Any Of Y'all With Small Kids........

[RCP]

I currently have mine on the passenger side (backseat of course) but I have seen lots of people put them in the middle? Any ideas or advice on where the safest place for the little one is?

[jro909]

safest is where the anchors are, its hard saying for sure..the biggest concern in the event of a collision is the carseat(with the kid) being thrown from the impact, but these trucks are built very safe....my biggest concern if i had kids would be the glass and the airbags, the chance of being hurled from the vehicle is minium if if the seat is strapped down correctly, gas tanks don't explode so thats not a concern..hope that helps, i'm kind of the village idiot lol

[RCP]

Yeah I'm not sure I've been told 2 different things. 1. Middle gives you more protection from side impacts. 2. Middle is not as safe because child can go through windshield in a crash. I guess both have their pros and cons.

[ATMINF]

I have got three kids, and two need car seats, so each car seat goes behind the driver seat and then behind the passager seat with the middle open.

[Matt_]

Mine is behind the passenger seat.

 

There's pro's and cons to both middle/side positions.... I don't think its easy to say if one is "better" than the other. Sadly, if you're in a side impact accident that is going to destroy driver or passenger seating area, im not sure if being in the middle will really make a difference for the child.

 

One downfall I do see about the middle position is the added difficulty to rescue personnel of getting the child out of the car if the doors are jammed shut after the collision.

[RyanbabZ71]

pass side

[OH1]

My boy is in a forward facing seat now. I have always had him in the middle. That way I can get in with him in crappy weather and also still have good access to both sides for passengers and stuff.

 

I don't think there is any one better than the other. As long as the seat is in properly it comes down to your comfort in putting them in or getting them out.

[ffthornton]

My boy sits on the pasenger side as well. He likes looking out the window. Side impact collision is one of the least likely to happen. A roll over is more likely to happen than a side impact.

[JAMIEZ71]

I have my girl in a front facing style seat. She's 14 months old and rides in the middle of the backseat. That's where the factory metal tabs are to hook the seat up and it's easier on her not kicking me in the back due to I'm tall and the seat being back further.

[bmp5484]

My sons in a booster now, but even when in his infant seat I sat him on the drivers side behind me. Hear all kinds of different thoughts on the matter but mine is that if something were to happen (god forbid) that at least he has me in front of him as some kind of added protection.

[Metro12]

Side impact collision is one of the least likely to happen. A roll over is more likely to happen than a side impact.

 

Actually, the IIHS list 51% of fatal accidents being side impacts.

[fm2176]

I put my two small ones on either side of the back seat usually so an older kid can help manage them. I think a properly installed and adjusted car seat is much more important than placement. When my oldest was a baby I used to be much more picky, now with four I guess I've slacked off.

[ffthornton]

Yes side impacts are the most fatal crash but are least likely to happen.

[Metro12]

Crash Facts

Point of impact (CHOP):

frontal: 44%

rear: 31%

side: 11.2%

rollover: 2.5%

 

http://www.carseatsite.com/statistics.htm

[mbaee]

Supposedly the safest place is the center position. Assuming the seat is LATCH'd in and the child is properly secured, it's the least likely to be hurt in a side impact.

 

I have both of mine behind the main seats with the middle open. My son is in a booster now (drivers side) and my daughter is on the passenger side in a forward facing toddler seat. See the picture below (I've since switched her seat around).

 

Here's a LINK to a WebMD article about a 2008 seat location study.