Older Children as Front Seat passengers...what Do You Do?

Updated on December 16, 2012
M.M. asks from Wheaton, IL
17 answers

My older child is beginning to ask why she can't sit in the front seat. I have done some research and have talked with individuals at the IL Safe Kids coalition. According to the folks I talked with, there is no particular law about front seat passengers. No age, height or weight requirements. Although children under the age of 8 must be in an appropriate child safety seat in the backseat. It is said that front seat passengers should follow a 'best practices' recommendation which states that children should remain in the back seat until age 13. If a child over the age of 8 WERE to ride in the front seat, you'd want to make sure the seat belt fits properly and place the seat in the furthest back position to prevent air bag injury.

For those of you with older children, what has your practice been on this topic? When did you allow your older child to ride in the front seat?

www.safekids.org

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S.A.

answers from Chicago on

We live in IL. A lot of my daughter's friends (9 yr-olds) are allowed to ride in the front seat. I do not allow my daughter to. She will be in the back until she's 13.

1 mom found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I just asked a similar question and I can tell you the main response was to keep them in the backseat as long as possible.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

Our rule was 13 and we held to that rule until they turned 13. We had front seat passenger air bags and I didn't think that giving in to them wanting to sit in the front outweighed the danger.

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Well, it varies. They don't ALWAYS sit in the front. It is more of a case by case individual circumstances thing. If both my kids are in the car, they BOTH sit in the back. If it is just me and my 10 yr old, she sits in the back. If it is me and my (just turned) 13 yr old, he sometimes is in the back, sometimes the front, depending. He has been riding up front like that with me since he was about 11. It is very infrequent, but it does promote him having actual conversations with me, instead of relegated to the back where he pops in an earphone and half listens to his ipod and half listens to me if I have something to say.
If I have a pile of my "junk" (purse, kindle, tissue box, etc) in the seat, then he sits in the back. Sometimes he will gently place all my "junk" in the floorboard so he can sit up with me. But again, never if both the kids are in the car. And usually they both are in the car or both out of the car. :)

My visors all say the safest place is in the back until age 12 or older. And I tend to follow that. But, as I mentioned in a response to an earlier post this week about seatbelts, the front one is adjustable and it fits him better than the back seat belt. And there is NO WAY he needs a booster. He is over 100 lbs and 5' 1".
My airbag turns off if the passenger is too light (under 70 lbs?) and so it stays on for him. I remind him often to stay seated back and not be leaning up messing with dials or reaching in the floorboard. I try to do all that stuff when stopped when I am the one in that seat as well.
Does this help?

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A.L.

answers from Dallas on

I kept my kids in the backseat until they were 13. Much safer this way.

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

When my oldest son was about 11 he was as tall as me, and weighed almost as much as me, so I started letting him ride in the front. I still made him put the seat back as far as possible. Now he's 13 and towers over me, and out-weighs me by quite a bit. He's probably safer in the front than I am.

I'll let my youngest ride in the front when he's about my size. He's a small guy, so he may have to wait longer than his brother did.

I'm only 4'11", and don't weigh much, so it's pretty easy for my boys to catch me.

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

My 10 year old is almost as tall as I am and weighs over 80 lbs, so I now let her ride up front most of the time. Before that, no way.

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E.J.

answers from Chicago on

I'm in IL too. On the IL Click or Ticket website, it explains the Child Safety laws about weight and age of restraint being 8. There is a recommendation of 12 years old for allowing a child in the front seat. Again, it is more about where the seat belt fits on the child and that front airbag. Some very helpful diagrams on that website to help you understand it all. :) Seeing it, I was thinking it might be good to show a younger child who wants to sit up front.

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W..

answers from Chicago on

My daughter will be 11 next week and this has been a battle as most of her friends are able to stay home alone AND sit in the front seat.

We follow state guidelines. 13 it is for us. I actually told her that it was 13 and younger in the backseat - I'll have to look again and she'll be excited that she gets to sit in the front a year sooner.

Also - she already knows that even if she's 'old enough' if there is an adult present the ADULT would automatically sit in the front seat rather than her, as the child.

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A.M.

answers from San Francisco on

My two children were on the small side when they were younger, and also had a tendency to fall asleep in the car. When they were asleep they would flop into weird positions if not in a booster seat -- the seat belt did not hold them in properly, then, and I worried that they would be injured by the belt in an accident. Their necks seemed very vulnerable. Also, if awake they would squirm around, lean forward to mess with the radio or the glove box. So-- they rarely, rarely sat in the front seat before they were 12.

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

All states have "guidelines" about age for riding in the front seat. Different states' guidelines vary from age 6 to age 12. The issue is the possible danger from airbags designed for adults, not children.

I recently began letting my daughter sit in the front seat. The guideline in Minnesota is age 12. My daughter is 9 1/2. She is 4'8" and 90 lbs. She sits with the seat all the way back, away from the airbag. The shoulder seat belt is adjustable so fits her very well. We have a two-door car.

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J.A.

answers from Philadelphia on

My son and I were stopped by a cop he asked for my sons age and weight I told him he is 12 and weighs 62 pounds so he gave us a ticket for letting a child under 80 pounds to sit in the passenger seat so I am not letting him ride the passenger seat unless he is 13 and weighs more than 80 pounds

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

I usually do not allow my children to ride in the front seat (they are 4 and 7). If we are going on a very short trip I will allow my seven-year-old to ride (like a few blocks or something), but never my four-year-old.

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I personally wouldn't let my child under 10 ride in the front seat...unless they are at least 5 feet tall and weigh at least 80 lbs.

I would tell my child that their safety is more important to me than having them sit with me upfront...once they meet my guidelines, then okay...

I say 5' and 80 lbs because there are some adults who are only 5' 1" tall and drive...but that's MY way...

L.M.

answers from Dover on

I allowed it when my son met the height and age recommendations. You have to beware of the airbag if you let them sit up front before that.

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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

What do people do when all they have is a front seat with seat belts go out & buy a new car so for there is a back seat for their child/children to sit in?He has rode in a small Ranger that has no back seat he sat in his booster with the seat belt.It is safer for children to sit in the back with the car seat or booster,but when there is no back seat follow the same measures in the front,if the air bag turns off then turn it off most are weight activated now so a child wouldn't set it on,pull the seat all the way back (that was from our local Safe Kids Coalition

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

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