child seats

[RobD]

What is the law regarding child seats in the front when the car has an airbag?Are you allowed to have rear facing child seats in the front or are all forbidden?Cheers.

[Gizmo]

What is the law regarding child seats in the front when the car has an airbag?Are you allowed to have rear facing child seats in the front or are all forbidden?Cheers.

I may be wrong here, but the general concensus is that the child seat should be in the back when airbags fitted, as when (if) the airbag should go then the car seat is pushed up which then loosens the seatbelt and throws the baby back towards the seat. I do not believe its compulsory but may be wrong! hope someone can put me right.

[da SLUG man]

i don't think it's a law... just not recommended... as the baby's head is close to the airbag it could go off and take their head off!... i think forward facing is ok.

[RobD]

Cheers
I'll keep it in the back,for safetys sake,will just have to get the wee yin travel sickness pills instead,thought maybe travelling in the back was causing this(sickness) due to more noticeable vehicle movement.

[sadanorakman]

Hello Sir,

I don't know about any requirements by law, but agree with the above messages... All car manufacturers recommend that you shouldn't fit a rear facing child seat in the front if you have passenger air bag. The passenger airbag is very large compared to the drivers, as it has a larger void to fill. When it goes off, it will hit the child seat, likely flipping it face first into the chair back and injuring your child, or flipping the child seat from its teathered position, allowing it to become a free missile with your baby onboard!
They also recommend against using a forwards facing child seat in the front seat, but say if you do, you should slide the front seat as far back as possible to maximise the distance to airbag. The only problem with this is that in many cars, this brings the top seatbelt anchoring point (on the cars B pillar) in front of the seat back, which allows the child seat to move around too much... it may then tumble sideways in cornering, and in an accident will move forwards considerably until the slack in the seat belt is taken up. Really not a good idea!

I've tried to link to another thread just above yours, where I offer yet more advice on child seats. Please read it... http://www.yotasurf.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=6251

Having not linked before, I don't know if this link works, if not, look for a thread entitled 'Passenger Airbag' just above your own in the general section of the forum.

Best Regards

Craig.

[sadanorakman]

Sorry to go on and on guys, I'm just seriously into safety, especially when it comes to babies and children....

My last bit of advice involves carrying small children on your lap in a car...

Obviously the safest place for a wee one is in a proper child seat as discussed, but if you really have to undertake a short journey in a car holding your child (maybe they are being very poorly) then carry them on your lap but:
1. sit in the rear behind one of the two front seats, and hold on very tightly to the child. A front impact will easily force the child out of your grasp, so if sat in the front they will be injured by the airbag or go through the windscreen, also in the centre rear seat... straight through the front windscreen!
2. Having said 1 above, it is still important to only pass the seatbelt around yourself. NOT both the child and yourself. If you pass the belt around both you and the child, which is most peoples first instict, in even a moderate impact the momentum of your body will crush your child against the seatbelt causing them massive internal injuries.

I guess that carrying a child on your lap should be seriously considered, not just accepted as an OK thing to do, as it offers so much risk to the child.

Craig.