Car Seat in Front

Updated on June 26, 2008
V.B. asks from Sanger, TX
9 answers

Our SUV broke down and now I only have a crew cab truck to drive with four children. Of course, the smaller children will be in the back, but I will need the five year old to be in the front. I'm having trouble finding out what the recommendations are for a child riding in the front. She still rides in a carseat. Does anyone know the rules here or can give me a website to look into this?

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So What Happened?

There are no airbags in the truck so I put her carseat in the front instead of the booster. I flagged down a policeman and asked, he said everything looked good. Thanks for all the info mamas.

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D.S.

answers from Dallas on

You can just buckle her car seat into the front, no problem. You would *NOT* want to put a rear facing car seat in the front though. I would absolutely not take her out of the seat though.

Feel free to email me if you have any other car seat related questions, I am a certified car seat technician!

1 mom found this helpful

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Yeah, they can't go in the front seat. It's the law.

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

If you child is 5 or older and at least 36 inches tall then she can sit in the truck without a car seat. Now if you still want her to be in a car seat that is probably best for her safety. I didn't ready anything in the law saying you cannot place them in the front seat, but for safety purposes the back seat is best. Also if you have an airbag in the front seat that cannot be turned off then you don't want to put her in that seat place her in the middle. You can go to this website to resad the laws. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/tr/tr###-###-####...

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B.B.

answers from Dallas on

ok first of all, children under 4ft. 9 inches and under 80 lbs. MUST be in a car seat/booster seat. That is the current law. Also if the car has an airbag where you will be placing the child then you need to place them in the middle seat. I am not sure where the other mama got her website from but I clicked on the link and it took me to a page that has been moved, here is a website that I found on the State of Texas website
www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/c...

I hope this helps.

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R.E.

answers from Dallas on

I looked at that one website, and it's just a recommendation that they be in a belt positioning booster until 4'9" and 80 lbs. That's the law I believe in some states, but the law in Texas states this:

"Texas child passenger safety laws require children younger than five years of age and less than 36 inches in height to ride in an approved car seat or booster seat. Additionally, Texas law states that during the operation of the vehicle, the child must be properly secured in a child passenger safety car seat system according to the instructions of the manufacturer of the safety seat system. Children under age 17 must be buckled into the vehicle with a seat belt. This law changed on Sept. 1, 2005. The new law increased the age requirement for child safety seats from four to five."

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/statecarseatlaws/qt/texa...

So, in the front seat, she should be ok as long as you can turn off the air bag. I don't know your type of car, but maybe it would be safer if she rode in the back in a booster between the 2 car seats? I'm not sure what would be safer, no car seat in the backseat or a car seat in the front.

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K.T.

answers from Lubbock on

Hey V., I used to be a certified child passenger safety tech. Kids should NEVER ride in the front. The rule is not until 12 years of age, and even then they should be in back if possible--especially if they are small. Try to remedy this as soon as you can...really. Until then, you absolutely MUST MUST make sure the airbags are turned OFF, and scoot the seat back as far as possible. Really, you just shouldn't drive with all of them until your SUV is back.
p.s. Just because an action is within the "law" doesn't mean it is SAFE for your child. Not much consolation when a child obtains devastating injuries to say it was legal.

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D.T.

answers from Dallas on

I beieve it is ok if you can turn off the airbag. I don't know the rules about it, though. Have you looked at the DPS website? They might have the laws on there.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

get the airbag deactivated on that side of the truck. it can sufficate her if it goes off.

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S.G.

answers from Dallas on

Just make sure if there is an air bag in the front it is disabled.

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