Car seat - maybe a bit random?

[sepa]

We finally decided on our car seats and they have arrived. Just wondering which back seat people usually install the car seat to? Our car has isofix both sides so we are not restricted by that.
I was thinking behind drivers side when the seat is rear facing and get a mirror then behind passengers side when it's front facing. Is this sensible way for being able to see baby easiest with a quick glance?

[TheBubGrower]

It's supposed to be safer to be behind the passenger if possible as you are more likely to collide with another car on the driver's side

[FatimaLovesBread]

Ours is behind the passenger seat as then it's by the pavement for getting in and out.
However ours is ERF so it's better at that side as the passenger seat needs less foot room

[sepa]

What is an ERF?
For mine to be pavement side where I usually park then it would be installed driver side

[LibrariesGaveUsP0wer]

Behind passenger is marginally safer, but if you normally park on road I'd go for the side where you can get out on the pavement side.

ERF = extended rear facing. if you want them to rear face until 4.

[BikeRunSki]

Behind the passenger, then the driver can see the baby in the rear view mirror.

[CottonSock]

I decided based on side of road I normally park on, but view of baby is also a bit easier behind passenger

[wonkylegs]

Behind passenger seat and then get a mirror to hang off rear seat so you can see the baby's face. Ours is a teddy bear with a mirror in his tummy that hangs off the headrest so when it's rear facing you can still see the baby's face.

[Sanch1]

Ours I behind passenger otherwise DH wouldn't have had enough leg room to drive! Not sure what we'll do when DC2 arrives and we need one each side!

[Hamsolo]

Sanch I was just thinking the same thing. We had to put it behind the passenger seat as DH drives (I keep failing my test ) and he can't get his seat back far enough with a car seat behind him. DC2 arrives in June... No idea what we're going to do! (Take a couple of inches of his legs?!)

[wonkylegs]

We're sitting in a car garage waiting to test drive bigger cars because no.2 is on the way and there is no leg room when DH drives.

[sepa]

We have decided that the car seat will go behind the drivers side after testing as like people have said about it being the side of the pavement. The isofix is easy to move about though so maybe when I don't have a fat tum tum I can try it on the opposite side but enter from pavement side and see the ease of it. We have a 3 door car so either way it's a pain really

[Picklesauage]

It nearly always recommended to have the most vulnerable passenger in the rear passenger side as it is statically far safer than all other positions without airbags.
When travelling with VIPs etc, they are always offered rear passenger side as it is safest and they are 'most valuable' (stupid bit of trivial alert!)

[mrsjskelton]

I can't put my seat where I need it if it's behind me so passenger side for us.