How Old Should They Be For The Front Seat?

[Unregistered]

While I don't drive anyhow, I am 4'9 and under 100 lbs. I do ride in the front seat though

[SquirrellyMama]

If you also read the manufacturers handbook it will give you "RECOMMENDED" weight and height to be able to sit passenger.

In both of my cars, there is a scale in the seat. If you don't weight enough to set off the airbag, it does not deploy on accident. It will automatically turn it off.

I understand there are also weight recommendations. But, they are still recommendations and not the law.

Kelly

[Retired]

I think I'm the oldest member here. I remember when I was growing no one had a care seat. In fact my mom and aunts, all brought their babies home in their arms. I remember this going on, in my area at least until the mid 70s. Then, I had my first child in the 80s and car seats were the top thing on everyone's registry. While they were a necessity, I remember once the child was school age (5, not 3) no one had them. Sometimes, children rode in the front seat. Then, the 90s came. I saw from my siblings, inlaws, and clients kids who looked way too old to be in car seats in them. I also noticed, in the 90s, there was a big thing of carrying infants in car seats everywhere. I.e. walking somewhere and carrying a car seat with the infant in it. Dropping a child off in a car seat. I think it's ridiculous that children are in car seats over the age of 6 or so. Some adults aren't 100lbs or 5ft as already mentioned. Should little people ride around in car seats? I'm very glad to be the age I am and to have grown up and raised my children in freer times. It seems like the United States is becoming more and more policed for lack of a better word.

[melilley]

The link that I previously posted has each state's requirement. Most states do not have a law on how old you have to be, some have recommendations, but it's not the law.

[SillyGrl]

There could be other factors, as well, such as working seat belts, etc.

My durango has a third row but for about a month neither of the belts worked. So, I had to move my two older boys up, one in the middle row with my two youngest, and the oldest I had to move to the front with the seat scooted as far away from the airbag as possible, and he's 11.5. It's legal, as long as all the other seats are occupied, and every law enforcement officer I passed didn't look twice.

The techs through Safe Kids say that the safest arrangement if a child *has* to be up front is the oldest child still in a harness, because the harness is more protection than a booster seat. And never a rear-facing seat unless the airbag can be turned off with a key, because sensors sometimes fail in a crash.

I think the age is 12, but my oldest is still not ready to get out of the belt positioner (he's tiny, and he sits in an incognito, he doesn't want to give it up! ) so I'll wait until he can sit with just the belt before I am comfortable with him riding up front