Where Children Should Sit in your Car

 
An exorbitant number of fatalities occur every year because a child was either not equipped to handle an airbag, or was not strapped into the proper car seat. Unfortunately, many parents upgrade their kids to a booster or passenger seat before they’re ready.
 
It’s important you educate yourself and others on the proper ways to seat your children within a vehicle, to help avoid any serious problems from arising in the future.
 
Rear-Facing Car Seat
 
It’s important that you keep all infants in a rear-facing seat, as their neck muscles aren’t strong enough to handle a forward-facing collision. Children should stay in this particular seat until they weigh at minimum, 20 lbs. However, you should consider waiting until they’ve grown out of it in an ideal situation.
 
Forward-Facing Car Seat
 
Once your child is a toddler and develops stronger neck muscles, they’ll be better equipped to manage a forward facing-seat, which they must stay in until they reach 40 lbs. However, like the rear-facing seat, this is the minimum requirement, so don’t be afraid to wait until upgrading your child.
 
Booster Seat
 
This is the longest-lasting car seat for a child, as they typically sit in them from 40 to 80 lbs. When buckling up your child, ensure the belt is as low as possible and goes across the hips and never the stomach. It’s also important that the shoulder portion goes across the shoulder and not their neck.
 
Kids may complain, but it’s crucial that you wait until they’ve reached the 80 lb mark before allowing them to buckle up on their own.
 
Seat Belt
 
Your child will need to pass a few requirements before they can safely be placed in just a seat belt in the back of the vehicle. They should…
a) weigh at least 80 lbs
b) be able to sit all the way back with their legs bent comfortably and
c) be able to have the shoulder belt fit comfortably across their chest/shoulder – you could be putting your child in great danger if the belt is resting against their arm or neck instead.
 
If they fit all three of these requirements, it’s safe to upgrade them from the booster seat.
 
Passenger Seat
 
There’s no question that your child(ren) will want to move up to the front seat as soon as possible, since they been watching you up there for quite some time. However, it’s vital that you put your foot down and ensure that they’re capable of handing the impact of an airbag before allowing them to sit in the passenger seat.
 
While the general rule is that children 12 and under should not be allowed in the front, that doesn’t mean they should move up as soon as they become a teenager. If they are still undersized for their age, try waiting a bit. Some parents even go as far as to prohibit their child from entering the front of the vehicle until they are old enough to drive themselves.