baby seats in the front seat? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

nfotiu · 10-03-2005, 12:08 PM

What does everyone think? My wife has a wagon, and I have a 2 seat sports car, and we have a baby on the way. The wagon would be the primary family car, but I'm sure I'll have to use my sports car to drive the baby to daycare, etc. I'm considering whether I should get an airbay cut off switch installed for these occasions, replace my car, or possibly get a third car. I really like my car though! Any one else been through this dilemna?

Reaper · 10-03-2005, 12:20 PM

I hate to be a party pooper but the front seat is the least safe place in the car for any child regardless of an airbag deactivation switch or not. I would highly recommend using the wagon to drop the child off at daycare. I know you like your sports car but it is one of the sacrificial lambs when having kids.

looooob · 10-03-2005, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nfotiu@Oct 3 2005, 12:08 PM
What does everyone think? My wife has a wagon, and I have a 2 seat sports car, and we have a baby on the way. The wagon would be the primary family car, but I'm sure I'll have to use my sports car to drive the baby to daycare, etc. I'm considering whether I should get an airbay cut off switch installed for these occasions, replace my car, or possibly get a third car. I really like my car though! Any one else been through this dilemna?

afraid this one if pretty much a no-go

either buy a new car, or use your wife's car only

the police aren't going to look very kindly on a baby in the front seat

habernac · 10-03-2005, 12:24 PM

I believe it's illegal as well.

ken0042 · 10-03-2005, 12:25 PM

Speaking of this, here's a thought.

Now, I know that the front seat is the least safe place from a crash perspective. But, if the kid is in the back seat, aren't you more likely to be looking back there to check on him, let him see your face if he's crying, etc? Doesn't putting him in the front seat decrease your chance of getting into an accident in the first place?

Just a thought from this kid-less person.

flambers · 10-03-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by habernac@Oct 3 2005, 11:24 AM
I believe it's illegal as well.

yah, I second this. I believe its illegl.

flambers · 10-03-2005, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ken0042@Oct 3 2005, 11:25 AM
Speaking of this, here's a thought.

Now, I know that the front seat is the least safe place from a crash perspective. But, if the kid is in the back seat, aren't you more likely to be looking back there to check on him, let him see your face if he's crying, etc? Doesn't putting him in the front seat decrease your chance of getting into an accident in the first place?

Just a thought from this kid-less person.

ah.............no. Lots of times with a new born one parent will sit in the back with the baby.

Ironhorse · 10-03-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reaper@Oct 3 2005, 12:20 PM
I hate to be a party pooper but the front seat is the least safe place in the car for any child regardless of an airbag deactivation switch or not. I would highly recommend using the wagon to drop the child off at daycare. I know you like your sports car but it is one of the sacrificial lambs when having kids.

Yup. The person who has to take the child to daycare should drive the wagon. And if the wife won't / can't drive the sports car, then you'll have to replace it or get a 3rd vehicle. I know it sucks, speaking from personal experience, but like Reaper says, it's a sacrifice a lot of us have had to make when having kids.

nfotiu · 10-03-2005, 12:47 PM

Thanks for all your replies. A few comments though. It is definetely not illegal anywhere I know of. The safety websites all enforce that it is very dangerous for an infant child seat to be in the front seat of a car with air bags, but go on to say it is preferrable to put it in the back seat if possible.

It is likely that our situation will be that one person will drop off the child and the other will pick up, due to schedules that are staggered by a few hours.

My driving would be limited to about a 15 block trip through quiet residential streets.

I am not convinced that I would be putting my child in any kind of danger, or I would not even entertain this thought. I can't envision why a child would be in so much more danger strapped in a car seat in a front seat of a car, than in the backseat during a low speed crash. Although after reading how horrible everyone says I'm being, I am leaning towards adding a third car. :boh:

Buff · 10-03-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by habernac@Oct 3 2005, 12:24 PM
I believe it's illegal as well.

I think that there are exceptions. My sister-in-law had a vehicle where she couldn't put my nephew in a backseat and there was no problems with that. Either that or she didn't know, and got very lucky that she never got pulled over.

ken0042 · 10-03-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nfotiu@Oct 3 2005, 12:47 PM
My driving would be limited to about a 15 block trip through quiet residential streets.

Don't they say that a significant number of accidents occur within 5 km of your home?

I know when I heard that I decided it was time to move.

Mccree · 10-03-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flambers@Oct 3 2005, 12:29 PM
yah, I second this. I believe its illegl.

No you can do it just NOT with an Airbag. However it is not recommended at all.

Resolute 14 · 10-03-2005, 01:41 PM

I suppose the easy question is: Are you willing to risk your child's life?

The most common theme in accidents - including one that I was in (but not at fault) is the people involved always say "I never thought it could happen to me."

Reaper · 10-03-2005, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nfotiu@Oct 3 2005, 12:47 PM
I can't envision why a child would be in so much more danger strapped in a car seat in a front seat of a car, than in the backseat during a low speed crash.

I think it has to do with the fact that safety seats are designed for back seat use coupled with the fact that crash ratings are based on adult passengers when the front of the compartment is being rated.

I'm not trying to paint you as a bad guy, btw. I'm just illuminating a few facts.

RougeUnderoos · 10-03-2005, 02:02 PM

Are there even anchors for a child seat in the car?

GKDarts · 10-03-2005, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nfotiu@Oct 3 2005, 06:47 PM
Thanks for all your replies. A few comments though. It is definetely not illegal anywhere I know of. The safety websites all enforce that it is very dangerous for an infant child seat to be in the front seat of a car with air bags, but go on to say it is preferrable to put it in the back seat if possible.

It is likely that our situation will be that one person will drop off the child and the other will pick up, due to schedules that are staggered by a few hours.

My driving would be limited to about a 15 block trip through quiet residential streets.

I am not convinced that I would be putting my child in any kind of danger, or I would not even entertain this thought. I can't envision why a child would be in so much more danger strapped in a car seat in a front seat of a car, than in the backseat during a low speed crash. Although after reading how horrible everyone says I'm being, I am leaning towards adding a third car. :boh:

As a parent and as someone who worked with a guy who critically injured his young daughter who ended up dieing 5 years later from a related surgery.....JUST DON"T DO THIS!!!!!!! Most accidents happen within a couple of miles from your home, so the 15 blocks is moot.

Its just one of those things that you don't mess with regardless of cost or inconvenience.

Ironhorse · 10-03-2005, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos@Oct 3 2005, 02:02 PM
Are there even anchors for a child seat in the car?

All baby & child seats will work with existing seatbelts. The newer ones also work with the LATCH anchor system, which a less than 3 year old car will have in the back seat.

Good luck fitting a tether strap anchor in a 2 seater though, when you move to a child seat. Just not a good idea all around.

nfotiu · 10-03-2005, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GKDarts@Oct 3 2005, 04:08 PM
As a parent and as someone who worked with a guy who critically injured his young daughter who ended up dieing 5 years later from a related surgery.....JUST DON"T DO THIS!!!!!!! Most accidents happen within a couple of miles from your home, so the 15 blocks is moot.

Its just one of those things that you don't mess with regardless of cost or inconvenience.

I'm sorry about your co-worker, that is an awful story.

I guess my questions are though, was an airbag involved? Was there any factor, in particular about the child sitting in the front seat that caused such severe injuries? Would injury have been avoided or less severe by sitting in a rear seat?

There is some level of risk we all assume every time we put a child in a car. Various different cars provide various levels of safety. Would you be so harsh to someone driving their child a Chevy Astro, when they know that their occupants are about 4 to 5 times more likely to die in a crash as compared to the safest cars available? Or how about people who drive their kids around in SUVs that are 10 or 20 times more likely to rollover than mine? Which is the worse risk?

I guess no one here seems to do this, so it does seem obviously socially unacceptable, which is probably enough for me to not do it (I don't want to be the guy that every things is being reckless with his child). But nobody has convinced me that there is real evidence to suggest that this really is a dangerous practice, and not just something that people have accepted is wrong for whatever reason.

RougeUnderoos · 10-03-2005, 02:46 PM

At the very least the airbag has to be disengaged. Little tiny babies are supposed to be facing backwards in those things. Not too tough to picture what would happen with an airbag.

Anyhow, here in Alberta (where, if memory serves, you are not) there is a program where you can go get your car w/ carseat checked out by John Q. Law to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be on a carseat. Maybe look into that if you have any questions whatsoever.

nfotiu · 10-03-2005, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos@Oct 3 2005, 04:46 PM
At the very least the airbag has to be disengaged. Little tiny babies are supposed to be facing backwards in those things. Not too tough to picture what would happen with an airbag.

Oh yeah, it is well documented that the air bags are very dangerous for rear facing child seats. Getting a cut-off switch installed is a no-brainer if I went that route.