Why do kids have to sit in the backseat?

The back seat position provides additional protection because it is furthest away from three things responsible for most injuries: the windshield, the dashboard, and the airbag. The data clearly shows this is a safer way to travel: Buckling up in the back seat decreases the risk of death by one-third.

Why can’t kids sit in the front?

Children who sit in the front seat before they’re larger in size are at risk for head injuries due to the impact of the airbag or the airbag’s ability to lift them off the seat and hit the top of the car. Move the front seat as far back as it can go and away from where the airbag would deploy.

Do kids have to be in the backseat?

It is safest — and best practice — for children to not sit in the front seat until they are 13 years old. The Centers for Disease Control, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and, most likely, even your air bag and car manufacturer recommend keeping children under age 13 in the back seat.

How long do kids have to sit in the backseat?

13 years old
The detailed document says, in short, that all children should sit in the back seat until they’re 13 years old. Babies and toddlers should remain in rear-facing car seats until they’re two years old (or until they’ve outgrown the height and weight specified by the manufacturer of their particular rear-facing seat).

How old do you have to be to sit in the back?

eight years old
The latest California laws require that a child sit in a car seat or booster seat in the rear of the vehicle until they are eight years old. However, safe seatbelt use is a little more complicated. Seatbelts are unsafe for anyone under 4’9″ tall.

What age can a child sit in the front?

Legally speaking, children over three years of age must travel in a rear seat in vehicles not fitted with safety belts. It is illegal to use a rearward-facing child car seat in front seats protected by an active frontal airbag as these can cause serious injury or even death if there is a collision.

How long should kids ride in the back seat?

The detailed document says, in short, that all children should sit in the back seat until they’re 13 years old. Babies and toddlers should remain in rear-facing car seats until they’re two years old (or until they’ve outgrown the height and weight specified by the manufacturer of their particular rear-facing seat).

What is the weight limit for a rear facing car seat?

Each car seat has its own height and weight limits for rear-facing children. Most convertible seats allow children to sit rear-facing up to 35, 40 or 50 pounds. The height limit for most rear-facing car seats is that there must be at least 1 inch of room between the top of the child’s head and the top of the car seat.

Can my 9 year old sit in the front seat?

The back seat is safest for children under 13 years. In a front seat installation it is absolutely imperative to ensure that all the car seat and vehicle manufacturers warnings and instructions are adhered to.

What age is booster seat?

All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age.

Why should I keep my kids in the back seat?

Two important reasons to keep kids in the back seat: keeps the child further away from the most common type of impact, and. keeps them away from the frontal airbag and the potential of being inside the airbag deployment zone.

What age can a child sit in a rear-facing car seat?

Use a rear-facing car seat from birth until age 2–4. Infants and toddlers should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat with a harness, in the back seat, until they reach the maximum weight or height limit of their car seat. This offers the best possible protection.

What should I do if my child is outgrowing a car seat?

Check the car seat manual and labels on the car seat for weight and height limits. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, use a booster seat until seat belts fit properly. Once children outgrow their forward-facing car seat, they should be buckled in a belt-positioning booster seat, in the back seat, until seat belts fit properly.

What is the safest position for a child in a car?

Buckle children in the middle seating position of the back seat when possible (using a lap and shoulder belt), because it is the safest position in the vehicle. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in front of an airbag.