Have you ever asked this question “When can a child sit in the front Seat?“.
This is a very important question considering the fact that many children has died in a crash due to poor child passenger safety.
According to data, in the United States motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children. In 2018, 636 children 12 years old and younger died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, and more than 97,000 were injured. Of the children 12 years old and younger who died in a crash in 2018 (for which restraint use was known), 33% were not buckled up. Parents and caregivers can make a lifesaving difference.
While airbags are meant to protect adults from harm in a car crash, they can’t protect children sitting in the front seat.
Based on child safety information by CDC (Center for Disease Control), the CDC states that whenever you are on the road, make sure children aged 12 and under are always properly buckled in the back seat in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt, whichever is appropriate for their weight, height, and age.
However while some quarters like CDC advise that children from 12 years and below be buckled properly in the back seat, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children ages 13 and under buckle up in the back seat for safety.
Without going into too much stories, let’s get back to the subject matter – When can a child sit in the front Seat?
When Can A Child Sit In The Front Seat
According to the National Safety Council, children should ride in a booster seat until they reach all of the following:
- At least 9 years of age
- 4 feet 9 inches in height
- 80 lb in weight
In other words, age is not the only determinant factor for determining when a child can sit in the front seat of the car. This entails that even if the child is above 12 or 13 years, without meeting the National Safety Council criteria they should be discouraged from travelling in the front seat of a car.
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Child passenger safety stages according to CDC
We should make sure children are properly buckled in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt–whichever is appropriate for their weight, height, and age.
- Use a rear-facing car seat from birth until ages 2–4.
- For the best possible protection, infants and toddlers should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat, in the back seat, until they reach the maximum weight and height limits of their car seat.
- Check the car seat manual and labels on the car seat for weight and height limits.
- After outgrowing the rear-facing car seat, use a forward-facing car seat until at least age 5.
- When children outgrow their rear-facing car seats, they should be buckled in a forward-facing car seat, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of their car seat.
- Check the car seat manual and labels on the car seat for weight and height limits.
- After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat, use a booster seat until seat belts fit properly.
- Once children outgrow their forward-facing car seat, they should be buckled in a belt-positioning booster seat, in the back seat, until seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck).
- Once seat belts fit properly without a booster seat, use a seat belt on every trip.
- Children no longer need to use a booster seat once seat belts fit them properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck).
- Proper seat belt fit usually occurs when children are about 4 feet 9 inches tall and aged 9–12 years. Seat belt fit can vary by vehicle so check fit in all vehicles. For the best possible protection, keep children properly buckled in the back seat.
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