Depending on where you live, it may be legal to have a large child under the age of 12 sitting in the front. Just read these laws carefully. Consider deactivating your passenger airbag if your child is less than five feet tall or weighs less than 150 pounds. You have a lot of questions, so we`ll break it all down for you and tell you how tall and how old your child should be to sit in the passenger seat. We will address security issues, and then the question of legality from one state to another (this varies). In addition to carefully reading the manufacturer`s instructions, you can contact a certified child seat technician. A Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPS) can check that you have properly installed your car seats and teach you how to properly install and use a car seat yourself. They can also chat with you when it is safe for a child to drive in the front seat of a car. Recent changes to published guidelines on “The age of children to sit in the front seat of a car” have caused confusion and concern among parents who are unclear about the differences between laws and policies and the impact on their children and families. In addition to this confusion, the difference in security requirements within a generation is very important. Adult seats: Once children reach the age of 8 and/or exceed the upper height and weight limits of their booster seats, they can sit alone in the car seats. Children must remain in the back seat until at least the age of 13.
Most cars are equipped with this information to recall views or other places in the vehicle, especially when it comes to the danger that front airbags pose to children, teenagers and other smaller or younger bodies. The AAP recommends that all children under the age of 12 sit in the back — so your child can sit in the front when they reach the age of thirteen — this is the common knowledge that many parents follow. Attorney Ryan Thompson and his experienced team of legal experts have handled a variety of cases in which children have been injured in motor vehicle and other accidents. The solid experience in litigation and the compassionate treatment of your claim characterize this group of lawyers. Thompson Law`s approach leads to life-changing comparisons for our clients. When your child reaches a certain age, it`s only a matter of time before they start sitting in the front seat. This is just one of those important rites of passage that every child enjoys. Depending on when and where you grew up, you may remember running to the front with mom or dad when you were two or three years old – but we know better now! Small children have their place in the back seat, strapped into a real car seat or booster seat. The safest place for your child is the middle seat in the second row. It is the seat that is least affected in the event of a collision or accident.
Children sitting in this seat are also less likely to knock in the seat in front of them. 2 to 4 years: Once the child has reached the recommended weight and height through the car seat instructions, they can switch to a forward-facing seat. The average child can upgrade to a forward-facing seat over 2 years old, and some child seats allow them to stay until they exceed 65 pounds. Check what the safety seat manufacturer recommends for your child seat. Texas law does not specify when a child can sit in the front seat of a car. The law concerning children seated in the front seat only stipulates that child seats must be used in accordance with the manufacturer`s instructions. In addition, the law requires that children under 8 years of age and under a height of 4`9″ be restrained in child seat systems. Most car seat manufacturers recommend leaving children under the age of 12 in the back seat and not allowing them to drive in the front seat at a younger age.
In addition, rear-facing child seats should not be used in the front seat of a car if the vehicle is equipped with airbags. Birth up to 2 years: All infants and toddlers must be in rear-facing car seats until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Most children should stay in a rear-facing seat until they are 2 years of age or older if they are shorter or heavier than average. Also, in Texas, you can`t place a child in a rear-facing seat on the front seat of a car equipped with a passenger airbag. In addition to being dangerous, it is illegal to allow your young child to sit in front.