Can you put a car seat in front passenger seat?

[RamblingRosa]

DD (3.3) has been getting motion sickness and today was sick on just a short journey in the back seat. Out of desperation I moved the car seat to the front passenger seat a) to be closer to me because she was upset and b) because I know I sometimes feel car sick in the back but am fine in the front.

She loved it and said she felt much better.

Is this ok to do? Or is it horribly unsafe and should I hang my head in shame

I think there is mixed views on this.

I have put DD in the front since she moved up to the next stage car seat at 3.6yrs. I like being able to talk to her on journeys, see what she is up to and be able to pass her stuff without twisting my arm each time

However, I do make sure the seat is as far back as possible so if the passenger air bag does deploy, she is sitting as far away from it as can be therefore may not get as squashed.

it isn't as safe, and if you have an airbag you would need to move her seat back as far as you can get it...

but it isn't the end of the world

Some newer cars have the option of turning the front airbag off?

Thanks. I was thinking of getting the airbag taken out/deactivated. Apparently any garage can do it.

I like having her up at the front with me as well and it does seem to help with her motion sickness.

I don't want to do it if it's not safe though.

rambling, it isn't as safe, but that doesn't mean it's not safe at all iyswim?
the safest position is the rear middle seat, then rear passenger side, then rear drivers side then front (i THINK!)

but you also have to weigh up the risks of the distraction to yourself if she is upset during the journey and, of course, her own well-being.

I personally would have her in the front if you're sure the carseat fits well in the front seat (our highback boosters for example just don't fit in the front seat of our car)
and if you can disable the airbag or failing that push the seat as far back as you can get it

Thanks thisisyesterday

I didn't know the rear middle was safest. I would have thought that was worst in terms of likelihood of being projected forward through front windscreen.

She's always been in rear passenger side until now. The car seat does seem to fit quite well in the front seat but the next size up (she's getting a bit big for her Group 2 one) might not fit so well.

As a sufferer of motion sickness since I was a small child, I can ONLY sit in the front of a car. I've actually sat in the front since I was about 8 years old (it took my parents that long to work out the cure!). Assuming you can turn off the front passenger airbag (not an issue twenty odd years ago), then I'd say it was probably the best thing for the motion sickness.

If it was my child, I'd prefer them to be up front with me and not throwing up, than chucking up in the back - which I think would be more distracting!

Some people grow out of it, I never have sadly.

I know how you feel tigermummy. I remember being car sick a lot as a child. I only just realised recently that I still get car sick if I sit in the back but I'm fine in the front.

Yes you can. We have a van, so that's what we do.