to insist DC use the middle seats in the Zafira, for safety?

[wigglylines]

We have a new Zafira. (Well, old actually but new to us!)

DS is very excited by the back seats as it's a novelty and wants to sit there.

However I can't help thinking that the back seats would surely be more risky in the event of a shunt from behind.

DP reckons we should let him, as the back seats have the same NCAP rating as the middle seats, but what does this actually mean in practical terms? I've read that NCAP doesn't look at rear collisions, does anyone know if this is correct?

Surely it's just a matter of physics - if the car gets hit from the behind, anyone in the back is at more risk, aren't they? And so for regular use, it would be better if the DC sat in the safest spot?

The way I see it, the back seats are for occasional use around town, when we have a car-full, not to sit in habitually if you have a choice of a safer seat. AIBU?

that looks a lot bigger than my fiesta lol

My mum has a zafira as she sometimes drives all her grandchildren around, and the kids in the back are basically in the boot.

However a friend of mine has a little toyota aygo with also has only a few inches between the back seats and back window, so not sure if cars like that are any different?

Sometimes you don't have any choice but to use the rear two seats though. We also have a Zafira (love it!) and I'll be driving Leeds - Manchester next Sunday with six of us in the car. My two (age 7 and 10) will be in the rear back seats and I'll obviously be driving at more than 30mph. Not sure what I can do apart from ensure I drive safely I can't speak for the rest of the drivers on the M62 who are sometimes in a league of there own

I do think we can end up worrying a bit too much about car safety. When I was a child putting extra kids in the footwells or just in the boot of an estate car was perfectly acceptable. Obviously it's great that things have moved on and generally cars are safer, but we can drive ourselves crazy worrying about every "what if".

San, they've certainly changed but it's the same year as the zafira above so seemed the most resonable comparison.

Wrt super minis, they are even closer but the crucial bit is the crumple zone. If seats are in the crumple zone they are higher risk than if they aren't. I believe the super minis don't use the crumple zone and are designed to crumple in different ways to allow for the shorter length.

hollie you sound like certain members of my family!

I'm not worrying myself silly. I'm trying to make an informed choice.

When I was younger I spent many happy days riding pillion on the back of my then boyfriend's 750cc motorbike. We went fast, faster than most other things on the road. I was under no illusion it was risky. But I was young and carefree and I knew any bike ride could be my last but I chose to take the risk and enjoy it.

Now I'm older and perhaps life seems a bit more precious to me, I choose to keep my children as safe as I can. I'm not worrying about every little thing. I'm simply learning about my new car, so that I will know which is the safest spot. I will then ensure that that's where my DC sit.

You may chose to live in ignorance, fair enough. But I'd rather know and make an informed choice, personally. That's not the same thing as worrying about every little thing. There are risky things I encourage my children to do, again an informed choice (e.g. contact sports) so it's not about wrapping them up in cotton wool. It's about making simple choices which could potentially have major implications.

Sure children used to sit in foot wells, and I remember the excitement of being allowed to sit the boot of my Dad's estate car, along with assorted other children. That doesn't make it OK. Not everyone who did that did live past the 70s / 80s to tell the tale, that's the point, and why we don't do it now.

My post was really not attacking you in any way OP, no need to be so rude.

I never understand these worries.
If you car gets a smash, depending on how bad it is and where the car his hit, the combined speed of the cars etc determines how hurt somebody is.
It really doesn't matter what car you have, they are all metal boxes and you take risks when entering them.

Road deaths peaked in the 1970s (a quick google suggests) which might suggest our concern with seatbelts and car seats is not unwarranted.

"It does doesn't matter what car you have" - clearly not the words of anyone who's ever watched a crash test video!

That has to be amongst the most obtuse things I've ever read theposter.

Yanbu

Never let our 3 sit in the boot with our Zafira. When they were too big to sit 3 across we changed to a Toyota Lucida as the crunch zone with 3 rows of seats is bigger.

Sorry hollie84 I didn't mean to be rude, I think you may have touched a raw nerve!

A particular member of my family tends to try to close down any conversation about "what ifs" or safety by accusing me of worrying, when I feel I'm doing anything but. Worrying is generally irrational and ineffective IMO. Whereas finding out the risks and doing something about them (without at any point getting in a flap, or "worrying") is common sense IMO. I find it incredibly annoying and patronising when my family member does this! Sorry I didn't mean to offend you - possible I may have been projecting a bit there!

theposterformallyknownas I'm confused - which bit don't you understand?

I'm researching a new car at the moment - how do you find out about crunch zones? I haven't seen them mentioned in car reviews.

Sanfairyanne I am surprised to see that you don't drive your fiesta on the motorway with kids in the back due to safety concerns. I have had a fiesta for the last three years and I have never felt that it was risky with DD in the back - no more risky than any other small car. That said, I don't think that I'd ever drive one of those two seater jobbies!!!

Op
Surely this should have been part of the discussion before purchase...
No way would I let my kids sit there and no way anyone else's kids I was responsible for .

Rear seats are a pita to put kids in. I only have one of my rear seats up for dc3 when my dh is home otherwise I have the rear seats down and a nice big boot

Waltonswatcher I have already explained upthread why we got the car.

Ok - so for those who think you should never use the rear seats - which cars have rear seats that are as safe as the middle row? Does anyone know? Are there any? Or am I looking at something that massive Volvo thingy, XC something? Cos that's really much more expensive bigger than I'm comfortable with. We don't use our rear seats that often but when we need them we need them so I do want to stick with a 7 seater, just not the Zafira.

wiggly My DP is like your infuriating family member - it dives me up the wall.

We have both a Verso and and Aygo!

The back seats in the Verso aren't really suitable for anyone beyond a young teen (I'm 5'2, I don't find them at all comfortable). We only rarely use them as we have two teenagers - it's the boot space which matters to us,

The back of the Aygo is as comfortable as the back of anything else, which startled me given how tiny it is.

I don't think it's possible for rear seats to be as safe as the middle row, because the middle row is always protected by the rear row from a rear shunt.

Our VW Sharan has curtain air bags for all seven seats, right to rear of cabin.
This was an important safety concern of mine, my family history of a RTA means I rather overthink ( others may say!) safety but my DH who has known my family for years and seen the impact of a bereavement, fortunately always supports me on safety concerns.

You assess the risk for yourself. But I understand those veering to safety first.

When asking for a recommendation on which car has a good safety record, a traffic police officer friend if mine said from what he had seen on the motorway to avoid the Zafira.

If you want to be as safe as possibe in a seven +seater you need a van with a big boot crumple zone , the Vito, VW Transporter, I800 etc. All the seat fold down cars are a safety compromise but of course money is a major consideration to most people, very few are involved in serious accidents so chances are all will be well. The Zafira is very similar in a serious accident to a Galaxy or the back seat of a small car.