Location of Car Seat in your Car

Mustardseed2007 · July 2013

So, DS has been in his same car seat in the same spot in my car since the sheriff helped DH install it before LO was born. It's a rear facing seat on the rear passenger side of the car. We drive a compact.

My friend (who has a sedan) just got into a car wreck this weekend; he has a daughter that is just a few months younger than my DS. Their car seat sits in the middle seat in the back b/c they were concerned about what will happen if someone slams into the side of them.

In the crash, the rear passenger side door was ripped off of his car and they spun out. His daughter, who was in the car seat, was not hurt. There was one person in the rear driver's side seat, and that person had minor injuries from the car seat slamming into her ribs.

I can only imagine what would have happened had this been our car with my DS sitting next to the rear passenger door that was torn off.

So I'm wondering where do you guys keep your car seats if you drive a sedan or compact car?

buzzbee24 · July 2013

Sedan and in the middle, rear facing.

aeh72 · July 2013

Right now, DS's convertible car seat is RF in the passenger side back seat (in a small SUV/crossover). I would prefer the middle, but it won't fit properly that way RFing. The police officer who helped us install his infant seat told me that the best spot is where you can get the correct fit so not to try and make it fit in the middle if it won't install correctly there. But, I am hoping that when we FF, we can actually move the seat to the middle. It would make me more comfortable.

ebp913 · July 2013

Technically the middle is the most safe spot BUT really the safest place is the spot where the seat is installed and used correctly everytime. I don't have my kids in the middle because I know that getting the harness tight when they are in that location is difficult for me.

bridein08 · July 2013

Small sedan, middle seat, RF.

michelle7482 · July 2013

Passenger side, RF. I'm pregnant again, so the next one will go behind the driver. When you have two carseats, you usually don't have the option on using the middle, at least I don't.

allardr · July 2013

Middle.

I've always heard 1st: middle, 2nd: behind driver, 3rd: behind passenger. (pending your car's manual says all positions are ok)

The thinking is when you're going to get in a crash you naturally turn yourself away from impact so the passenger side will most likely get more of the impact.

jess9802 · July 2013

Mid-size sedan, RF carseat is behind passenger seat. My teenage stepson couldn't sit in the backseat if the carseat was in the middle, and we needed the leg room for the driver.

lageorgiapaperie · July 2013

aeh72:
Right now, DS's convertible car seat is RF in the passenger side back seat (in a small SUV/crossover). I would prefer the middle, but it won't fit properly that way RFing. The police officer who helped us install his infant seat told me that the best spot is where you can get the correct fit so not to try and make it fit in the middle if it won't install correctly there. But, I am hoping that when we FF, we can actually move the seat to the middle. It would make me more comfortable.

This is us exactly! I wish our seat would fit in the middle RF but it doesn't. and RF is safer than FF in the middle at this age. When we do FF him we'll most likely put him in the middle.

TiffanyBerry · July 2013

Middle is safest - for just this reason. My car doesn't do latch in the middle, and it has a hump that doesn't allow safe placement of the carseat, so we have her on the rear passenger side. Why? Because if I'm parking in the city on the streets (which is where you tend to park, and it's busy), I'm more worried about us being hit while I try to get her out of the driver's side back seat. Both accidents would be bad, and I evaluated the likelihood of being hit while we tried to exit the car as greater than the risk of being in a broadside accident.

She's in the middle in my husband's car.

oliversmommy32912 · July 2013

allardr:
Middle.
I've always heard 1st: middle, 2nd: behind driver, 3rd: behind passenger. (pending your car's manual says all positions are ok)
The thinking is when you're going to get in a crash you naturally turn yourself away from impact so the passenger side will most likely get more of the impact.

This, and for people with multiple kids the kid that is the most vulnerable should go in the middle. For example, .if you have two rear facing kids the youngest should be in the middle and the older one on the drivers side. If you have one rear facing and one forward facing the forward facing kid should be in the middle and the rear facing kid on the outside. When they are both forward facing the youngest goes back in the middle.

DS is in the middle but I agree with PP's, you should consult your car manual and choose a position that allows for a good install and strap adjustment every time.

lkm2006 · July 2013

Both my boys are on the sides. I have an expedition with bucket seats so clearly the middle isn't an option, unless they were on the third row.

boogerbearoriginal · July 2013

RFing behind drivers seat in my car (middle has fold down armrest and hump so carseat cannot be installed there) RFing in middle of H's car. Both sedans.

sunnyday016 · July 2013

My kids are both on the outsides, DD is FF behind the driver and DS is RF behind the passenger. We cannot fit two seats next to each other, but if we could DD would be in the middle (safest place for the most vulnerable, which she would be because she is FF).

FabulousMrs.P · July 2013

I drive a compact car (Saturn SL2). We have it in the rear passenger side. It doesn't fit in the middle.

bluejetta · July 2013

DD's RF convertible (and her infant seat) on also on rear passenger side because they wouldn't fit in the middle. I too hope that after we FF (no plans to any time soon) we can move to the middle.