Car seat safety dilemma

[PabloandGustheGreySquirrels]

Hi
I'm a disabled lone parent with one 8yr old child and have recently had to get a hoist to get my mobility scooter in & out of the car.
The hoist itself can only go in one way and to save going into detail, it's meant my daughter's car seat has had to be moved from the rear passenger side (ideal safest place for a child seat in vehicle).

Obviously I realise many families who have multiple children, have them sat either side in the rear and there's nothing at all wrong with that. Obviously I would do the same in that situation, I'm not saying that being behind the driver is 'unsafe' but in order to have her seat there, I need to have a part fitted to the seatbelt socket as the other seats being down is covering the original socket..

So my question is - should I keep her in the back but behind me, or just go the easy route and put her car seat in the front? As I said, she's 8 almost 9. Average height & weight for her age.

She does have a good, appropriate car seat for her age. I used to be a car seat fitter, which I think adds to my focusing on the safety aspect of this! It's not just anxiety

So should I have the company fit the adapter to keep her in the back or not bother? Do/would you have your 8 almost 9yr old in the front?

Please be kind I'm just wanting to make sure I'm making the best decision for my child's safety.

If you don’t get the part fitted, then you’ll not be able to have another passenger in the car ever? That would decide it for me. You might want to give a friend a lift as well as DD sometime.
I would get it fitted and insist she goes in the back on motorways. Wouldn’t mind so much when driving about town at low speeds.

Unfortunately things have changed slightly since I posted. I've discovered that the part isn't available in this country due to safety regulations and the front seat doesn't have isofix! (My last car did so I thought this one would as it's also brand new. How wrong was I?!)
So I'm going to have to either get a booster seat and use it in the front (even just having a booster seat in the back would mean she still couldn’t access the seatbelt socket) or get the hoist removed.

Would you be happy having an 8yr old in a booster seat in the front for ALL journeys? Call me paranoid but it doesn't sit right with me

She's 8, not 8 months. Buy the best booster you can, put the seat back as far as possible (I think that's still the recommendation) and crack on.

There's plenty of vehicles out there with only "front" seats and people manage.

Check your car manual. Some say no car seat's of any type in the front so no children under 12.
Some will say airbag off other car's will say airbag on. Some cars will say the position of the front seat away from the dash/airbag.

My daughter is behind the driver as it makes sense for us but she's only 3 and rear facing.

Isofix on high back booster seat is only optional. It just saves you having to strap the seat in when empty. The seat belt holds the child in.
High back booster seat offer side protection that just a booster seat doesn't.

Oh yeah I know but the car seat we have, the isofix pins don't retract or fold, so if I use the seat anyway, the pins will dig in to & damage the vehicle's seat.

Good advice, thank you!

I'd invest in a non-isofix high back booster seat that will last until your DD no longer need any car seat, and put it in the front seat.
I have a just 9 year old and I wouldn't be happy with just a booster seat for anything more than the 5 minute drive to school in the front.

She’s 8, the front is fine! Just get a non isofix booster, make sure the seat is as far back as it goes and consult your car manual as to whether the airbag should stay on or be turned off.

My now 10yo has had to travel in front on longer journeys for a few years now due to car sickness. Its not perfect, but the safety of her not throwing up outweighs the unlikely chance of being in an accident.

Have the seat as far back as possible.

Thank you 🙏

👍🏻 Thanks will do

You'll have to disable the airbag in the front if she sits up there. It's safer in the back but sometimes you just have to do the next best thing. Is there anyone locally who is an expert that can help? I'm in the states and we have certified safety people you can call, as well as hospitals and fire stations. Maybe you can call around and see if anyone has an idea.

You'll have to disable the airbag in the front if she sits up there.
This isn’t universally true and you need to check your car’s manual not just presume. Mine says to leave it on. Also why would you need an expert for a booster seat? Unlike some of the complicated seatbelt install toddler seats a booster is basically idiot proof.

I get the dilemma but sometimes you have to do the less than perfect thing. My 3 year old is about to move to travelling in a wheelchair in a WAV, the seatbelts that hold an adult in place in their wheelchair in their WAV aren't tested below 22kg weight and he's nowhere near that but getting him in and out of a car seat is no longer safe In an ideal world he'd be rear facing in his car seat but it's no longer possible so I have to opt for plan B, it is a choice we sometimes have to make.

Oh bless him

Thank you for this, you're absolutely right

Which car seat do you have? I have never come across a high backed booster where the isofix doesn't retract or fold. Is it one that started off as a harnessed seat and you take the harness out? In this case it is probably worth replacing with a standalone high backed booster anyway. The multi-mode ones sit the child up higher and further forward, which is not ideal in the front. You want them as far back as it is possible to have them. So push the front seat as far back as it goes too, as long as the seatbelt isn't then loose on your DD because she's sitting too far behind it (if that makes sense.)

Agree with checking the car manual about the airbag, and agree that sometimes less than ideal solution is fine. At 8 she will be much taller and with a booster may well be the correct height for the airbag anyway. It is when children have their heads at adult chest height that it is the biggest danger. (And rear facing, which is why that is illegal in combination with an active airbag.)

These are some good options on offer at the moment (all which say they have isofix, it can be retracted.)

Cybex Solution G i-Fix - high safety rating https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B97ZRSSY

Diono Monterey 2 CXT Fix - meant to be comfy, roomy for older children. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TTK28KM

Britax Adventure 2 Plus - good safety rating and more grown up, minimal look https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BDCC6345

Graco Eversure - under £100 and good safety rating, newer safety standard https://www.halfords.com/baby-and-child/car-seats/child-car-seats/graco-eversure-i-size-high-back-booster-seat---iron-164691.html

Not seen this one before, seems new, but possibly a good budget buy? The old Graco boosters are not well rated for safety, but this looks like it might be based on the Joie Trillo design and it's R129 rated. So if you want the cheapest HBB you can get away with I think this is probably a good bet for the price (but if you want to be sure then look at the above options instead) https://www.halfords.com/baby-and-child/car-seats/toddler-car-seats/graco-junior-maxi-i-size-r129-highback-booster-seat---midnight-819750.html

If you do decide to go for a backless booster it doesn't need to be fancy - the Graco R129 one and the Manga Safe one are both good options and cheap (under £30).