Child in front seat (car)

I'm not sure what the legal answer is, but for safety, not until puberty. The bone strength of a child is based on age, not size, and air bags have a lot of force.

muskrat191 wrote: ↑ I'm not sure what the legal answer is, but for safety, not until puberty. The bone strength of a child is based on age, not size, and air bags have a lot of force.

This!!! Size means nothing. Their bones and muscles aren't nearly as developed as an adult. Keep them where they belong, in the backseat.

Disable the front passenger air bag

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety ... ices.shtml

Passengers under age 16
While they're not required to sit in the back seat, research has shown that children under age 13 are safest in the back seat of motor vehicles away from active airbags.

Exception: Where a back seat is unavailable, or if the back seat is a sideways facing seat, such as in a light-duty truck, children can sit in the front seat only if:

there is no active airbag for the front seat
OR
the front air bag can be switched off*

*If there is no switch to turn the air bag on/off, visit Transport Canada for more information on their deactivation program.

You can get information on child passenger safety from your local public health unit.

Thanks
So what if it is an adult person - is it safer in back ?

reefer123 wrote: ↑ Thanks
So what if it is an adult person - is it safer in back ?

Most research these days seem to point to the front seat being safer than the back seat (for adults only), provided the car is a modern vehicle. The front seat has become far safer over the decades and the back seat has been mostly ignored.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/busi ... afety.html
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/2424 ... y-says.htm

Shaner wrote: ↑ Most research these days seem to point to the front seat being safer than the back seat (for adults only), provided the car is a modern vehicle. The front seat has become far safer over the decades and the back seat has been mostly ignored.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/busi ... afety.html
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/2424 ... y-says.htm

Thanks , that was interesting

So not so sure now , if people over 55 should sit in front becouse theirs bones are not so strong anymore - but kids under 13 should be in the back because their bones are not strong yet ... ?

reefer123 wrote: ↑ Thanks , that was interesting

So not so sure now , if people over 55 should sit in front becouse theirs bones are not so strong anymore - but kids under 13 should be in the back because their bones are not strong yet ... ?

Don't overthink it. Studies and research is done all the time on the well being of kids. Not as many resources are put into elderly, frail people. I doubt the research on the health of old people in accidents is being done.

Besides it's not just age related. Someone at 75 might be in better shape than someone who is 55. I would suggest that if you have a family member with neck and/or spine issues, they discuss with their doctor whether they should be in a seat with an airbag. Or even better, discuss with a specialist because most family doctors don't know how to do anything but write prescriptions.