Kids as front seat passengers

[infomama]

Do you let your kids ride in the front seat? Dd1 is nine and a half and I still don't let her but it seems like I am in the minority.

[georgiegirl]

I will wait until 12. That's the recommended age, right? DD is 7 and still harnessed in a nautilus.

[mariza]

Nope, the law here is 12 and I'm pretty strict about car safety rules. I think I'm in the minority too. I see a lot of people letting their littles ride shotgun around here too.


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[egoldber]

I have let older DD (11) ride in the front seat occasionally when I need the space in back for something or for smaller kids. Just for short rides around the neighborhood (to school and home, so about 5-7 minutes at low speed).

But I think I am the only one who does not let their kid ride in front all the time. In fairness, at her age/grade many of the kids are as tall or taller than me! :)

[kep]

Not in my SUV, but very occasionally in Daddy's truck (F350). DS is 10. He uses a backless booster with a shoulder belt when he does. I'm not thrilled about it, but when they take the truck it's usually for father/son time and they love to sit close and talk. Now that he's 10, I'm okay with it on the rare occasion.

[lmintzer]

My boys are 9 and just-turned-12. They are both small for their ages and neither one has ever sat in the front seat. My younger son uses a booster and my older son still needs one in many cars.

[maybeebaby08]

I babysit a ten yr old, and all his friends have been riding in the front seat for 1-2 yrs. I'm always surprised when I see it. He started asking about a year ago and I said no its the law until your 12. I live in a small town and 90% of the people go to the same pediatrician and he's very carseat friendly, he tells the patients they should be in a booster until 9/10 depending on your size, and no front seat til 12. I've read numerous articles it's not as much about size as it is how your bones arent completely formed. One article said 15 was the ideal age as thats when bones are strong enough.


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[lizzywednesday]

My aunt wouldn't let her kids ride in the front 'til they were closer to 14, but her elder two are small-framed and were petite for their ages. She also instilled a paranoia about airbags in them, which, now that I'm more aware of the damage airbags can do to ADULTS, I'm thankful for because it made me do the research.

Honestly, though, I don't care how old the kid is - if he or she can't sit in a 3-point seatbelt properly (shoulder-belt across body, not behind the back) they wouldn't be permitted to ride shotgun in my car.

The law in NJ is very strict about seat-belt use in general: http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/seatbelts.html, but not specific about when a child may sit in the front seat. (Wording is specific to booster seat use - 8 yrs old/80lbs, rear seat only - and seat belt use - if child is over 80lbs, may sit in any position in the vehicle, must use seat belt.)

[Multimama]

I will wait until 12. That's the recommended age, right?

NHTSA recommends that kids under 13 ride in the back seat. So according to their recommendation even 12 year olds should be in the back. In fact, the back seat is safer for all passengers in crash tests, even adults.

(My own kids aren't old enough to need to address this yet, just adding some info.)

[Multimama]

Not in my SUV, but very occasionally in Daddy's truck (F350). DS is 10. He uses a backless booster with a shoulder belt when he does. I'm not thrilled about it, but when they take the truck it's usually for father/son time and they love to sit close and talk. Now that he's 10, I'm okay with it on the rare occasion.

Does he pass the 5-step test without the backless booster? If he does, I would not have him use it. The booster would put him closer to the airbag in an accident.

But trucks sometimes have a key to turn off the airbag so maybe this is a non-issue for you.

[Gracemom]

My DD is that age and is 5 feet tall. I have let her do it but it's not a regular thing. I have her scoot her chair back as far as possible so she's not as close to the airbag. Back is still safer. Even the teachers in the school pickup line assume she will sit in the front, as most of her friends do.

[crl]

Do you let your kids ride in the front seat? Dd1 is nine and a half and I still don't let her but it seems like I am in the minority.

Ds is nearly ten and we do not let him ride in the front seat.

Catherine

[mytwosons]

I was shocked when I saw DS (9)'s friend riding shotgun last year. Just recently I realized that it is getting pretty common. For some reason, I thought the law/rule was 12, but I haven't investigated it.

I've never let a child ride shotgun in my car. DH has allowed DS1 to ride shotgun a few times as they've driven through the neighborhood at low speeds and the airbag is turned off. I would have a real problem with that happening outside of our subdivision.

FWIW, my mom had been an ER nurse and NEVER let us ride in the front seat. She called it something like the "death seat" and told us it was always the front passenger who was hurt or killed in most accidents.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Nope and ds1 is almost 11. I'm waiting till 13 and he hasn't complained.

[sarahsthreads]

My 8.5 year old is about the size of most 6 year olds, so it will be a long, long, looooong time before she's big enough to sit in a seat without a booster, let alone a front seat with a powerful airbag!

I'd say 13 (I'm pretty sure that's the letter of the law) IF she's big enough. But honestly, we have captain's chairs in the second row of the minivan, so I can't quite see what the difference would be for her anyway. She's never even really asked.

(DD2 has asked, but she's 4 and likes all the buttons on the dash. Also the lack of a harnessed seat.)

Sarah :)

[elliput]

Back seat is safer, period, so DD will ride there forever, AFAIAC. She's a tall 8 yo.

We moved to a small, rural town in January and I have seen all sorts of crazy carseat things. Just this morning, the mini-van which pull in along side at school drop-out had either a K or 1st grader who is not much bigger than my 4 year, in the front seat with a HBB. I did notice it seemed all the other seats in the van (including the very back) had car seats in them also. There is another family with twin 2 year old boys and a girl my DD's age with absolutely no car seats. :( And many kids riding in the front with no seat or no seat belt.

[egoldber]

Back seat is safer, period, so DD will ride there forever,

I think that as kids get closer to driving age, it's good for them to sit in the front and get used to the different perspective and are able to watch the driver more closely.

Older DD is barely 3 years away from her learner's permit. :eek:

[queenmama]

DS is almost 13 and he rides in back... but it's because he likes to keep little sis company. ;)

Lara

[elliput]

I think that as kids get closer to driving age, it's good for them to sit in the front and get used to the different perspective and are able to watch the driver more closely.

I agree, however, with my DD specifically, her learning to drive might not ever be an issue. That is something we will have to evaluate closely when the time comes.

[Gena]

I think that as kids get closer to driving age, it's good for them to sit in the front and get used to the different perspective and are able to watch the driver more closely.

DS recently told us, "You have to be 16 to drive and 17 to sit in the front seat." DH and I both remarked that would make for a very interesting first year of driving.
(In reality, it's unlikely that DS will be qualified to drive at that age.)

[Globetrotter]

At 13, not yet. I thought the recommended age was 14.. dd is very petite and small framed so all the more reason to wait.

[lalasmama]

DD has ridden in the front seat twice. Once when she was too shy to speak up that it wasn't safe (when an older auntie told her to ride up front), and once was when we moved recently, in the moving van, where up front was the only option. She knows not to expect it again for many many years. She's a tiny 9yo (just 50lbs), so it's not like the back seat is cramped for her or anything!

[BunnyBee]

Even my mom in the dark ages when babies just napped on the back seat wouldn't let me ride up front until I was 12. My older kids never have. We will consider it when they're closer to 12, depending on size. My oldest is very tall and getting close to the height of some of my shorter friends. It is uncommon in our school/circle and my kids point it out with horror. They're still in the stickler for rules age. ;)

[cdlamis]

Older DD is barely 3 years away from her learner's permit. :eek:

:47:

Where has the time gone Beth?? I joined this wonderful community when your oldest DD was a baby and my almost 11 yr old wasn't even born yet! I'm getting weepy as I realize how old my "baby" is getting.

[squimp]

I am waiting until she is probably 12. My 9-year-old is just shy of 5' tall. One of my sister's friends in high school was seriously injured with an air bag (tearing skin off her face), she was about 5' tall. I'm sure air bags are better now but I just don't want to risk it.

[Piglet]

Older DD is barely 3 years away from her learner's permit. :eek:

Eeek! That is a scary thought. DS1 is a total absent minded professor when it comes to things like driving and awareness of what is going on around him. It is also a bit funny given that the age for sitting up front is 13 and the age for a learner's around here is 14?!?!

[JBaxter]

Wow. Nathan is 9.5 and in the 90% but has never ridden in the front seat and just got ride of his backless booster not long ago. BUT this morning in the drop off line for school a LITTLE < I mean LITTLE> girl climbed out of the front seat of her moms 3 row SUV. I'm guessing 1st grader? I about crapped my pants. It will be a while yet. I was thinking 11 or 12.

[Kindra178]

My aunt wouldn't let her kids ride in the front 'til they were closer to 14, but her elder two are small-framed and were petite for their ages. She also instilled a paranoia about airbags in them, which, now that I'm more aware of the damage airbags can do to ADULTS, I'm thankful for because it made me do the research.

Honestly, though, I don't care how old the kid is - if he or she can't sit in a 3-point seatbelt properly (shoulder-belt across body, not behind the back) they wouldn't be permitted to ride shotgun in my car.

The law in NJ is very strict about seat-belt use in general: http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/seatbelts.html, but not specific about when a child may sit in the front seat. (Wording is specific to booster seat use - 8 yrs old/80lbs, rear seat only - and seat belt use - if child is over 80lbs, may sit in any position in the vehicle, must use seat belt.)

Is the law in NJ 8 AND 80 pounds or "Or." I would like to share with family. Thanks.

[Indianamom2]

Well, my plan is wait until at least 12. After that, I think I'm going to have to be okay with it because as Beth rightly points out, if I'm going to even entertain the thought of my child driving in a few short years, I think the perspective needs to be changed. She's got to get used to looking out the window instead of at the video screen! :wink2:

[Corie]

No way!! My DD is 11 and she still rides in the back.

[lizzywednesday]

Is the law in NJ 8 AND 80 pounds or "Or." I would like to share with family. Thanks.

If I'm reading the statute correctly it's kids under 8yrs AND 80lbs for use of booster (I think that a separate statute covers car seats/infant restraints)

If they are 8 yrs old AND over 80 lbs, they legally may sit unrestrained in a vehicle in any position.

The old rule-of-thumb they publicized was by height (4'9") rather than weight & age.

Seat belt use statute text here:

http://www.njlaws.com/39_3-76_2ffailureseatbelt.html?id=281&a=

Car seat/booster use statute text here:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/S1500/1181_I1.PDF

[dowlinal]

If I'm reading the statute correctly it's kids under 8yrs AND 80lbs for use of booster (I think that a separate statute covers car seats/infant restraints)

If they are 8 yrs old AND over 80 lbs, they legally may sit unrestrained in a vehicle in any position.

The old rule-of-thumb they publicized was by height (4'9") rather than weight & age.

Seat belt use statute text here:

http://www.njlaws.com/39_3-76_2ffailureseatbelt.html?id=281&a=

Car seat/booster use statute text here:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/S1500/1181_I1.PDF



New Jersey is 8 or 80. Here is the government website that outlines the seatbelt & car seat regulations. http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/seatbelts.html

[speo]

I don't know what age I will let my kids ride in the front seat but it seems a long ways off.

One mom has her son who is a very small 5 ride in the front seat of her very small old car without a booster.

Does anyone else see kids riding on the back of motorcycles with their parents? One girl was dropped off at preschool on one!! She was 4. I have also seen a second grader and a 5 year old be dropped off/picked up from school. It is shocking. It just makes me wonder ... here are most of us with carseats and yet some kids are riding around on motorcycles.

[Twin Mom]

The front seat law is age 13 here. My twins will be 11 and they are still in low back boosters. They were in high back until a few months ago. I'm sure they will complain about the front seat delay but too bad. Around here most kids their age aren't even in boosters anymore.

When I'm driving around town, I have seen kids who should be in car seats in boosters and kids who should be in boosters with nothing at all. What are these parents thinking?

[niccig]

In my Dad's pick-up as there's not back seat. No air bag either as it's an old vehicle and built like a tank. And then it was just for a 5 min ride up the street and back.

DS will be in back seat until 12 or 13. There's no reason to put him in the front when there's 3 spaces in the back for him.

[alexsmommy]

No, and DS1 is not thrilled with me. Many of his friends are allowed, and it's that tricky, "Well, it's not legal and it's not safe, but what other families do is their private business" situation when he wants to tell other mom's that it's not safe. DSD was not allowed until she was 12 either and she was PISSED because back then even more kids were allowed to do it, but, um, oh well. I have no issue saying "no" when it comes to an easy safety issue.

[Cam&Clay]

Ds1 was at least 5'5" by the time he was 10 so he was fine up front.

[KrisM]

If I'm reading the statute correctly it's kids under 8yrs AND 80lbs for use of booster (I think that a separate statute covers car seats/infant restraints)

If they are 8 yrs old AND over 80 lbs, they legally may sit unrestrained in a vehicle in any position.

The old rule-of-thumb they publicized was by height (4'9") rather than weight & age.

Seat belt use statute text here:

http://www.njlaws.com/39_3-76_2ffailureseatbelt.html?id=281&a=

Car seat/booster use statute text here:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/S1500/1181_I1.PDF

Your second link says that if they are "under 8 and less than 80 lbs" they must be in a booster. Which means if they are not both of those things, they don't have to be. So, if they are 8 years old and less than 80, they don't have to be in a booster, because both those conditions above are not met any longer.

If it had said "under 8 or less than 80lbs" needs to be in a booster, then either condition would keep them in a booster.

It's confusing when they write it for when they have to be in a seat and then try to use it for when they don't have to be.

[KrisM]

DS1 has ridden in the front on a few occasions, only in the neighborhood. When he was in kindergarten, on the coldest, snowiest days, I didn't want to take the 1 and 3 year old to the bus stop around the corner, so we'd drive. But, his seat was in the middle in the back, so climbing over the others was not the best. So, he sat in a backless booster in the front for about 600 feet on the way home.

Once we got a minivan, it made that a non-issue.

Then, this winter, I had my van completely full of stuff for our holiday shop at school and he offered to come help me. So, for about a mile, he was in the front. Only 25 mph roads, but it made me very nervous!

I'll keep him in the back for a few more years until age 13, most likely.

[JdrKuhnert]

Here in Germany, I regularly see children under 2 in the front seat in a car seat. I have even see infant seats in the front. It's crazy. My boys will be in the back for a long time to come.

[fedoragirl]

Here in Germany, I regularly see children under 2 in the front seat in a car seat. I have even see infant seats in the front. It's crazy. My boys will be in the back for a long time to come.

:yeahthat:

And I was invited to put my toddler in the front seat today as the mom wanted to car pool. I refused and told her we'd be taking two cars. No one--NO ONE here understands why I am so strict about car safety. They always question our RF seats.

[wellyes]

I don't know what age I will let my kids ride in the front seat but it seems a long ways off.

One mom has her son who is a very small 5 ride in the front seat of her very small old car without a booster.

Does anyone else see kids riding on the back of motorcycles with their parents? One girl was dropped off at preschool on one!! She was 4. I have also seen a second grader and a 5 year old be dropped off/picked up from school. It is shocking. It just makes me wonder ... here are most of us with carseats and yet some kids are riding around on motorcycles.

That can't be legal! We have a two-seater car and we've put our preschooler in the front seat in a forward facing car seat (airbag disabled by dealer). That is legal because there is no back seat. I can't imagine a motorcycle being allowed even if it is the family's only vehicle.

[lele]

Here in Germany, I regularly see children under 2 in the front seat in a car seat. I have even see infant seats in the front. It's crazy. My boys will be in the back for a long time to come.

I see lots of that too--infant seats, boosters, nothing, all in the front seat.

[lizzywednesday]

Your second link says that if they are "under 8 and less than 80 lbs" they must be in a booster. Which means if they are not both of those things, they don't have to be. So, if they are 8 years old and less than 80, they don't have to be in a booster, because both those conditions above are not met any longer.

If it had said "under 8 or less than 80lbs" needs to be in a booster, then either condition would keep them in a booster.

It's confusing when they write it for when they have to be in a seat and then try to use it for when they don't have to be.

I know. Those are the exact words of the statute I linked in my 1st post.

I guess I would read it as if the child is under 8, and under 80lbs, they need to at least be in a booster. If over 80lbs, and ideally over 8, they don't have to be in a booster.

Even the state website, which was linked in my 1st post (and re-linked by another poster upthread), is worded very weird.

[AnnieW625]

My goal with my girls is 12 as that is what is recommended by our state, but is not a law. 8 or 60 is our car seat law; it used to be 6 or 60 so adding 8 in was just baby steps, but still better than it used to be. I have occasionally taken my DCP's son with us starting at age 9/1/2 (he goes to DD1's school) and he sits in the front because that is the only space we have for him. He rides in the front in his parents' cars all of the time, which is the norm here no matter what kind of car your parents drive. At 11 now DCP's son is 5' tall.

DD1 did ride in the front seat on one occassion when she was almost 5 in her Frontier for 2/1/2 miles in DH's work van because he had to have all of his stuff in the back and had to take her to preschool. DH disabled the air bag.

[Multimama]

Here in Germany, I regularly see children under 2 in the front seat in a car seat. I have even see infant seats in the front. It's crazy. My boys will be in the back for a long time to come.

But in Germany the airbags can be switched off completely (as opposed to just relying on a sensor that may or may not guess correctly in a crash). So it is much, much less dangerous to put a child in the front seat, if they are in a properly restrained.

[KrisM]

I know. Those are the exact words of the statute I linked in my 1st post.

I guess I would read it as if the child is under 8, and under 80lbs, they need to at least be in a booster. If over 80lbs, and ideally over 8, they don't have to be in a booster.

Even the state website, which was linked in my 1st post (and re-linked by another poster upthread), is worded very weird.

And it really needs to be by height or fit, not age and weight. It's crazy. My friend's kids outgrow boosters at 7, so if our law said they had to be 8, it would be hard. The oldest was 5'2" at 8 and 120 lbs. Clearly tall enough to sit on the seat!

[legaleagle]

Someone at our daycare has their tiny 4 year old in a HBB in the front seat when there's an open space in the back (next to infant seat for young toddler). The only reason I can fathom this is it's a 2 door car but it's not like a 4 year old can't climb in the back by himself.

[egoldber]

The only reason I can fathom this is it's a 2 door car but it's not like a 4 year old can't climb in the back by himself.

It's entirely possible there isn't a usable seat belt in the back for the HBB when the infant seat is installed.

[legaleagle]

It's entirely possible there isn't a usable seat belt in the back for the HBB when the infant seat is installed.

I don't think so, the infant seat is installed outboard (plus he should still be harnessed anyway, he's no where near 40 lbs). It's not an ancient car either, from what I can tell.

[ilfaith]

My boys never ride in the front seat of our Odyssey or Avalon...but the older two have ridden in the Corvette, which is, of course, a two-seater...around the neighborhood at low speed. There is a sensor for the airbag.

And if you think Germany is bad...when DH came back from India he showed me a picture he took on his phone of a family of five on a scooter, no helmets on anyone...dad driving with one child on his lap, mom holding a baby in one hand and talking on a cell phone on the other...the other kid was sandwiched between the parents.

[bisous]

I didn't honestly even know that parents could put kids in the front! I was stuck once with four kids and only three rear spots in my car. I ended up using the double stroller to do school pickup and walked nearly a mile! It never even occurred to me that DS1 (then 8) could have sat up front.

I do like the CA law. Although it is widely misunderstood here, the law is 8 years old or 4'9". I think it makes WAY more sense to have a height rather than a weight requirement. That would help your friends' kids KrisM!

[lizzywednesday]

And it really needs to be by height or fit, not age and weight. It's crazy. My friend's kids outgrow boosters at 7, so if our law said they had to be 8, it would be hard. The oldest was 5'2" at 8 and 120 lbs. Clearly tall enough to sit on the seat!

My sibs and I were all tall for our ages ... and my brother Joe was heavy as a kid, so going strictly by WEIGHT, yeah, we'd have outgrown the weight requirement at younger ages than most kids.

Like I said, they used to publicize the 4'9" height, but they've since stopped & changed the law to go by weight, which is weird.

[AnnieW625]

I didn't honestly even know that parents could put kids in the front! I was stuck once with four kids and only three rear spots in my car. I ended up using the double stroller to do school pickup and walked nearly a mile! It never even occurred to me that DS1 (then 8) could have sat up front.

I do like the CA law. Although it is widely misunderstood here, the law is 8 years old or 4'9". I think it makes WAY more sense to have a height rather than a weight requirement. That would help your friends' kids KrisM!

Don't come south Bisous you will see a lot of kids in the front seat, but most are 9+; I get really nervous though when I see the occaisional <9 yr. old in the front seat.

See I completely forgot about the height requirement. Alright I will add that to my requirement of at least 8 and 60lbs., and now 4'9":thumbsup:. My girls will definitely be 10 or 11 then before they graduate from a booster. I was only 4'11" at the start of jr. high (7th grade) so I don't see them getting that tall before then.

Here is a link to the law, and the FAQ page.
CA Car Seat law (http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/safeseat.html)
California CHP FAQs (http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/child_safetyseat_faqs.html)

[Kindra178]

If I'm reading the statute correctly it's kids under 8yrs AND 80lbs for use of booster (I think that a separate statute covers car seats/infant restraints)

If they are 8 yrs old AND over 80 lbs, they legally may sit unrestrained in a vehicle in any position.

The old rule-of-thumb they publicized was by height (4'9") rather than weight & age.

Seat belt use statute text here:

http://www.njlaws.com/39_3-76_2ffailureseatbelt.html?id=281&a=

Car seat/booster use statute text here:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/S1500/1181_I1.PDF

Thanks!

[hellokitty]

I prefer that my kids not ride in the front seat at all. It seems to be the unsafest seat in a vehicle during an accident. My mom didn't like us riding in the front, and I'm thankful for that.