Question about air bags and children

[cruisnfamily]

Does anybody know the height and weight at which it is safe for a child to ride in the front seat. Everything I've seen reccommends an arbitrary age(like 12) but there are so many variables in size. You could have a very big or very small 12 year old. My question is at what point would it be safe

Also, are there laws regarding air bags and children or is it just a safety thing but it's up to the parents. We live in FL by the way.

Thanks!

 

[doxdogy]

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/childpas.htm

An excerpt from their website:

All children ages 12 years and younger should ride in the back seat. This eliminates the injury risk of deployed front passenger-side airbags and places children in the safest part of the vehicle in the event of a crash. Riding in the back seat is associated with a 46% reduction in the risk of fatal injury in cars with a front passenger-side airbag and at least a 30% reduction in the risk of fatal injury in cars with no front passenger-side airbag (Braver 1998).

 

[shortbun]

My sister is an insurance agent. She says adults and children
less than 5' and 100lbs should not ride in the front seat.

 

[Kermit]

I was reading somewhere the other day (I think it may have been Consumer Reports) that said that everyone is safer in the back seat and that you should make your kids ride back there as long as you have seats for them back there.

 

[mcnuss]

My sister is an insurance agent. She says adults and children less than 5' and 100lbs should not ride in the front seat.

My mom had better quit driving then!!!

 

[DVC-Don]

A lot of the newer cars/trucks have sensors in the front seats. If the person is below a certain weight, the airbag deploys slower. And below another weight the airbag does not deploy at all.

My owners manual (2002 model year)says children below age 13 should not sit in the front. No mention of weight or height.

 

[Carl]

I haven't had any children in my car in 20 years. You mean they don't holler "Shotgun!" anymore?

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Originally posted by Carl
I haven't had any children in my car in 20 years. You mean they don't holler "Shotgun!" anymore?

Yet another right of passage tha's been taken away from youth. I've only seen 12 & under, never weight, mentioned as a guideline for front seat passengers.

 

[cgcw]

Originally posted by cruisnfamily
Also, are there laws regarding air bags and children or is it just a safety thing but it's up to the parents. We live in FL by the way.

I was pulled over for having a rear facing carseat in the front seat of my van. The first question the officer asked me was what year was my vehicle (98). Then he asked why the child was in the front seat where the air bag was located. When I informed him that I had an air bag switch (hence there wasn't one at the time), he proceeded to check the installation of the car seat for safety. We passed ( ) and were sent on our way.

I'm not sure it's a law, but here in IL they will check it out.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Thank you all for the info!

Obviously, my dd rides in the back most of the time but I just wondered safety wise if it would be ok to have her in the front occassionally as the situation comes up sometimes when transporting large groups.

She is 11, is 5'1" and weighs about 100 pounds. It sounds like she should be ok up there should the occasional situation warrant it. Her usual spot is in the back though.