Is it possible to carry a child in a car seat in the front seat?

The use of child car seats is one of the mandatory requirements established by the current Rules of the Road in Ukraine clause 21.11. According to the SDA, it is forbidden to transport minors under the age of 12 years old and shorter than 145 cm without special restraint. Violation of this provision entails an administrative penalty of a fine of 51 hryvnia. Moreover, no additional restrictions on the transportation of a child in the front seat, if he is sitting in a special child seat, is not provided for by legislative norms.

That is, formally it is possible for parents to do this, but it has been proven that the front passenger seat is one of the most dangerous places in the car, so if you want to secure the child seat here, be sure to consider several important factors. Let's take a closer look at them.

What is the danger of transporting children in the front seat?

There are several important factors that prove that placing a child in the front seat next to the driver increases the risk of injury to the baby.

• Experts who conducted a number of studies proved that in half of the accidents in which the children suffered, one of the factors that caused serious damage up to incompatible with life was the installation of a chair in the front seat. If he was fixed in the back row, then the fatal consequences could have been avoided.
• An increased risk arises if the passenger airbag is not deactivated. In a collision, it can cause serious harm if it works. The force of her blow during disclosure can be very large, which in itself can provoke injury.
• A small child whose parents put him in the front seat may experience stress during the trip, be frightened by oncoming cars, for example, large trucks. This can cause sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, etc. That is why it is not recommended to put children under the age of 6 on the front seat. After 6 years, the child already tolerates such trips better, as it becomes more psychologically stable.

As you can see, there are several fairly significant arguments against transporting minors in the front seat of the car. However, since this is not prohibited by the current rules of the road, each parent must make a decision and then take responsibility for it. It is not worth risking, before you put your son or daughter next to the passenger seat, each driver should carefully assess the potential danger to him.

Than airbags dangerous for a child

Airbags This is an additional element of protection, which is in almost any modern car. But when transporting children in the front seat of the car, their protective role is not so clear. Although there are parents who are confident that the child can ride in front and the pillows will be able to guarantee him protection in the event of an accident, and even no extra chair is needed. This approach can cause serious damage to the life and health of the baby if the car crashes. There are several reasons for this:

• In the event of a frontal impact, the airbags located in front will not protect the small child, but rather may cause him to injure his head or neck.
• The airbag deployment speed when triggered at the time of a collision is more than 200-250 km/h. Not every adult can withstand such a force without consequences, but how will it affect a fragile child’s body, still fragile bones? The answer is obvious injuries guaranteed.
• It seems to many that installing a child carrier in the front seat is against the direction of travel it’s completely safe, and even an airbag that has deployed will not cause harm, since it will hit it in the back of the seat. But everything is exactly the opposite. The installation of an infant carrier with the airbag turned on, according to the results of a large number of crash tests, increases the risk of injury to the baby several times.

Precautions

If there is an urgent need to transport the child in the front seat, for example, the car is no longer there for this place, then you need to make sure.

• First of all, before installing a child car seat, be sure to turn off the airbag in the passenger seat. All modern machines allow you to do this quickly thanks to the built-in shutdown function.
• While sitting in the front passenger seat, try to push his seat as far as possible from the front panel of the car. It is recommended that the distance from the center of the chest to the installation site of the frontal airbag be more than 25 cm.

Rules to follow when traveling in a car with children in the front seat

If you plan to seat the child in the front seat, the driver must do everything right and maximize the safety of the small passenger. Remember that up to 12 years the use of a special child car seat is required! You should also follow a number of recommendations:

• Before you go on a trip, be sure to check that you have deactivated the airbag for the front passenger seat.
• When transporting children in a car, especially in the front seat, watch the road very carefully, be extremely careful, any mistake can lead to serious troubles.
• If you are going to take a very small child on the trip-up to 5 years old, then take care to choose a chair with the possibility of transportation against the direction of travel. This is due to the fact that at this age, children still can not hold their heads well, and with sharp blows, the bones can not withstand. When a child sits forward, with a side impact, the risk of injury increases by at least a third. Therefore, pediatricians strongly recommend that children under 5 years old be transported in a car exclusively in the opposite direction of travel. In some European countries, for example, this is even enshrined in law.
• It is strictly forbidden to transport a child in the front seat in the arms of an adult. This increases the risk and risk of fatal injuries in the event of an accident several times.
• When installing a car seat, it is recommended to push the passenger seat as far back as possible, this will increase the distance from the seat to the front dashboard.
• When choosing a car seat, make sure that it has a reliable mounting system and is firmly fixed to the car seat.

Draw conclusions

Obviously, transporting a child in the front seat not the best option, but it is not prohibited by law, so many do it. In order not to cause problems and negative consequences, it is important to observe as much as possible all the basic rules for such transportation of children. However, before making such a decision, you should carefully evaluate the risks. Remember that always in the first place is not the comfort of an adult who is so comfortable, but safety of a small passenger. And yet, as soon as the opportunity arises, it is better to rearrange the chair in the back seat it will be safer for the child and calmer for you.

And of course, it is very important that the used car seat has a high level of protection and meets modern safety standards. You can buy a children's car seat in Kiev, Kharkov or Odessa, in our online store 130.com.ua. The catalog contains a very large selection of models for all ages.

Materials on the topic: