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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

3 year old, front seat of car

51 replies

firstposts · 28/09/2014 10:04

DH has been travelling with our DS in the front seat of car. Using booster seat with airbags disabled. After we had discussed not doing this as it felt like an unnecessary risk. AIBU to be really cross?

OP posts:

Ron99 · 28/09/2014 10:10

A three year old must use the correct child seat or restraint when in car. This can be front or back. No reason to switch off air bags. Hubby isn't breaking the law. You both have different opinions

3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole · 28/09/2014 10:11

It's not something I would do, and I would be angry if someone did it with my dc

CeliaBowen · 28/09/2014 10:11

Is the 3 year old heavy enough for the booster?

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 28/09/2014 10:12

Ron it is essential that the airbags are switched off if a child seat is used in the front passenger seat.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/09/2014 10:14

By booster seat what do you mean? If it's just one of those ones that is a cushion with no back then that's definitely not ok for a three year old, they still need a full car seat.

Mine are 10 and 8 and still only sit in the front if there's no room in the back.

Nanny0gg · 28/09/2014 10:14

No reason to switch off air bags

Really? What on earth makes you think that? Surely that's essential?

Would it be okay if it was a 'proper' car seat as opposed to a booster?

Original poster

firstposts · 28/09/2014 10:15

He is the right weight / height for the booster. I have no issue if I am being unreasonable, I will take it on the chin. My understanding was that children are safest in the back? Moving the seat to the front to give DS a treat just seemed irresponsible to me.

OP posts:

nannynicnic · 28/09/2014 10:16

@Think I've Been Hacked, It's not essential for a child of that age to be in the front seat and the airbag be switched off ,so long as they are in the correct child restraint, and you have moved the passenger seat back away from the air bag it's fine.. It depends on the individual and what they prefer.

extremepie · 28/09/2014 10:16

I thought you only had to switch them off if it was a rear facing seat (for babies)?

Laquila · 28/09/2014 10:16

Certainly if a child is rear-facing in the front the airbag must absolutely be switched off. I too would have thought the average 3-yr old would be in a group 2/3 seat rather than a booster. How much does he weigh? That said, it isn't just about weight - age is important in terms of determining how developed his muscles and bones are.

Regardless of the above, I'd be annoyed if my husband and I had agreed not to take a particular risk in relation to child safety and he'd then decided to do it anyway.

Original poster

firstposts · 28/09/2014 10:17

I think I've been using the word booster in error, sorry. It is a seat in that it has a back?

OP posts:

Paraibalove · 28/09/2014 10:17

I have mine in the front, air bags disabled and the seat moved as far back as possible. We have a seat with a shield.

Her incessant screaming and demands from the back became too much of a distraction. so much better now.

I think yabu- but, up until recently I also very much thought the back was safest.. but I really had no reason as to why.

Laquila · 28/09/2014 10:22

Maybe a high-backed booster, OP? I'd prefer my 3-yr old to extended rear face, so for me the issue wouldn't so much be the front seat part as the fact that I'd still want them in a car seat at that age, rather than a booster, IYSWIM.

VeryLittleGravitasIndeed · 28/09/2014 10:24

YANBU. I'd be furious with anyone doing this with my child, it's just so unnecessary to take the risk. Cars are dangerous. Also I think it can invalidate your insurance if you disable the airbag?

Ron99 · 28/09/2014 10:31

All of you commenting on air bags. It is illegal to carry a child in a rear facing carrier in the front of the vehicle with the airbags ON.

It's NOT illegal to activate airbags in the front. There has been a lot of research and it is safe to use airbags in the front when a child 3 and over is CORRECTLY restrained in a car.

If you choose to put a child in the front of a vehicle why wouldn't you ensure they are correctly restrained and have the same safety benefits as you?

I prefer children to travel in the rear of my car but I accept other people prefer them up front or have no option e.g. using a van or no more room in the back.

Nanny0gg · 28/09/2014 13:10

Surely if, god forbid, you were in an accident and the airbags were activated, the child stands a good chance of being injured by them? Possibly severely?

WhereYouLeftIt · 28/09/2014 13:26

I don't think it is unreasonable for a three-year-old to travel in the front of the car.

In your OP you said "After we had discussed not doing this as it felt like an unnecessary risk." OK, so a discussion took place - did an agreement also take place? YANBU to be cross if an agreement was broken, but YABU if your DH disagreed and did not feel it was an unnecessary risk.

VeryLittleGravitasIndeed · 28/09/2014 13:53

"There has been a lot of research and it is safe to use airbags in the front when a child 3 and over is CORRECTLY restrained in a car."
All the research has also consistently shown that the rear seat is safer. And that even with second generation airbags small children are at risk of injury.
And while it may not be illegal to deactivate the airbag it can in some cases invalidate the warranty or insurance so not a great idea.

So why would anyone do it?

ZumZee · 28/09/2014 14:16

I put my 5yo in the front in his HBB with airbag off. Because I cannot fit 3 car seats across the back seat.

Airbags can injure small children, it is safer to have the seat pulled right bag and the airbag off.

Fluffyears · 28/09/2014 14:34

I worked for a vehicle company (1in 4 cars on the road have the badge I worked for) now this is 10 years ago but the advice was a child under 12 should always be in the rear of the car. In the event of a collision from behind the boot absorbs the impact. In a front end collision the engine cannot forced into front of the vehicle.

Fluffyears · 28/09/2014 14:35

Sorry engine can be forced backwards into front of the vehicle.

m0therofdragons · 28/09/2014 14:37

I was told to switch off airbags for rear facing but with a booster you leave it on but ensure the passenger seat it right back. I looked into it a lot as my mum drives a two seat car and was collecting dd. The info is very confusing though.

Original poster

firstposts · 28/09/2014 14:38

Okay, a mixed bag in my mind we had discussed it and agreed not to. He remembers the conversation but not the agreement part. It seems I may have been wrong in believing front seat was more dangerous? I truly believed children safest in the back but perhaps Aibu.

OP posts:

VeryLittleGravitasIndeed · 28/09/2014 14:49

Front seat IS more dangerous. Not instant death territory, and not as bad as first generation airbags (1990s) but still rear is better.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 28/09/2014 14:52

Obviously they are safer in the back but occasionally we have to take an extra child out with us so they have to go in the front. They are in a forward facing seat, sat right back.

My car has this sticker in, and another huge symbol beside a key activated switch to turn the air bag off if using a rear facing seat. If it invalidated anything by using it surely the manufacturer would not be able to install it?

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