What happens with babies in the car- front or back of the car etc??

[mumblesmummy]

I would like my son to go in the back of the car when he arrives. It always seems strange to me when I see small children in the front of a car, with a parent in the back.

Is this possible, or by law do they go in the front seat? or by decency do they go in the front seat?

Also, they have to be rear facing until 9 months I believe? Where could I get one of those circular mirrors that face the baby so that you can see him in your rear view mirror??

Does anyone have advice on babies and cars?

hiya,

My dd is 6 1/2 months and she has always been in a rear facing carseat in the back. It can be used in the front but only if there is no airbag fitted or if it can be switched off as can be dangerous if there is a crash.

We got our baby mirror from halfords it just wraps around the backseat head rest. We also got an extra small rear view mirror for the front passenger side so dh and i can both see dd when out together.

Hope this helps

I recommend watching the fit the seat video guide Which have in their March 08 edition. Bottom left in the following link:
www.which.co.uk/childcarseatsvideo

Babies need to go in a seat without an airbag. So can go in the front but no need to.

They need to be rear facing for as long as possible usually 9 months ish sometimes a bit sooner or later depending on size of child. Rear facing is safer for vunerable necks in an impact.

We didn't use a mirror but I think I've seen them in mothercare.

I think Britax came out as one of safest in which tests. But report was a couple of years ago and I can't remember model.

Legally they can go in the front of the car, provided that there is no front passenger airbag or that you have deactivated the airbag. But it's always recommended to have them in the back. I don't know anyone who's routinely put a baby in the front seat.

Mirror here among other places.

my ds had to go in front of car when born as seat belts in back didnt fit round new born car seat

went into back as soon as outgrown baby car seat

its ok as long as no air bags on passenger side we didnt have much choice

Sorry to hijack, but which side in the back is best for the car seat - behind the driver or the passenger? I would have thought passenger side, as this would usually be the side for the kerb and therefore safer when getting out, but have seen lots behind the driver.

I've seen several different "definite" answers to this (actually, the one consistent one is that if you have one child and a proper seatbelt in the middle rather than a lapbelt then the middle is best).

Behind the driver is good because instinctively the driver tends to swerve away from an accident, so more collisions happen on the passenger side.

Behind the passenger is good because then if there's just the driver and the baby in the car and there's a head-on collision it reduces the chances of the driver's seat being thrust back against the baby seat.

Basically depends on whether you are planning to have a head-on accident or one at an angle...

You can always get the baby out from the pavement side whichever side you've put the seat.

(Eventually I put DS on the passenger side, because it was easier to see him there and there didn't seem to be a definitive answer from a safety point of view)

(I put dd on the passenger side because then I can reach with my left hand to chuck toys, dummies etc at her - I'm sure not v safe but safer than trying to reach behind the driver's seat)