In this article, we are going to talk about some pros and cons of each. Driver side, passenger side ladies, has anyone figured out where to place their car seat. Began using the 5star safety ratings system to help consumers make informed safety choices when buying new vehicles. It was found that the most common location in the vehicle for a car seat was the rear passenger side 41% of parents put the childs car seat here. The car seat finder is an easytouse tool that lets you do just that. It is safer for your children to travel in the rear seats than the front. The class we went to said the safest place is in the middle of the back seat, but my suv doesnt have uas hooks for the middle. However our certified seat instructor said if you do a lot of street parking and have to take baby in and out on street a lot then it is safer to be doing so with seat on passenger side. May 03, 2019 the passenger side approach is widely considered to be much safer. Provides wlecome back support and is ideal for any car seat drivers side or passenger side.
Heres what you need to know to ensure your baby stays safe. The iihs test for frontal ratings is completed with a dummy in the drivers seat and with a barrier overlapping the drivers side. A study published in pediatrics, showed for children newborn to 3 years old sitting in the center rear seat is 43% safer than sitting on the side in the back. However, in the following instances, you might consider placing the child on the rear passenger side. Theres no doubt the game of shotgun was invented solely to help us avoid getting stuck in the middle. Pressley 1, 2, 3 1 columbia university mailman school of public health department of epidemiology, 722 west 168th st. I woke up at 5am this morning and cant sleep due to not having my car seat set up or knowing which side im going to put it on. Which makes sense, as passengers arent always riding in a vehicle. The tether is the most important part of every forwardfacing car seat. If youre in the front passenger seat offer to pull up the directions and. Have a compact vehicle with difficulty fitting a rearfacing car seat in center. It is instinct for driver to swerve away from a collision making passenger side more vulnerable. Provides wlecome back support and is ideal for any car seatdrivers side or passenger side. In contrast, the group of officers who were told to make a passengerside approach found the hidden suspect 100% of the time.
How to modify car seat covers to fit with side air bag seats. It also indicates that middle is safer in the event of a. I do the passenger side because i dont have car seat latches in the middle and i cant tighten the middle seat belt enough to be safe. Injuries were identified and selected by their abbreviated injury score code. We have a driveway and do very little street parking so we went with behind the driver seat. How to install an infant car seat safely without losing. Theres nothing more harrowing than trying to drive in an unfamiliar area as you split your attention between the road and a map app. Using the scottish trauma audit group stag database from 1994 to 2000, a search for injuries to eight anatomical body regions was performed. With this one toddler behind the driver and baby on passenger side. The vehicle manufacturer allows center installation with latch if the lower anchors are at the standard spacing 11 inches, any car seat can theoretically be installed using the lower anchors. I read behind passenger seat is better because marginally more accidents hit the driver s side.
Sep 26, 2015 according to a university of michigan study that used test results from 19801991, it is more than 20% safer to sit in the back seat compared to the front, and even more safe for children to sit in the back compared to the front. In car crashes, backseat can be more dangerous than the. Do you put baby carseat directly behind you, or behind. Finding a car seat with a narrow footprint as the center seat is typically the narrowest of the 3 seats. Difference in injury pattern between drivers and front seat. My friends all prefer the child on passenger side so they can turn and look at them, i prefer driver side and i use the rear view mirror i alos can reach him easier. Feb, 2015 in car crashes, backseat can be more dangerous than the front.
Feb 26, 2008 the seat behind the passenger may be slightly safer than the seat behind the driver, since it allows you to unload the child on the curb side, allows you to see your child more easily from the driver s seat and is very slightly less likely to be hit on that side in a side impact. Instead of answering this question individually, i decided to write it up for everyone. We mostly deal with japanese cars here at heeltoe, and in japan the driver sits on the right. How safe is riding in the back seat of a car compared to.
Positioning child car seats in cars child car seats. Sideimpact collisions and rollover accidents are another concern to rearseat passengers. Always read your car seat manual because not all seats allow this, and installation instructions can vary. Installing a baby car seat in the center with latch. At the behest of my wife, we installed the car seat directly behind the driver, rather than behind the passenger. Im interested for when i have another child in december and want to work out how to arrange the three seats. Because many modern automobiles have driver and passenger side airbags, often deployed off a seatside, it is crucial to use a cover that keeps the deployment area free and open. I put mine same seat izi combi behind the passenger seat. She claims that this is because the drivers side is safer, because in the event of a crash a driver will instinctively try to protect his side of the car e. May 07, 2008 the results showed that the passenger side rear seat was the most popular position for the baby or childs car seat 41% followed by the left driver s side rear seat 31% and center seat 28%. Installing your seat on the rear passenger side means the child can be unloadedloaded curbside rather than streetside if you have to park on the street.
Once youre familiar with the types of car seats and boosters and youve read our recommendations for choosing the right type of seat for your child, its time to narrow down your search by comparing car seat makes and models. How to install an infant car seat safely without losing your. Drivers angle lift seat cushion with washable seat. Began testing and rating vehicles for side crash protection. I have a sedan and hubbys dual cab is set up the same. Finally, if you allow the driver to walk toward you, it removes one of the best tactical options you have in conducting. Which car seat side or position is safest, outboard or. Side impact collisions and rollover accidents are another concern to rear seat passengers. Drivers safer than passengers in frontal crash test.
Is it safer to install a back seat car seat behind the driver. Which car seat position is safest behind the driver, in the center, or behind the passenger. The iihs test for frontal ratings is completed with a dummy in the driver s seat and with a barrier overlapping the driver s side. In car crashes, backseat can be more dangerous than the front. How safe is riding in the back seat of a car compared to the. Safer is funded to conduct a limited number of car seat clinics throughout the state each year. My friends all prefer the child on passenger side so they can turn and look at them, i prefer driver side and i use the rear view mirror. The problem with this is, not everyones car has the drivers seat on the same side. Because many modern automobiles have driver and passenger side airbags, often deployed off a seat side, it is crucial to use a cover that keeps the deployment area free and open. I figure ill put the child lock on the passenger side, let my 3 year old climb into his seat, then click the baby into the middle, then buckle my 3 year old. Our prius doesnt have safe center installation so the car seat is behind the passenger seat.
We invite you to submit an event request form at least three weeks prior to the requested date. Never place a child rearfacing in a seating position with an active frontal airbag. The results showed that the passenger side rear seat was the most. The tether strap comes from the top of the car seat and. Seat covers prolong the life of your auto seats upholstery. As kids we all hated getting stuck in the middle seat of the car. There is virtually no difference between drivers side and passenger. A car seat safety vidoe i watched said that the middle is the safest place and if you cant use the middle the passenger side is next safest because side impact accidents are more likely to happen on the driver side. Jul, 2019 if you are having trouble installing your car seat at a 45degree angle, many car seat manufacturers allow the use of a rolled towel to be placed under the car seat to help properly position it. This was easier for me, as this is the side that is nearest the house, and where i park the neighbours car is too close to the driver s side for me to get ds1 in the seat without shifting the car etc etc. It is also easier to glance at your child on the rear passenger side than the rear driver side. Enjoy the comfort and support you need while getting a safer view through the windshield, not the steering wheel. But the study showed that children under age 3 seated in the center of the. To save money, modify your existing seat covers versus buying or ordering a custom set of covers for your car.
I have a car seat on each side of the car, but if i have one child with me, i usually put them on the driver s side simply because its easier to not have to walk round the car all the time. Of course, if the car seat cant install in the center, then you have to choose a side. The passenger side is favourable, rather than the drivers side. Is it safer to install a back seat car seat behind the driver or behind. With first the car seat went in the middle in my car, as i was told curtain airbags in an accident smash into the car seat and can then cause it to fly across the car. Feb 19, 2015 a study published in pediatrics, showed for children newborn to 3 years old sitting in the center rear seat is 43% safer than sitting on the side in the back. When choosing a child car seat, consider where you wish your child to sit in the car, and check that the child seat can be properly fitted in that position. Turns out, the middle seat is the safest seat in the car. Com take a second and try to imagine what seat in your car, truck or suv is the safest in a crash. Feb 28, 2009 if you must use the side seating position its generally considered safer on the driver s side because drivers tend to hit the passenger side more, then again there is always someone in the driver s seat and generally the heavier person if there are two adults, so technically the driver s seat is more likely to break. The seat behind the passenger may be slightly safer than the seat behind the driver, since it allows you to unload the child on the curb side, allows you to see your child more easily from the drivers seat and is very slightly less likely to be hit on that side in a side impact. Never place a child rearfacing in a seating position.
If youre looking to install a single child restraint in the back seat, the middle position. Someone told me the rear drivers side is the safest, because the driver has an automatic instinct to protect their side of the car during an accident. In 2006, researchers at the university of buffalo studied all auto crashes involving a fatality in the u. But unfortunately you cant predict what kind of crash youll be in. A rearfacing car seat is the best seat for your young child to use. Some feel it is best to call out driver or passenger to try and get clarity. Rollover tests are updated to better simulate real. In one such comparison a driver was distracted four times more often by children in the back seat compared to an adult passenger. In 2007, 28 percent of car and truck occupants died in a side impact collision. Front and side impact crashes are the two most common and deadly types of. I have a car seat on each side of the car, but if i have one child with me, i usually put them on the drivers side simply because its easier to not have to walk round the car all the time. Convertible car seat for my 3 year old on the passenger side and click connect infant seat in the middle. A child was seated in the passenger side position in this car, and suffered. While its usually the most dreaded seat in the vehicle, researchers have repeatedly found that the middle seat in the back is the safest one in the car.
Apr 11, 2017 the tether is the most important part of every forwardfacing car seat. I put my son in the back seat on the passenger side, rear facing and used the latch system on the hoops behind rear seat. Which car seat position is safestbehind the driver, in the center, or behind the passenger. If you have any further questions, please contact safer at 800 2316145. The safest spot for a babys car seat is in the center of the back seat rather than. If you are having trouble installing your car seat at a 45degree angle, many car seat manufacturers allow the use of a rolled towel to be placed under the car seat to help properly position it. To investigate the frequency and pattern of injury in front seat passengers as compared with drivers, in scotland.
The problem with this is, not everyones car has the driver s seat on the same side. Not only is that somewhat logical regardless of what side the car is impacted, theres distance between impact. However, if you normally park with the drivers side next to the pavement, this seat. At first glance, the drivers side may appear safer, because some people think you naturally protect yourself. Resources the car seat ladynew home the car seat lady. The safest place to put your car seat in the car or for anyone to sit in the. According to a university of michigan study that used test results from 19801991, it is more than 20% safer to sit in the back seat compared to the front, and even more safe for children to sit in the back compared to the front. Here is a technical report from the american academy of pediatrics that addresses this, published in pediatrics vol. The 5star safety ratings program encourages manufacturers to design safer vehicles by giving them safety ratings that can be used by consumers to compare vehicles when shopping for a new car. If the car seat is placed in the front seat and the air bag inflates, it could hit the back of a rearfacing car seat right where your childs head is and cause a serious or fatal injury. Safe passengers know to take on the role of copilot for the driver. If someone on your left blows thru a stop sign, you may not even see the other car until it hits you.
Driver side passenger side driver side passenger side 4x2 4x4 vehicle test weight. Oct 26, 2016 stop training who made traditional driver s side approaches missed a suspect hidden in the back seat of the car theyd stopped. Ive also been told behind the passenger side is best due. Car safety ratings vehicles, car seats, tires nhtsa. It was found that the most common location in the vehicle for a car seat was the rear passenger side. From a practicality standpoint, the rear passenger seems to be the better choice because i can reach baby easier. Every car safety seat is engineered to protect the child passenger from harm from the impact of a collision and from the effect of the vehicles air bags if they become deployed on impact.
Crash statistics dont have much to say about this, but this uk site indicates that the passenger side would be preferred, since youre then taking the child in and out on the sidewalk side rather than standing in the roadway when parallel parked. The passenger side has a little bit more room to move, so you arent 2 inches from the steering wheel if he was behind the driver. The center is often the most difficult spot of the car to get a tight installation so if the car seat is loose in the center but tight on the side, leave it tight on the side. Difference in injury pattern between drivers and front.
This was easier for me, as this is the side that is nearest the house, and where i park the neighbours car is too close to the drivers side for me to get ds1 in the seat without shifting the car etc etc. What i found was that the position behind the driver s seat was slightly less safe because turns towards the drivers side cross traffic, whereas turns away from the driver s side dont cross as much traffic but both types of turns, if impact occurs, result in an impact on the driver s side of the car with more frequency than on the passenger. I read behind passenger seat is better because marginally more accidents hit the drivers side. Where is the safest place in my vehicle for my car seat. But our older siblings may have actually been doing us a favor. It gives you the element of surprise, as most people expect the officer to come to the driver side. Oct 30, 2018 while its usually the most dreaded seat in the vehicle, researchers have repeatedly found that the middle seat in the back is the safest one in the car. The safest place for your childs car seat is the back seat, away from active air bags. The right seat safety seat information for families. Its a two door car and the passenger seats broken so sometimes it just shoots backwards on the runners when you brake. We park on the street, so the passenger side is also the one more protected from traffic. Aug 23, 2019 from a driver perspective, you are less of a sightline hindrance if you are directly behind me, and i would prefer that to other positions. A properly installed car seat on the passenger or driver side is safer than an incorrectly installed center seat.
Is it safer to sit on the drivers side or passenger side. For ease of access and keeping an eye on a baby, the most common spot for a babys car seat is the rear passenger side. Began testing vehicles for resistance to rollover crashes, which are more dangerous than other types of crashes. The results showed that the passenger side rear seat was the most popular position for the baby or childs car seat 41% followed by the left drivers side rear seat 31% and center seat 28%. Understanding infant car seat safety and the role you play. Never put a rearwardfacing baby seat in the front if there is an active passenger airbag. How to modify car seat covers to fit with side air bag. Then i moved them close together baby seat center car seat driver side and the older child could consoleconfort younger and entertain each other. Angles from 2 14 to 4 12 to accommodate your personal seating preference. I put him on the passenger side because the front seat reclines forward and made it alot easier to take out the car seat. Cant get the car seat to install properly in center. I think ive heard that behind the driver is best as the driver will automatically act to protect their side if in an accident.
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