Letting children sit in the front seat can pose its own risks. Even with seat belts and a child safety seat, the possibility of extremely dangerous scenarios like car accidents or collisions is never zero. The front passenger seat is definitely a risky spot for a little kid who can easily slip from the seat of a car.
This is why knowing what the minimum age and weight limits are in vehicle safety laws is important. Letting a child ride in the front seat without considering these laws could jeopardize the life of the young child.
The Dangers of Riding in the Front Seat for Young Children
Airbag Deployment
- Children who sit in the front seat before they are larger are at risk for head injuries. This is due to the impact of the airbag deployment, which could lead to fractures and bruising. The airbag’s could also lift them off the passenger seat and hit the top of the car.
- Airbags are designed for adults, not children, and can cause serious injury or death if deployed in a child’s presence. Even with a booster seat, a passenger airbag deploying would still be risky for children that sit in the front seat of the car.
- Children’s bodies are not developed enough to withstand the force of an airbag, which can cause brain injuries, neck and spinal cord injuries, and other serious harm.
Car Crash
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When a child sits in the front seat, when a car crash occurs, their seat belts are of no use due to them being bigger. Aside from being ineffective, ill-fitting seatbelts can injure younger children riding in the front.
Understanding Child Safety Seats
Car manufacturers do not typically design car seats with a child in mind. This means that when children sit in the front seat or even the back seat, they may need extra support. This brings us to child safety seats that can help children ride safely in car seats.
A child restraint system, or a car seat, is a car safety device that keeps children safe in a vehicle. This helps protect children in the case of an accident or a sudden brake. These seats are designed to properly secure the child and keep the child safe.
Child safety seats can help protect children during a car accident by seating them in a proper position. There are a variety of child car seats that are available for each stage of development that take into account the size, weight, and physicality of a child’s body.
- Infant seat – Infant car seats are specifically made for younger babies. This means that this type of seat is typically a rear facing seat with a focus on head support for infants who cannot support their own heads.Still, it is ideal to keep younger children in rear facing seats until they’re 3 to 4 years old to make sure their heads and necks are protected.
- Convertible seat – Convertible seats can be turned into both rear facing seats and forward facing seats. These types of seats usually have weight and height limits that exceed those of infant seats.
- Forward-facing seat with a harness – Children who’ve outgrown the height and weight limits of infant and convertible seats would be best suited for this type of car seat. The top of the harness must be around 2cm above the child’s shoulder.
- Booster seats – It is recommended that children use a booster seat until they’re at least 4’9″ and between 8 and 12 years old. Booster seats lift or “boost” a child up to get the seat belt positioned correctly on the child’s body.
Life Stages and Car Seat Safety
Rear Facing Infant Car Seat (Birth to Age 2)
- Children should ride in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, usually until they’re at least 2 or until they reach the upper weight limit, which is 40 pounds or more.
- Never put a rear-facing car seat in front of an active air bag.
- A child should be secured in a rear-facing car seat used with a lap belt, and a 5-month-old should be in a rear-facing restraint in the middle seating position of the rear seat and secured with the lap belt.
Booster Seat (Ages 2 to 8 or Older)
- Children should ride in a forward-facing seat for as long as possible until they reach the upper height or weight limit of their seat.
- When a child has outgrown the weight and height limits for a forward-facing seat, they’ll need a belt-positioning booster seat.
- A child should be secured in a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt.
Seat Belt Safety (Ages 8 to 12)
- The 5-Step Test to determine if a child is ready to move from a booster seat to a seatbelt includes: sitting all the way back against the auto seat, knees bending comfortably at the edge of the auto seat, belt crossing the shoulder between the neck and arm, lap belt as low as possible, and staying seated like this for the whole trip.
- If a child can complete the 5-Step Test, they can use a seat belt, but it is recommended to remain in a booster seat until they are 13 years of age.
When Can a Child Sit in the Front Seat?
28 states do not have a law dictating a minimum age for kids to sit in the front seat, but most have strong recommended ages. There are also exceptions for things such as “can you put a car seat in the front of a truck“
Most children can sit in the front seat starting at age 13. Some exceptions to this exist in some special circumstances, such as if an adolescent ages 13 or older is small for their age. Typically, kids can forego the booster seat if they’re over 13 and are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, and 80 lbs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children under age 13 buckle up in the back seat for safety. Wearing a seat belt helps prevent further damage to the body, after all.
The Importance of Proper Car Seat Use
Proper use of the different kinds of car seats and their installation are critical to keeping children safe. Whether in the front or the back seat, when used wrong, a car seat could still end up ineffective.
- Nationally certified child passenger safety technicians can inspect a child’s car seat or other restraint to make sure it’s being used properly.
- Safety-related defects in a car or child’s car seat can be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website.
Michigan’s Child Passenger Safety Laws
Knowing the actual law where you live is extremely important. The State of Michigan provides clear rules and laws regarding “how old do you have to be to sit in the front seat”. According to the child passenger safety page on their website :
- Children younger than age 4 to ride in a car seat in the rear seat (if the vehicle has a rear seat). If all available rear seats are occupied by children under 4, then a child under 4 may ride in a car seat in the front seat. A child in a rear-facing car seat may only ride in the front seat if the airbag is turned off.
- Children must be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4-feet-9-inches tall. Children must ride in a seat until they reach the age requirement or the height requirement, whichever comes first.
Why Should You Contact a Child Passenger Safety Technician?
A child passenger safety technician is a professional that specializes in keeping children safe in their vehicle seat, whether it be about car seat installation options or adjusting the child themselves.
They basically deal with all things related to child safety in vehicles. These professionals also educate and instruct consumers on the little details they have to know to keep their kids safe.
A child passenger safety technician can also check your car seat quality aside from car seat installation and securing a child in said seat. Contacting such a professional can help keep your child safe in their vehicle seat.
Conclusion
Generally, it is recommended that children under 13 stay in the back seat. When younger kids sit in the front, hazards arise due to the risk of injury.
Even low-impact crashes when a young person is in the front seat can cause significant damage if a child isn’t big or old enough to sit in the front seat.
Keeping kids in the back seat of a vehicle longer reduces the injury risk for younger kids by 64% and for older kids by 31%. Even when in the back seat, children should be buckled in or taught to do so.
Finally, parents should model good driving behavior and always buckle up their seat belts so their children will be encouraged to do so too. They should also make their child sit still with their lap and shoulder belts ready and get them used to it for their safety.
Additional Resources You Can Look Into:
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website provides information on child passenger safety and car seat safety.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website provides information on child passenger safety and car seat safety.
- The National Safety Council website provides information on child passenger safety and car seat safety.
Need Help Figuring Out How To Legally Sit Your Child Passenger?
Child seating laws help keep children safe in vehicles. However, many parents overlook rules and laws on child restraints that can keep their children safe.
To prevent any legal issues, it is best that parents know the rules regarding child passenger safety well. For any inquiries, call us at The Clark Law Office.
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