Where in the backseat is the safest place for a car seat?

A study published in Pediatrics, showed for children newborn to 3 years old and all installs being equal, sitting in the center rear seat is 43% safer than sitting on the side in the back. The rear center position will be the furthest from any impact in any type of crash.

Does car seat go behind driver or passenger?

Install in the Backseat

The car seat should always be installed in the back seat. That is the safest spot for your baby. If you can, put the car seat in the center seat. If not, it is fine behind either the driver or passenger side.

Should car seat be in the middle or side?

If you're placing only one car seat in the back seat, install it in the center of the seat — if a good fit is possible. Placing the car seat in the center minimizes the risk of injury during a crash.

Which side of back seat is best for car seat?

If it's the only car seat, the safest place to put a forward-facing car seat is on the center seat of the back seat. The same can be said for a rear-facing car seat as well. It's statistically proven that the center seat is the safest place to put a car seat.

Why is the middle the safest for a car seat?

Why is the middle seat safest? Simply stated, the middle seat is the furthest from impact during a collision, as well as the furthest away from air bags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat, ideally in the center.

Safest car seat placement if it can be installed properly

What is the safest place to sit in a car?

The rear middle seat is the safest seat in a car

Assuming a passenger is properly using their seatbelt or car seat or booster for a child, the rear middle seat is currently the safest seat in a car.

Is driver or passenger side safer for car seat?

The rear-center is perceived to be the safest, as it is furthest from side impact on either side. Statistically there is no significant difference from driver's side vs passenger side. Things to think about might be: If you live in an area where you parallel park, never take baby out on traffic side.

Are car seats Safe in third row?

A child properly restrained in the third row is quite safe, at least as safe as in the second row overall. Choice of rear seating position can make a difference, but simply being properly restrained in any appropriate rear seating position is the the main factor in reducing fatalities.

Is the middle the safest place for a car seat?

The center of the back seat is statistically the safest place in the car. Research from real crashes shows that the center is safest – particularly because you can't take a direct impact in the center. One study of kids 0-3 years old found that kids sitting in the center are 43% safer than those sitting on the side.

Where do you put a newborn baby in a car?

Always put your infant in a rear-facing child safety seat in the back of your car. A baby riding in the front seat can be fatally injured by a passenger side air bag. The shoulder straps must be at or below your baby's shoulders.

Can a child sit in the middle seat?

No room for a third child seat in the back of the car: If it's not possible to fit a third car seat into the back seat of the car, a child over the age of 3 can sit in the rear – in the middle, between the 2 other car seats – using only an adult seat belt.

How do you fit 3 carseats in the backseat?

You can put the two rear-facing seats behind the driver's seat and passenger's seat. You could then position the forward-facing seat in the opposite direction in the middle. This setup could also be convenient because the child in the forward-facing seat could buckle him or herself into the seat without assistance.

Do middle seats have LATCH?

While the center seat will usually have a tether anchor, it will typically not have Lower Anchors. The following spreadsheet will help you know which vehicles do have the lower anchors for the center seat (all positions that have lower anchors will have a tether anchor).

Can rear-facing car seat go in 3rd row?

Next, investigate safety features to ensure that vehicle protections extend all the way to the third row, including retractable seat belts and head restraints. Last, avoid rear-facing or side-benches, as car seats are only tested in forward-facing vehicle seats.

What cars have anchor points in the 3rd row?

The only models that do have the anchor points in the second and third row seats are the Everest (both rows) and CX-9 (one on the third row).

Is latch safer than seatbelt?

The truth is that neither is more safe than the other when used properly. According to government testing standards, there aren't any safety-related advantages to using seat belts over LATCH lower anchors, or LATCH lower anchors over seat belts, provided that the seats are installed correctly.

Is the back of a car safer?

In a head-on car crash, it's common to assume that the safest place to be is in the back seat. But, a recent study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that rear passengers might be in more danger in a head-on car crash than those in the front seat.

What is considered the death seat in a car?

the passenger seat next to the driver in an automobile, regarded as dangerous in the event of a collision.

When should I stop using LATCH?

In order to use the LATCH system, the sum of the child's weight and the weight of the car seat must be no more than 65 pounds. Since most car seats weigh upwards of 20 pounds now, many manufacturers recommend that you stop using the LATCH system when a child reaches 40 pounds.

Do all car seats need to be anchored?

Booster seats heavier than 2kg must be anchored to an anchorage point.

Can a child sit on your lap in car?

Babies and toddlers under the age of three must travel in an appropriate car seat in any private vehicle, whether it's your own or someone else's. You must never travel in a car with a baby or toddler on your lap under any circumstances!