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Parenting

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Original poster

Car seat law 4m old

14 replies

MumToBe2015R · 13/12/2015 22:52

I have a 4m old and when I need to do a long journey (approx 1hr) to see family it's abit difficult with him sitting in the back. I have a mirror facing him so he can see me (but he never can find me) I can see him though. But he gets very irritated because he can't see me.

Is it allowed to have the car seat at the front?
Front facing? Rear facing?

Cannot find anything about this on the Internet.

Thank you

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Miloarmadillo1 · 13/12/2015 22:54

You can have it in the front seat as long as you can disable ( or don't have) the airbags. It is generally considered safer to have them in the back though.

Miloarmadillo1 · 13/12/2015 22:54

Surely all seats are rear facing at 4m old??

timealone · 13/12/2015 22:56

Yeah you can put the seat in the front if you disable the passenger airbag. Seat must still be rear facing though. I used to do this if I was on a long journey with DS by myself. He was a terrible traveller until about 8 months old!

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JarethTheGoblinKing · 13/12/2015 22:58

It's much much safer in the back row, much less distracting for you as well.

Obviously rear facing.

Keep the seat in the back, it's so much safer, baby will be fine. An hour isn't that long, really. Do it after a full feed and change and will probably fall asleep.

vestandknickers · 13/12/2015 22:58

Legally you can have him in the front, but he has to be rear facing and that is incredibly dangerous if you have airbags. He is far safer in the back and he really doesnt need to see you. He might get grumpy, but he is safer which should be your priority.

dementedpixie · 13/12/2015 22:58

You cannot have a 4 month old forward facing anyway. They could go in the front if no airbag or it is disabled. It is still safer for them to be in the back though

passmethewineplease · 13/12/2015 22:59

Certainly don't forward face. That's illegal.

You can have them in the front of the airbags are disabled.

Sometimes needs must. Whilst I generally try and keep my kids in the back on the odd occasion they go in the front.

Alisvolatpropiis · 13/12/2015 23:01

My daughter has gone in the front in my car, with the airbags disabled since birth. I have a very small car and it doesn't seat the rear facing car seat correctly in the back. she's 6 months now and has never distracted me whilst driving.

ottothedog · 13/12/2015 23:03

Rearfacing for another couple of years not months is safest. At that age you risk breaking their necks in a crash if forward facing. New laws will be rearfacing til about 15 months i think?

Original poster

MumToBe2015R · 13/12/2015 23:21

Firstly how stupid of me for writing 'front facing' I have heard this before but slipped my mind. Okay I guess I will just leave him in the back then lol! His safety is of course my main priority so let's see how it goes, he will just have to get used to it

Thank you for all your replies x

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LucyBabs · 13/12/2015 23:26

My ds hated being in the car. I put him in the front with me with him rear facing and airbag turned off at 3months. He never distracted me. It was worse when he was screaming in the back seat and I couldn't comfort him

Fuckitfay · 13/12/2015 23:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FishWithABicycle · 13/12/2015 23:33

1 hour isn't that long a journey. Unless your ds is a terrible sleeper, setting off just as he's sleepy for a nap will mean he sleeps all the way there? Mine was a poor sleeper and would only sleep for 40 mins at a time but we still did a 1hr journey without qualms - he would sleep for 40 mins, and bewail the misery of his fate for 15 mins when he woke up and the journey wasn't over, but then it was over and everyone was happy again. We didn't do any journeys longer than that till he was big enough to cope with journeys without screaming though.

specialsubject · 14/12/2015 12:20

disable the airbag. Consider relative risks - a crying baby is incredibly distracting (by design!) so make sure your route allows plenty of chances for stopping.

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