passenger side vs driver's side?

[sntm]

is there a safety difference? i've heard middle is best, but DH's 1995 explorer won't accomodate a carseat in the middle.

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03

[bnme]

We couldn't get a tght fit in the middle in our 2000 Honda CRV. I was disappointed at first, but since have heard the seat is safest where you can get the snugest fit. I am not sure about the statistics, would be interested too if anyone knows.

[cpsadvocate]

I copied this from SafetyBeltSafe's ( http://www.carseat.org ) FAQ.

*****

"Where is the safest place in the car for my child to sit?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, putting a child in the back seat instead of the front reduces the risk of death by 27%, whether the car has a passenger air bag or not. The center of the back seat is the farthest away from a possible side impact, so we always try first to install a safety seat there. If you can't secure the safety seat firmly in the center or there is more than one child in the car, you will need use an outboard (side) seating position. Also, if the car has lap/shoulder belts on the sides only, older children should sit on the side instead of using a lap-only belt in the center.

What if there are two young children in the family--should one of them ride in the center? There are several factors to consider. Is the older child mature enough to entertain the baby appropriately, or is it possible that he will playfully poke the baby in the face or "helpfully" offer a small toy which could be swallowed ? Sometimes it is good to have a few inches of separation.

Which vehicle belt and vehicle seat cushion fits which safety seat best? A tight fit is very important. If you are able to get both safety seats buckled in firmly with the forward-facing safety seat in the center and the baby on the side, that would be ideal. The rationale is that the rear-facing safety seat gives the best protection, especially in a side impact."

and sounds like you've done this :-)

"How can I tell if the safety seat fits my car?

Read the instructions that came with the safety seat! Also read the owner's manual for your car; look in the index under "child restraint." You may need special equipment from the dealer to install your seat safely. You may have problems if the vehicle seat has deep contours, humps, or certain types of safety belts. A safety seat should not wobble, pivot, slide side-to-side, or tip over. It should stay nice and tight once it's installed."

BTW, that web site has a lot of other great information!

Mom to 4 ages 4 To Teen
http://www.geocities.com/cpsadvocate/index.html

[Marisa6826]

Supposedly you're supposed to put the seat on the passenger side. The theory is that the majority of the time, that side of the car will be aligned with either a sidewalk or a shoulder, lessening the chance that your car would be hit from that direction.

Also, I've read that when driving if you keep the doors locked it increases the side strength of the car door by something like 40%. Don't know if that's really the case, but I always keep them locked!

Hope that helps!

-m

[memedee]

I heard just the opposite that the safest place was behind the driver as a lot of accidents occur trying to turn left into an intersection across the traffic. It is easier to take a right handed turn into intersection with the traffic.
If you have two kids in seats it is probably better not to know than you feel as if you are making "Sophies Choice"

[CPSDarren]

The statistics are virtually equal for fatal side impacts.

Darren
www.Car-Safety.Org