Safest position for car seat?

[covenhope]

Assuming you have an otherwise empty back seat (no other children), which is the safest position for the baby's car seat? Middle, behind driver, behind passenger.

Have there been any studies?

Not sure about studies but I have been told that the safest place is the middle of the back seat. The problem is that in a lot of cars car seats do not sit correctly in the middle.

I wondered about that. My instinct was the middle seat but I wondered whether the front seats provide added protection?

When DH had an accident in an older-style car, the rear-view mirror (attached to the windscreen) shot through the car and hit the centre of the back seat. Now the mirror is moulded to the roof so it probably wouldn't happen.

We have a new seat that will also fit securely in the middle, and would be easier to fit a teenage boy either side of it, hence the question.

I was always told behind the passenger seat, due to the fact that you would always take them out on the pavement side rather than the road

I am sure i read on here that safest is behind the passenger seat
anyway - that is where DS's currently is

There was a thread recently that had a bit of this on it.

I think that
middle back was safest (well away from any side impact) followed by
behind passenger (get out on pavement + majority of side on collisions will be to drivers side)
followed by behind driver

Front with an airbag is very dangerous.

I think it was on the ROSPa website but don't have time to search it properly now...

Thanks people, I'll have a look on RoSPA

here, click each position for info

and here

scarymonster thank you! Exactly what I needed! We've bought a Britax seat that can be safely installed with a lapbelt, thus freeing the 3 point belts for the older DSs so I'm relieved that the middle seat is the safest for the baby.

worth double checking here

This is the Britax fit finder which can be used for guidance as to the seating positions for their seats. It sometimes gives extra info - and things to watch for that you don't think of (like the need to remove headreasts for some cars).

You need to register - but this is one of the few sites I have registered for and not been deluged with junk from.

Thanks, I'd already been on there to check which seat to buy.

(only 1 seat fits each of our cars- 2 different seats)