Car seat ? - location in car

Momtobug31

Happy Friday, ladies.  Quick ? re: where you have your car seat.  Obviously in the back, rear facing.  My car only has LATCH on the sides, not middle of back seat.  I went to CA Highway Patrol yesterday and they said it doesn't really matter where the car seat is, and side (near door) is just fine.  I always thought that the middle was the best?  Where do you have your LO's car seat installed?  It seems much more secure on the side, since I can use the LATCH system.  For some reason, when I do it with the belt, I can move the seat side to side a lot.  Wierd.

 Thanks!

Kara5109

The middle.

emiliemadison

Are you locking the seat belt? If not, that's probably why its moving more. 

Anyway, the middle is the safest statistically, but if you can get a better, more secure installation on the side then that is safer than a less secure installation in the center.  

wife1014

I have 2 kids.  One on each side

polkadotsock

My DD will be in the middle until I have another kid. 

seahorse102410

I also thought that the middle was just difficult because it was harder to get him in and out.  And nearly impossible to change a diaper if I need to.  Don't ask me why I have had to do that so many times but I have and it's really hard if you can't put them down across the back seat.

haleymoriah

We have it in the middle in my car but the side in DHs truck. His truck only has the hooks on the side as well.

bmqcmg

Middle. The middle is usually the safest (unless your vehicles manual states something else) as long as it fits properly in the middle. If it doesn't fit right in the middle then the sides are the safest and usually behind the driver seat is the better side. They say you are more likely to protect your side of the car in a car accident then the opposite side.

HBaylies

Middle and we plan to keep him rear facing up until he hits the weight limit for it in his seat.  The police officers that put the seats in my, DH's and my mom's car all said that middle is best, but that the sides were also safe if we needed to put them on the left of right for some reason.

argonne

OUrs is in the middle.  There is not a middle latch system, per se (as in not dedicated to the middle seat), but we latch it to the inside side latches.  We had it looked at by the state highway patrol and they said it was just fine.

N.M.M

DD is latched in the middle but only until march then both lo's will have to be on the side so i will put dd behind me because she will be close to 15mo and put the new baby behind the passanger seat so i can see them eaiser.  

emiliemadison

argonne:

OUrs is in the middle.  There is not a middle latch system, per se (as in not dedicated to the middle seat), but we latch it to the inside side latches.  We had it looked at by the state highway patrol and they said it was just fine.

Very few cars or car seats allow for borrowing the side LATCHes for the center seat. Chances are the person who looked at it wasn't actually certified, just trying to do a good deed (and possibly giving out incorrect info).

If you give me the make and model of your car and the type of car seat you have, I can tell you if you can keep it as you have it or if you're required by either manufacturer to install it with the seat belt in the middle.  

OctoberBabyH

We have two bucket seats in the back. No middle seat. Her car seat is behind the passenger seat.

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Juelsr

Passenger side- so that when we park on the street, he is closest to the sidewalk. (Don't have to worry about traffic when getting him in and out)

jnolts

DD is in the middle

Just gonna throw this out there.....a few years back I broad sided right on my driver's door, but someone going about 55mph. The door completely caved in, leaving a huge brusie on my thigh and i also hit my head on the side window causing a minor concussion. I would NEVER want this to happen to DD (or anyone for that matter) so she will remain in the middle as long as she can.

argonne

emiliemadison:

argonne:

OUrs is in the middle.  There is not a middle latch system, per se (as in not dedicated to the middle seat), but we latch it to the inside side latches.  We had it looked at by the state highway patrol and they said it was just fine.

Very few cars or car seats allow for borrowing the side LATCHes for the center seat. Chances are the person who looked at it wasn't actually certified, just trying to do a good deed (and possibly giving out incorrect info).

If you give me the make and model of your car and the type of car seat you have, I can tell you if you can keep it as you have it or if you're required by either manufacturer to install it with the seat belt in the middle.  

Actually, I am incorrect.  I thought we were borrowing the side latches, but we are not.  We have a 2009 Chevy Suburban and it has a middle latch system.  Maybe it was the way it looked to me that seemed a bit weird and we were borrowing.

So...that's probably why the officer told us it was okay.

Rach21

We have our kiddo in the middle in the back. Although my car has latch, the cop (certified car seat specialist and my friend's hubby) who put in the base for us said latch or seatbelt is fine. I tell you what, though. If I could travel in time and go back 6 years to when I was buying my first car, I'd totally buy a 4-door instead of a 2-door hatchback. I love my car, but it's a PITA to get the car seat in and out.

Jessi+Aiden

Middle. The latch system is a PITA in my opinion. At least in my car anyway...

kerribear1717

Juelsr:

Passenger side- so that when we park on the street, he is closest to the sidewalk. (Don't have to worry about traffic when getting him in and out)

This

ashleyuva

emiliemadison:

argonne:

OUrs is in the middle.  There is not a middle latch system, per se (as in not dedicated to the middle seat), but we latch it to the inside side latches.  We had it looked at by the state highway patrol and they said it was just fine.

Very few cars or car seats allow for borrowing the side LATCHes for the center seat. Chances are the person who looked at it wasn't actually certified, just trying to do a good deed (and possibly giving out incorrect info).

If you give me the make and model of your car and the type of car seat you have, I can tell you if you can keep it as you have it or if you're required by either manufacturer to install it with the seat belt in the middle.  

 

I have a Ford Edge. Can I use the side latches?

 Thanks so much!! 

JoannaJes

DS is FF in the middle, and DD is RF behind the passenger seat.

emiliemadison

ashleyuva:

emiliemadison:

argonne:

OUrs is in the middle.  There is not a middle latch system, per se (as in not dedicated to the middle seat), but we latch it to the inside side latches.  We had it looked at by the state highway patrol and they said it was just fine.

Very few cars or car seats allow for borrowing the side LATCHes for the center seat. Chances are the person who looked at it wasn't actually certified, just trying to do a good deed (and possibly giving out incorrect info).

If you give me the make and model of your car and the type of car seat you have, I can tell you if you can keep it as you have it or if you're required by either manufacturer to install it with the seat belt in the middle.  

 

I have a Ford Edge. Can I use the side latches?

 Thanks so much!! 

Ford says (for the EDGE):

CAN use outer LATCH bars for center installation IF outboard LATCH is not being used (so, either one center installation OR 1 or two outboard installations at one time using LATCH, not all three at one time) AND if the car seat manufacture allows the borrowing of the anchors.

So the answer is...maybe. Which car seat are you using?  Even if the vehicle allows it, if the car seat manuf doesnt, then you can't do it.

LinnyAnne10

Passenger side

atenderheart

my soon to be 12 month old (in  a week) is forward facing with tether and latch  on the driver side. before i get flamed the kid has a sunshine kid car seat and he  reached the weight limit he is a big kid! 

emiliemadison

atenderheart:

my soon to be 12 month old (in  a week) is forward facing with tether and latch  on the driver side. before i get flamed the kid has a sunshine kid car seat and he  reached the weight limit he is a big kid! 

Your 11 month old is FOURTY FIVE pounds?? That's the RF weight limit on the SK Radian.