and did not want to risk the air bage deploying with boxes in the front seat. I had a mini van.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

We go with the musculo-skeletal maturity reasoning as well. I have, in a pinch, allowed my oldest to ride in the front seat for a short distance, but generally, I err on the side of caution, particularly when the only reason for not doing so is just a personal preference or a desire for a new experience.

[katilac]

I was diligent about this when the kids were younger, because of that ER episode when the kid died b/c grandma let her ride in the front seat. If Dr. Carter said to keep them in the backseat, then I was going to listen, lol.

 

Of course, he said 13 at the time, and I never watched a new medical show to update my knowledge. My almost-15-yr-old always sits up front when it's just her and the driver, my almost-13-yr-old does about half the time. If it's both of them, both ride in the back, even if the front passenger side is empty. They will never, ever meet the size recs. Our passenger airbag only turns on when a certain weight is on the seat.

[Tess in the Burbs]

My car has a button that tells me when the front seat passenger doesn't weight enough to sit there. For my own kids they had to weigh enough AND the seat belt doesn't cut their neck/ear area wrong. It must lay on their chest and not be loose around their ear. Both met that criteria recently. I honestly wanted to wait until older. So I only allow them up there if it's just us. As a special treat. Which is rare :-) But they do fit. And I always have the right to say no; and I do some days when I just have a feeling not to.