Where Do You Put Your Car Seat: Passenger Side, Driver Side or in the Middle?
When I first set out to do this post, I thought there would be a clear answer as to whether the left, right or middle was the safest place to put a car seat, but it turns out there is not.
There is no official safety guideline— other then don’t put the car seat in the front (for obvious reasons and because deployed air bags can easily suffocate a small child). But as far as where to put the car seat in the back, people’s opinions seem to run all over the place.
Originally, I had heard that putting them behind the driver or passenger side was the safest but others argue that you want your child in the middle which puts them as far away from the door as possible, in case of a side collision. But I remember hearing that the middle is the most dangerous place to be in case of a front collision, so who knows …
When our daughter was an infant, we chose to put the car seat in back of the passenger side. The reason for this was because we live in New York City and don’t have a driveway. This means we often park curbside, so the passenger side will have direct access to the sidewalk. Otherwise, we’d have to walk her around into the street, making our transfer from the stroller much more difficult.
Because we live in the city, we mainly use the car on weekends for longer family trips. Neither my husband or I are ever in the car with Mazzy by ourselves. And when we go on these car trips, my husband is always the driver.
As time went on and Mazzy got older, I realized we were struggling during these road trips because as the perpetual passenger, I couldn’t see Mazzy and didn’t have easy access to her without fully contorting my body every other second. Or in extreme situations, taking my seat belt off and climbing into the backseat, which is not safe for anybody either.
Ultimately, we ended up switching the car seat to the driver side because it allows me to hand my daughter anything she needs without going through any major acrobatics. Unfortunately, it also means that she demands a lot more food/entertainment/clothing changes/etc. now that she can see me.
While I was researching this post, I did read one comment from someone who said in case of collision, drivers instinctually turn the car so that the passenger side is hit first, making behind the driver side the safest place to keep a child.
While that does make me feel confident in where we keep our car seat, it also makes me question my role as the passenger!
Where do you position the car seat and why?
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Our daughters seat is on the passenger side since normally (we live in the Alberta country side) I drive with her alone when we go out since Dad’s at work. This way I can pass her whatever she needs but since going from rear facing to front facing she’s gotten a whole heck of a lot more demanding. We tried behind driver but I couldn’t pass her anything/had to seriously contort myself.
I do try to not give her any food in the car since if she chokes (she likes to take BIG bites of anything) I can’t help her quickly enough without crashing/becoming a super hero lol.
Ooooo! I would live to win!!! Baby #3 on the way. A new car seat would be amazing!!! I keep my boys rear facing until they are 2. And my oldest will stay in a 5 point harness as long as he fits.
Make sure the LATCHs are super snug, and that the seat doesn’t shift too much
I have one in the middle and one on the passenger side. We stay safe by keeping me from being distracted! I try to pull over to eat or hand something back!
I’m glad I saw this because it is a question I have been asking and thinking about more lately. I have a 2 1/2 year old and am currently 33 weeks pregnant. I have always had my daughters seat in the middle (with the thought that a side on collision she would be in the safest seat). I only have a small car however so my opinion may change with a bigger car as even with a front on collision, the front seats are pretty close and her body would possibly be stopped by them anyway- I use a H harness for extra safety as well. In my mums car there is a carseat behind the drivers seat for my daughter and this is also the position i would have used if I kept my daughters seat on a side instead of the middle. My reasons for it- there isnt a car seat bolt on the other side, It is the side that is accessible in the driveway, It is just easier for me as I have a bad left shoulder and going in the opposite side is a little awkward and opposite for me and also as mentioned in the post- The driver side is apparently safer if you are hit as you apparently instinctively turn to protect yourself. However I am expecting another baby soon which means I need to change seats to the sides, so therefore have had to rethink seat positions. I came to the decision of moving my toddlers carseat behind the passenger seat and the newborn behind the passenger seat (And just hope like hell that there is never an accident as it certainly as there certainly not a favortism thing just more of a small car thing and I cannot fit 2 seats next to each other nor can I afford to get a new car before this baby is born). Again my reasons for this decision of who goes what side- Since having my toddler I have moved home and have a bigger driveway so the accessibiility will be easier with more space but also when out If I do ever need to park on a street, it is much faster to strap in and take out a toddler then it is to put in a newborn in a capsule or carseat as they get older. Also I could encourage the toddler (when she is in a co-operating mood) to climb through the back seats and sit in her car seat ready for me to strap her in when I have finished with the baby. I also thought that it would be easier handing a dummy or toy or a young baby by reaching across (when pulled over of course not whilst driving) as opposed to reaching back and around behind me.
Amie
I never start the car unless everyone is buckled up. That way my 3 yr old can’t say that its not fair. Its just the rule. We are expecting baby #2 so we have to change car seat location from middle to one on each side. Infant one behind driver and preschooler behind pasenger. At least that is the plan. In some ways i wish for a van so they would have more space and i could have more options for seats-with a tall husband we also have to think of how the seat will fit behind a frint seat as far back as possible.
The center position (rear facing until at least 2 years old) in the backseat is the safest. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/car-seat-safety/MY00824
As an CPST, my answer is generally speaking, the middle spot is the safest. The sides are not UNSAFE by any means and many other factors can come into play that make the sides a preferable option. When it comes to putting multiple children in the car, I advise to put the least protected child in the middle ie. a child in a booster would be in the middle if you’ve got another child still harnessed forward facing or rear facing.
My best tip now that its getting cold is do not put kids in their carseat with puffy coats!! These will compress in the force of a collision and the harness straps will not be tight enough to keep the child in the seat. Layer thin clothes on the child and after buckling him up, put coat on backwards or cover with blanket.
Definitely in the middle with no big coats on!