Where Do You Put Your Child In The Car?

crosstownk

Following comments made in a previous post, I'd be interested to know where people position thier child in a car (or the youngest if you've more than one). I'd be interested to know which seat people think is the safetst. Post your reasons if you can.

Personally, I think that the passenger side rear is the safest spot but having read some comments posted in the recent "VW Golf Airbag" thread, I'm not so sure any more so I'd like to hear other peoples points of view.

Henry Ford III

In the back. 2 of them on proper booster seats. Focus ST does the school run daily and is fine even in 3 door form.

parsi

All three go in the back - the youngest goes in the middle (largest child seat , smallest car set) with the others flanking him ( 1 in booster, 1 in booster with back) or else they'll go in the back row and spent their time rowing. (307SW).

When we had just 1 he was behind the drivers seat - easier to get him in /out at home.

PaddyFagan

Just the one - she sits in the back behind the passanger (at 16 months she's in a forward facing seat) - the main reasoning is so that she can see the driver, more often than not it's just her and whoever is driving.

Paddy

Wishbone Ash

Although many parents put the childseat at the nearside for ease of access and observation, it is safer behind the drivers seat. In a potential accident situation, the drivers instinct to preserve his or her (ie the driver's) life will take over and could also automatically result in saving the life of the child behind.

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Although many parents put the childseat at the nearside for ease of access and observation, it is safer behind the drivers seat. In a potential accident situation, the drivers instinct to preserve his or her (ie the driver's) life will take over and could also automatically result in saving the life of the child behind.

Hmmmmm.........interesting. I would have thought that the passenger side was less likely to be damaged in an accident being furthest away from the traffic.

squire1

Passenger side at rear. Basically for safety when loading/unloading when parked on street. Normally parked with traffic passing on drivers side.

Stark

In the boot.

Oh wait, my child. Nah don't have kids of my own. The government had me sterilised.

andrew_ireland

Roof-racks all the way!

pbergin

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Although many parents put the childseat at the nearside for ease of access and observation, it is safer behind the drivers seat. In a potential accident situation, the drivers instinct to preserve his or her (ie the driver's) life will take over and could also automatically result in saving the life of the child behind.

Hows that work?
What would the driver do? put hands over hear\face? I cant see that having any affect on child in the rear, even if the worst happened and the child was thrown forward out of the seat due to being not belted in properly.
We put our 14 month old girl in the rear behind the passenger seat

Oryx

Used to be rear drivers side, but now Ive two its one each side. My biggest prob is keeping my 3 yr olds seat belt on.:(

Lex Luthor

Both in the rear, the youngest on the passenger side in my wifes car but on the drivers side in the main car, because when we all travel together, she finds it easier passing stuff back & forward to the youngest one.

bazz26

We have our 2 year old daughter seated in the rear passenger side.

I'm not totally convinced that there really is a "safer" side in the rear of the car to place a baby seat, my opinion is that a side impact has as much chance of occuring at one side as the other depending on the circumstances at the time.

Wishbone Ash

pbergin wrote:

Hows that work?
What would the driver do? put hands over hear\face? I cant see that having any affect on child in the rear, even if the worst happened and the child was thrown forward out of the seat due to being not belted in properly.
We put our 14 month old girl in the rear behind the passenger seat

The apparent rationale is that the driver will impulsively try to avoid contact with their (the driver's) side of the vehicle in a collision. If the child is behind the driver then they will probably be safer.

(I read it in a motoring magazine - I've no links though)

Rovi

Not having any children to transport, this is easy.

I've seen the 'driver's side rear seat' strongly advocated on the grounds that the driver is much less likely to be distracted by trying to wipe little Timmy's face or pick Teddy up off the floor, while driving.
If little Timmy requires parental attention, park the car and perform the needful.

Like I said, this is easy when you don't have to actually do it yourself.


Oh, and 'Trailer' isn't an option in the poll either.

tabatha

they did a piece about this on the tv recently, i think it was on "this morning". they said that a child should always if possible be seated behind the drivers seat as this is the safest seat in a car. they also mentioned something about china or japan and how it is regarded as very polite to put someone in this seat as they consider it to be the best.

Guy:Incognito

I have a yowwwwwwwwwwwwwage glovebox

unkel

tabatha wrote:

they said that a child should always if possible be seated behind the drivers seat as this is the safest seat in a car

Technically that might be right from a safety point of view. It wouldn't fancy though not being able to see the child at all. In the back behind the passenger, the driver could take direct glances at the child and / or have a wee baby monitoring mirror attached to the rear-view mirror

This is if there is just driver + child. I would go child behind driver if there is driver + passenger + child and the passenger sits in the front

For two young children, I would have the youngest behind the passenger and the eldest behind the driver

BrianD3

Well I'd regard the rear passenger side as the safest area for children or adults for that matter. Most frontal impacts between two vehicles are drivers side to drivers side, also there's generally more "stuff" to come back on the drivers side. eg the driver himself, the steering column. In a very severe crash the steering wheel can end up in the back seat :eek:

In a single car crash where the car hits a ditch, tree etc. the passenger side may be more likely to take the brunt. However the stereotypical single car crash involves a young male crashing his car into a ditch on a saturday night. Parents who are bringing the kids to school generally don't have single car crashes.

Side impacts - I'd say the chance of an impact from the passenger side is pretty similar to the chance of an impact from the drives side.

rear impacts - severe rear impacts causing death or serious injury are not that common on our roads. So it probably makes little difference what side of the car you're sitting in

ninty9er

Ialways remember my mother getting really annoyed with me behind the drivers seat because (as kids do) I used to stretch my legs against the back and push the seat up

MrPudding

ninty9er wrote:

Ialways remember my mother getting really annoyed with me behind the drivers seat because (as kids do) I used to stretch my legs against the back and push the seat up

This is why we have the youngest behind the driver seat. Our car isn't that small but our 7 year old has really long legs.

MrP

HotRodDub

As the person who started the 'airbag in a Golf' thread, I'd like to thank everyone for their comments. I will now NOT be getting the air bag turned off and the child will go in the back.

Wonder why my VW dealer did not recommend this, oh yeah he's a VW dealer thats why!

Thanks again everyone!

Debracd

We have 2 in carseats. DS is in an Isofix booster on the rear passanger side and DD is in an Isofix baby seat on the rear drivers side and our eldest in the middle. Mind you the only logic behind putting the baby there was so that the other 2 could hop out on the passanger side when being dropped off at school.

Deb

Ickle Magoo

Had to vote other as your poll makes no allowances for those of us with multiple children and so using multiple seats....I have one behind the passenger seat & one behind me in the drivers seat....:)

crosstownk

Ickle Magoo, you obviously missed this part of the original post...........

I'd be interested to know where people position thier child in a car (or the youngest if you've more than one).

Debracd

What about twins CrosstownK;)

crosstownk

Debracd wrote:

What about twins CrosstownK;)

Close - but no cigar!

One must come first - if both come together then hats off to the woman:D

Oh I can be so pedantic..................

Debracd

crosstownk wrote:

Oh I can be so pedantic..................

Isn't that just a flashy word for a smart a**e???

I reckon so long as they're in the back as safe as they can be travelling at 60mph!

crosstownk

Debracd wrote:

Isn't that just a flashy word for a smart a**e???

Yes

galwaytt

tabatha wrote:

they said that a child should always if possible be seated behind the drivers seat as this is the safest seat in a car.

..well, in real life, you need to see the child. They do have a habit of attempting to get out of their seats..........

Also, in on-street parking scenario's, you should not have or bring the child into the traffic stream, i.e., the driver's side. It's safer for the driver to do the unloading on the passenger side, too.

As if to demonstrate this, a number of years ago on the ring road around Riverside in Galway City, a lady had pulled up in her car to attend the child who was seated behind her, on the driver's side. Unfortunately, she was swiped by a following car and killed. The child, iirc survived unscathed, but is now motherless. Standing on the side of traffic is just too dangerous, period, and you're far more likely to be dealing with that issue rather than high speed car-flip maneouvres...........sorry for the sombre note, but I used to live there and I have that terrible image in my head every single time I pass the spot.......

Spitfire666

passenger side rear seat. i dont have a people carrier but if i did id only put them in the last row if their was no other seats as its the most unsafe place in the car. not much to stop the car/truck/bus from landing in the back row in an accident.

TempestSabre

galwaytt wrote:

..well, in real life, you need to see the child. They do have a habit of attempting to get out of their seats..........

Also, in on-street parking scenario's, you should not have or bring the child into the traffic stream, i.e., the driver's side. It's safer for the driver to do the unloading on the passenger side, too.

As if to demonstrate this, a number of years ago on the ring road around Riverside in Galway City, a lady had pulled up in her car to attend the child who was seated behind her, on the driver's side. Unfortunately, she was swiped by a following car and killed. The child, iirc survived unscathed, but is now motherless. Standing on the side of traffic is just too dangerous, period, and you're far more likely to be dealing with that issue rather than high speed car-flip maneouvres...........sorry for the sombre note, but I used to live there and I have that terrible image in my head every single time I pass the spot.......

Thats my reasoning too. You can see them, and its safer when loading.

Cucullan

I put my 4 year old behind the drivers seat in a booster seat basically because when he was smaller and if he was acting up my partner could turn around and see him easily rather than if he was behind the passenger seat, so I suppose its just habit now althongh he does like to sit in the middle sometimes when the mood takes him.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

crosstownk wrote:

Following comments made in a previous post, I'd be interested to know where people position thier child in a car (or the youngest if you've more than one). I'd be interested to know which seat people think is the safetst. Post your reasons if you can.

Personally, I think that the passenger side rear is the safest spot but having read some comments posted in the recent "VW Golf Airbag" thread, I'm not so sure any more so I'd like to hear other peoples points of view.

surely its the center rear... protect from side impact (both sides)...

spent a bit of time out in australia and center rear was the norm.
reason... the child is in the center of the car is farthest from all danger.

also one could sit in the car while strapping in the child. this protects from been injured if sideswiped (both sides) and in this country keep ya dry when its raining down.
we have also bought " www.windowsox.co.uk " this product... as well as protecting the child for the sun also protect from flying glass in the rear if in a accident.

Wishbone Ash

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

surely its the center rear... protect from side impact (both sides)...

This would not be possible in many cars as a lot of childseats require a three point seatbelt. Most cars only have a lap-type belt in the centre seat.

Debracd

Most newer cars have 3 point seatbelts in the centre. And the Renault Kangoo 1.2L car version actually has Isofix in the rear centre seat, but not on the outer seats!

Deb

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

Wishbone Ash wrote:

This would not be possible in many cars as a lot of childseats require a three point seatbelt. Most cars only have a lap-type belt in the centre seat.

WHAT.... jezzzzus. i thought lap type belts were banned. Do car manufacturers still make cars with lap belts...this is unbilevable.
given a choice i would never, never but a car with those back breaker belts fitted.
Think Safety when buying a car.

TempestSabre

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

...
also one could sit in the car while strapping in the child. this protects from been injured if sideswiped (both sides) and in this country keep ya dry when its raining down....

Good point.

Not everyone has a new car or a car big enough to fit a seat in the center.

Debracd

That's true Tempestsabre, depending on the width of the centre seat placing the carseat there could cause 'buckle crunch' which in itself is dangerous on impact as it can cause the seatbelt to release! It really is a case of doing what's best for you and your child depending on the circumstances

Deb

stevejazzx

Sorry to dig this out but one other think doesn't quite warrant a new thread but should the childs booster seat be straped into the actual carseat, ours sits in our car usually on the rear passenger side (although the rear middle sounds more logical) but the seat itself isn't strapped in, it sits into the car, then there is a little waist strap from the seat to secure the child and then the seatbelt from the car goes around this, someone recently told me it would safer to use a booster seat without a back, have the child(3year old) sit on this and then seatbelt him in? What way is safest?

Debracd

Stevejazzx I don't quite get ya? Is it just one of the backless under the bum boosters?? If so they're not exactly the safest things on the market because they can come out from under the child in a crash(I'll pull up a crashtest on one when I get a chance!). Boosters with BACKS are alot safer as the seatbelt is threaded throught the back of the seat and the childs body(keeps the booster in place) and the booster(ensuring the seatbelt is at the safest point on the body) work together to keep the child safe in a crash.

I put up a post in a while ago with this years top carseats according to Which?. Check it out

Deb

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

Debracd wrote:

That's true Tempestsabre, depending on the width of the centre seat placing the carseat there could cause 'buckle crunch' which in itself is dangerous on impact as it can cause the seatbelt to release! It really is a case of doing what's best for you and your child depending on the circumstances

Deb

so true... but i would prefer to alter my circumstances for the safety of my child.


safety of the child must come first

stevejazzx

Debracd wrote:

Stevejazzx I don't quite get ya? Is it just one of the backless under the bum boosters?? If so they're not exactly the safest things on the market because they can come out from under the child in a crash(I'll pull up a crashtest on one when I get a chance!). Boosters with BACKS are alot safer as the seatbelt is threaded throught the back of the seat and the childs body(keeps the booster in place) and the booster(ensuring the seatbelt is at the safest point on the body) work together to keep the child safe in a crash.

I put up a post in a while ago with this years top carseats according to Which?. Check it out

Deb

Thanks for that...didn't make sense to me how a backless seat could be safter,
re: threading the saetbelt through the childseat, I did see a report that suggested potential problems here such as it becoming far tight etc in the event of a crash. Once there is a bit of room between belt and and child I imagine this would be safe although I have seen people just put the seatbelt around the childseat?

Debracd

Absolutely! But if you don't already have a car with 3 full back seats and can't afford to change it, then it wouldn't be best to put the bubs in the middle;)

Also, the centre seat in our car(Renault Scenic) doesn't have Isofix but we have 2 isofix seats. So I prefer using the Isofix on the outer seats rather than only using the seatbelt in a centre seat. It's just a case of doing what's best with what you have

Deb

Debracd

Steve it really depends on the seat. Most of them have a 'loop' to thread the seatbelt through to ensure it's just above the childs shoulder(where it should be) so that it's lined up diagonally for the best protection and not cutting accross their neck which could be very dangerous!

The seatbelt then just works as a normal seatbelt in a car and isn't overly tight or anything

Deb

crosstownk

Debracd wrote:

If so they're not exactly the safest things on the market because they can come out from under the child in a crash


Deb

Very true - known as 'submarining'. It's something adults should take note of too. It happens with adults when the front of the seat is lower than the rear of the seat. The result is that in an accident the occupant slides down and out from the safety restraint. It is quite common in shorter people who reduce the height of the front of the seat in order to reach the pedals. However, most manufacturers don't offer seperate adjustment to the front and rear of the seat (Volvo are one manufacturer who do offer this feature)

When I say 'seat' I mean the bit you rest your backside on - the part you lean your back on is known as the backrest.

Those booster seats are very prone to submarining as they have no restraint - always go for a booster seat that incorporates a backrest - far safer for your most precious.

Debracd

Hi Steve, here's the comparison Crash test as promised

http://www.concord.de/videos/crash_liftpro_dsl/crash_liftpro_dsl_mpeg.mpg

Deb

crosstownk

Deb, that's frightening - but true. If you think about it, there is no point in simply having the child sit on a booster that is more or less held in place by the childs weight. I've seen so many customers cars with that sort of booster and it makes no sense. When I point it out to them they don't seem to understand - I'll be showing that video to them from now on..............

Debracd

I know it's desperate:( But the thing is that parents really think they're doing their bit by buying those booster because if they're allowed to be sold then they're considered safe! IMO they should be banned!

crosstownk

Debracd wrote:

I know it's desperate:( But the thing is that parents really think they're doing their bit by buying those booster because if they're allowed to be sold then they're considered safe! IMO they should be banned!

Who would one contact with regard to this in order to put forward these concerns with a view to banning them?

Debracd

I have NO idea. Maybe the NSC would have info on it? Transport Minsister? Minister for Justice equality and law reform? Minister for Health? It could be covered under any of those or something entirely different!