Car seat laws?

[Slipp3rs]

I have a 7 seater car.

When I’m driving which option do you think is safer

Option 1 - Baby, toddler, 4 year old across middle row and 5 year old in on of the the boot seats. Leaving empty front passenger seat

Or

Option 2 - Baby, toddler, 4 year old across middle row and 5 year old in the front passenger seat leaving boot empty.

Or alternative.

I never know which way round is the safest way travel and I can’t find any advice online.

Thank in advance x

The boot is the crumble zone of the car, designed to take impact and limit the amount of damage done to the seating area. If your car is one without a permanent boot separate from the "boot seat", the front is definitely safer.

Id turn off the airbag and put a rear facing carseat in the front passenger. Rest across the back middle row (eldest in middle).

thanks - got that wrong then. sorry OP. . clearly didn't have a coffee yet!

Having said that, I would not put the 5 year old in the boot seat either (crumble zone) and put 4/5 year old in middle row and baby on passenger seat (with airbag off). I still think this is the safest option

I’d go for baby rear facing in front without air bag on the other three in middle row.

Alternative is to put oldest in front with seat as far back as possible and air bag on.

As others have said rule airbag off for rear facing seats. On but as far away from bag as possible for forward facing.

I’d avoid using boot seats unless car is full with other kids. Then I’d put biggest kids in boot seats.

If your boot seats do not have a boot space behind them when up, I wouldn’t use them except for occasional trips. It is safest to put a rear facing seat in the front with the airbag off- this is just as safe as being in the middle row of rear facing. If you put a child forward facing in the front you must consult your car manual to determine whether the airbag is on or not and what position to have the front seat is - there is no consensus because the answer is different for different cars. Ideally children under 12 shouldn’t travel forward facing in the front.

I'd put the oldest child in the back row every time. Preferably in the near side seat.

I have a 7-seater and recently needed to take a 4 week old, 9 month old, and two 2 year olds. We have a Kiddy seat for the eldest 2 year old and it comes with a list of most makes and models and which seats are appropriate for the car seat to be fitted.

Based on the diagram for our car we went with your option one: eldest 2 year old in passenger side boot seat, 10 month old, 4 week old, younger 2 year old in that order across the middle.

It worked fine and all the luggage was secured properly which has been my other concern.

No advice on trying to fit so many seats in but can you not have your toddler rear-facing as well as the newborn? It is so, so much safer for them to rear-face until aged 4.

There is a Facebook group called Car Seat Advice UK, the admins are experts in all kinds of different car and booster seats and would be able to advise the safest option for you if you post there.