Can my child be transported in a car seat in the front seat?

Traditionally, most child car seats are oriented towards the rear, in some cases even against the direction of the vehicle. Nevertheless, for parents, the installation of an accessory there does not always seem to be the most reasonable. To begin with, sometimes the design of the car is not very conducive to installing the purchased model of a car seat - although here, of course, a question for the parents, who, for some reason, bought the wrong accessory.

In addition, children, left alone in the back, are often capricious - they want to move to the front seat and see the landscapes that open up, and it is very problematic to control their behavior if only one of the parents is traveling with the baby from the driver's seat. In a word, many parents would gladly transplant their babies forward, however, some fear that such a decision runs counter to legislation or basic safety technology. Let's try to figure out how things really stand in this area.

Standards

When it comes to traveling by car, it should be remembered that almost all aspects of such movement are not determined of their own free will, but are strictly regulated by traffic rules. Violation of any of the points in some individual cases can be understood from a human point of view, however, due to the fact that it threatens with serious consequences, the offender can still be punished. Traffic rules include not only the rules concerning the actual driving - the rules for the transportation of passengers in cars are also spelled out there.

Here it should be clarified that the "children's" age in the understanding of the legislator ends at 12 years old, that is, after reaching the age of twelve, a small passenger can be transported on the same grounds as an adult. If the child is 12 years old, he can drive in the front even if there is no child car seat there - it is enough for him to use the standard car seat belts.

As for the child, whose age is still less than 12 years old, then the traffic rules do not forbid him to sit in the front, but only on condition that a special restraint is used. Here the legislator gives parents a certain freedom, since such means include not only the car seats themselves, but also simpler models like boosters.

In this case, a special device must be specific, not any. Clause 22.9 of the SDA indicates that a child under 12 years old is allowed to sit in the front seat only if safety precautions are fully observed. At a minimum, a child car seat must necessarily correspond to the height and weight of the child, but if a representative of the law sees a clear discrepancy between the parameters of the passenger and his seat, he may see this as an offense.

A completely separate point, which many parents do not even suspect, is the problem of transporting children in the front seat in the event that the car has airbags. It is generally accepted that sitting where there is such a pillow means surviving a car accident, since the system will protect the passenger from impact. In the case of a small child, everything can even happen the other way around, since the airbag opens very abruptly and hits with force on everything that gets in its way.

If for an adult such a blow is unlikely to end in serious consequences, then for a baby whose body proportions are much smaller and whose bones are much thinner and weaker, he may be the cause of injury. In this case, the airbag can open even in the event of a minor collision, from the consequences of which the child would be protected by the car seat itself, and then the ill-fated passenger protection system will not allow the baby to get off with just one fright.

Particular attention is paid to the trauma of the airbag when parents want to transport an infant car seat in the front seat. Due to its horizontal position, it takes up almost the entire space from the back of the front seat to the dashboard, therefore it takes a hit already at the very early stages of the deployment of the pillow. Given the fragility of a baby who has not yet outgrown the cradle, the consequences can be dire.

For this reason, when installing a car seat on the front seat, the seat itself is recommended to be rolled back as far as possible in order to leave a kind of gap between the small passenger and the front panel of the passenger compartment. Moreover, most experts give advice that seems somewhat illogical, but only at first glance - deactivate the airbag deployment each time for the place where the child is planned to be transported in the car seat.

Why is it not recommended to carry children in front?

The legislation of our country, like many others, does not generally prohibit the transport of children in a car seat in the front seat, although it indicates that for this it is necessary to install a special child car seat of the appropriate parameters. Nevertheless, even many adults believe that riding in the front seat is not as safe as in the back, so they can sit there themselves, but never put a child. It is possible to transport the baby from the front, but it is probably worth listening to the arguments of those who consider this method of transportation unacceptable.

Reason # 1

Whatever one may say, the front seats are on average much less protected from the consequences of an accident. Head-on collisions usually become the most severe, and in fact in such a situation it is the front part of the car that suffers most. Installing a child car seat in the front significantly increases the chances of a child getting injured.

Expert groups from different countries have specially collected statistics on the use of car seats of specific manufacturers and models when placed in the front and rear, and have received impressive results. In the front, trauma and even mortality are on average about one and a half times higher with the same model.

Reason # 2

Installing a child car seat in the front passenger seat and not deactivating the airbag before this is a very common mistake that causes child injuries almost more often than the consequences of an accident. The specifics of this problem have already been sufficiently discussed just above.

Reason # 3

Installing a child seat in a car in the front seat means providing your child with unforgettable emotions. Children sincerely rejoice at the opportunity to drive in a car "like adults", that is, in the front seat, and enjoy the view of the opening road, however, it does not always give positive emotions. Preschool kids, for example, are very emotional, and the sight of a huge cargo colossus rushing towards, which can actually safely drive in the oncoming lane, can frighten them.

Such a nervous shock does not allow the child to sleep and eat normally, and in some cases it can even lead to hysteria. Imagine what the baby's reaction will be if the reason for the fright is not in his imagination, and the driver really barely avoided a collision. Obviously, the hysterical little front seat passenger will do nothing to drive better and more accurately.

Reason # 4

Many children's doctors say that it is necessary to properly fasten a car seat for a child under 5 years old in a car strictly backwards, that is, against the course of the car, which is almost impossible in the front seat. The fact is that at this age the musculoskeletal system of the child's body has not yet taken shape completely, therefore it is not able to withstand serious stress.

If the child is turned with his face in the direction of movement, then even in the case of sudden braking without an accident, it is very likely that his head will "nod" forward, but the head at this stage of development is disproportionately large and heavy in relation to the rest of the body. The result is a critically strong load on the cervical spine, which can result in injury.

When the child is riding backwards, this "nod" will not work, since the headrest will absorb the impact and help the child to stand in the correct position. The legislation of many European countries prohibits the transportation of such small children in any other position, except for the opposite direction of the car's movement, and although we do not yet have such a norm, parents themselves can once again think about the health and safety of the baby.

Reason number 5

If you study the recommendations of children's specialists regarding where the child car seat should be located in the car, it turns out that it is best to place it in the middle of the rear seat. If the seats are arranged in three rows, then on the middle one. It is there that the child will be equally protected from both frontal collisions and side collisions.

Hence, we conclude that the location of the car seat in the front seat does not protect from either one or the other - therefore, a significant proportion of the protection of the special equipment is leveled by its ill-conceived location.

Security measures

Contrary to all of the above, many parents still carry their children in the front. The reasons for this can be varied - for example, there is not enough space in the back, in principle, or because of too many things being transported, one of the parents is taking the child alone and wants to completely control the situation, or the baby is ready to throw a tantrum if it is incomprehensible to him for reasons he will be denied travel in the front seat.

The reason for carrying the child in front may be logical and understandable, however, this does not diminish the risk that arises in such a situation. In this vein, it is very important to give parents some simple advice that will help at least slightly reduce the risks that have arisen.

Primarily, try to find even the slightest opportunity to install the chair in the back. If the chair is in the front only because you could not carry the child from the back before, but now such an opportunity has appeared, use it immediately.
To avoid future tantrums immediately teach your baby that he can ride in front only in very exceptional cases. Install the child car seat in the back whenever possible.
By placing the child next to him, the parent-driver assumes that he will be able to pay more attention to the baby, however, the principle of reasoning here should be completely opposite. With this arrangement of the child, a split second is enough to assess his current state, but you should not be distracted from the road. Moreover, it is necessary to carefully analyze the traffic situation, trying to predict at what point it can change dramatically, so as not to be distracted at that moment.
An airbag can become a faithful friend for an adult passenger and a sworn enemy for a baby. Before installing the child car seat to the front, make sure the airbag is deactivated.

Whether the airbag is on, off, or not at all, you need to try to move the seat with the car seat as far as possible from any body parts. In the event of a collision, the body may be crumpled and protruding with sharp corners into the passenger compartment, and the child, due to sudden braking, may be thrown on them as much as the fixation belts will allow, because the greater the distance between them, the better.
When transporting a child in a car seat in front, you should be prepared for the fact that the traffic police will try to fine the driver. They may rely on ignorance of the rules for transporting small children or simply put pressure on self-doubt, citing the fact that a child car seat of this type is not a special means for transporting children or that it does not fit a particular child in terms of parameters. If you are sure that you are right, be prepared to argue with arguments, including with the presentation of court decisions in similar situations.

It is still allowed to carry a child in the front in a car seat, although it is more dangerous than in the back seat, but transporting him in the front seat directly on your hands is an unjustified and very big risk. Any traffic police officer who stops such parents will have every right to record a violation of safety rules, and in the event of a head-on collision, the result is highly likely to be fatal for the child of negligent parents, since flying forward through the windshield is almost inevitable.
Some modern 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 strollers require the removal of the carrycot and its subsequent transformation into a carriage, however, this applies only to those models that are specially adapted for this. Many parents, out of ignorance or because of gross negligence, try to use a cradle from an ordinary classic stroller for the same purpose, which is completely unacceptable. The cradle must be able to be attached to the seat with special belts, if there are no proper adaptations, then it does not at all guarantee the safety of the child, even in the event of a simple sharp braking. Accordingly, it is not a special tool, because the traffic police officer in this case can fix the violation.

Finally, there is one more logical tip: use only the best car seats. Do not be lazy to search the Internet for video of crash tests of all models, among which the proposed purchase is selected, and study how high the degree of protection of a small passenger from impact in case of an accident is.

Of course, there is no point in comparing car seats in rear seat crash tests if you are going to install the product from the front.

Choosing the right car seat

The principles for choosing a child car seat for transporting a child in the front are generally no different from those for determining the best model for transporting a child in the back. The only global difference is the actual possibility of installing the selected model exactly in front - where the dimensions of free space and the presence or location of fasteners may differ. If you divide all special tools into categories, then, depending on age and in order to avoid problems with the traffic police, you should choose the appropriate model of car seats.

In the first year of his life, a child, whose weight does not reach 10 kilograms, is transported strictly in the infant car seat, being in a horizontal position. This design is less suitable for transportation in the front seat, therefore in some cases, if the cradle cannot be installed at the back, it is better to just leave the baby at home.

Up to one and a half years, passengers weighing less than 13 kilograms can be transported in a "cocoon" type child seat, which tightly fits them on all sides, protecting, including the head.Such a device must be installed against the direction of travel, therefore, it is usually installed in the front seat only if it is possible to remove the backrest completely.

From one to four years old and weighing from 9 to 18 kilograms for the transportation of children, it is already possible to use chairs of a universal design, which allows installation on any seat. From a safety point of view, it is still better to transport the child in those models that are mounted backwards.

For preschool age and children weighing 15-25 kilograms the most commonly used car seats are category 2, which are installed in the direction of travel. It is these chairs that are very often put on the front seats when transported by one parent, since passengers of this age really want attention to their person. Here, like nowhere else, disabling the airbag will be fundamental, since such children often ride in the front and at the same time are still too fragile to withstand its impacts.

For school children younger than adolescents and weighing no more than 36 kilograms child car seats of group 3 are used. Often, the standard car seat belts here are no longer fastened by the seat itself, but by the passenger sitting in it, who would otherwise have been unreliably or incorrectly fixed by them.

It should be understood that in the case of any car seat, not only the qualities of the model in question are important, but also the correct installation. You can choose the best-of-its-kind chair that will show itself from the worst side in an accident due to the fact that it itself was not securely fixed.

All experts recommend carefully choosing a car seat based on reviews and crash test videos, but never travel with it immediately after purchase.

First, parents must perfect the procedure for installing and unfastening the car seat to automatism, so that they know that it is securely fastened, and be able to urgently release the child if necessary.