Seating in Cars with Airbags

Hi L.,

This is what I found on-line:
Do not put small children in the front seat of vehicle that has an air bag. Put a child that does not use a safety seat and who is less than five ft. in height in the back seat.

So going by this the child should be over 5 feet tall.

I also found this:
One of the study limitations is the lack of information in crash data systems about a child's height or weight. The study used age of child instead of height or weight because only age is recorded in the federal government's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

L.

I just started to allow my 12 year old and also my 11 year old. My 11 year old is a few inches taller and about 20 lbs or so heavier. I never knew it was a height thing. I think my oldest is 4 ft. 11 in. Even with my two younger girls begging i have not let them up front. I would say it is what makes you comfortable.

I believe the saying goes "Better safe than sorry." You can call your local fire department, pediatrician, or look up the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, they are the ones that set the standards and do all the testing. I don't know specifics, but I do remember hearing that the front passenger seat is the most dangerous seat in a vehicle...don't know if it's old wives tale or true, but worth thinking about.

read in your cars manual - it should tell you there - about the age/height/weight requirements. another thing you can do is to call the local police department they should be able to tell you -

another thing - does your car's airbag turn off? thats an easy way to think about it - i know my current car and my last car the passenger airbags turned off if you didnt weigh enough to be "safe".

but you should go with your gut - have your daughter sit in the front seat and then hold a pillow in front of the dash board and move it straight out to her face - thats a somewhat good idea- b/c the air bags iare pretty big.

hopefully that helps
S. w

Do not listen to your husband. Height means nothing. A child of that age can not handle the impact regardless of their size. Their organs are not fully developed and are not ready for that kind of trama. You are doing the right thing. Wait until the age suggested!!

I always thought that you also needed to be at least 100 lbs to sit in the front seat with an ait bag.