10 year old in front seat (>135cm)

[sleepraptor]

Is there any reason not to have a 10 year old child who is above the height for a car seat in the front seat? And would you keep the air bags on?

From what I can find online it seems to be fine, and you can even have a child in a car seat in the front seat. Seems to suggest if front facing then keep air bag on (turn off if rear facing).

And a side question, is there any benefit to keeping them on a booster seat even if past 135cm but not yet 12?

Thanks

When I typed bone density, I did think that I probably got the wrong term. But a 7 year old who’s very tall has 7 year old bones, not stronger ones that might be able to cope better in the event of an accident, like say a 12 year old. Not sure if I’ve explained myself well there, am rather tired!!

My niece is very tall and at 10 years old was 153cm but the seatbelt, without a booster, was across her tummy in our car so really didn’t fit well in that respect - but shoulder-wise it was perfect (she is very broad shouldered). But at that point she’d not sat on a booster seat for about five years and I don’t know what the seatbelt was like in her parents’ car.

I thought booster seats were a no no now in the UK? I thought it was HBB or nothing.

I thought the problem with the booster cushions is that they can slip when in an accident?

No it's not HBB or nothing. The law changed so that booster cushions are only approved for group 3 so a minimum of 22kg / 125cm. A high backed booster is better, but a booster cushion does still have a function.

A backless booster won't slip in an accident as long as the lap belt is properly engaged in the hooks on it. A plain cushion would slip as it has nothing like that, perhaps that's what you're thinking about?

I think the bone density thing must be a myth because I don't understand what a booster seat is doing to protect bones. It just routes the seatbelt differently. Perhaps this is an argument for keeping younger children in a harnessed seat and it's been extrapolated somehow to older children?

OK that's great to know re appropriate height and lap belt. My 9yo is over 135 I'm sure, must measure, but so far still on HBB. Thanks for that.

what people fail to recognise is that unless the airbag is physically removed there's no guarantee it won't inflate in an accident even if had been disconnected.
However small, the risk is there.

my kids are all on top percentile for height so typically they have been able to sit in front passenger seat from 8 - 8.5 y.
we also have teens & adult sitting there so airbags are connected

@BertieBotts I think it was something to do with holding the belt in the right place. Can’t remember where I saw the discussion/article now, but I seem to recall there being a comparison between a short (female) adult and a tall child and the bone strength of the pelvis. It was quite some time ago though now and when I was concerned about my niece’s safety! And it just sort of made sense to me. Just thankful that my daughter, at 10, prefers being in the hbb!!