Car seats and airbags

[kymberly]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows about this, can you put a child in a front seat in a forward facing car seat when there's an airbag?

Is it just the rear facing ones that are a no-no with an airbag or is it both types?

Yikes, if not how can I fit 3 under 3's in my tiny corsa?

[Carpet Monkeys]

I think it's both types. I've also heard that if you get your airbags de-activated you can null and void your car insurance ...

[Ebony's Stars]

I've just got a Sharan as there was no way I could get more than two children in car seats in my Golf!! Mad!!

I thought that no seats can go in the front with an airbag?

[little chickee]

The only possibility is to put the front passenger seat as far back as it goes so that it is as far from the airbag as poss but this them compromises on space for the child behind.

I'm not sure even is this is ok or not. I personally do not carry any young child in the front seat not even my own.

[clio0602]

I think forward facing seats are allowed. To be safest it has to be as far back as poss. Personally I only put ds 9yrs in front if there is nowhere else for him. I wouldn't use with car seat at all x

[kirstya]

I was looking this up on the internet a while ago and found this site http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/#kids311 It says you can put a child in the front seat as long as you are using the correct restraint. But I would probably ok it with the parents first. x

[Rowlie]

The answer is NO. No child should be in the front set who is under 5ft. The airbags will do more damage to the child in a childs seat. My friend (not a childminder) was carring her daughter in the front (2years old) when they had a shunt from behind the airbag was deployed and the child now has a burst ear drum with facial scars.
Please dont carry children in the front of your cars. :(

[Merry-Minder]

I have looked this up twice now and I have found out that you can carry a child in a forward facing car seat in the front passenger seat as long as you push the seat right back so then it is out of range of the airbag should it deploy.

A cm friend of mine asked me the same question recently and she also found out the same information.

I think the best thing considering the conflicting advice on here is to check the gov websites.

[Curly Quavers]

I have looked this up twice now and I have found out that you can carry a child in a forward facing car seat in the front passenger seat as long as you push the seat right back so then it is out of range of the airbag should it deploy.

A cm friend of mine asked me the same question recently and she also found out the same information.

I think the best thing considering the conflicting advice on here is to check the gov websites.

I was told this by the police (doing checks outside the school)

Also it does have a lot to do with the hight of the child while in the car seat (higher the better) then less chance of the air bag going off into the child's face.

[MaryMary]

I allow children in the front passenger seat, if there is no room in the back (although I have only needed to once or twice). However, my car (08 Grand Scenic) has the option to switch off the passenger airbag, which I have done. My own children always travel in the front, but the youngest is 12 (the airbag is still switched off though)
A lot of modern cars have this option, might be worth checking if yours does :)