Forward Facing Car Seat... middle or passenger side?

CariVin

Hi everyone!

 

DS is turning 2 next week and we're turning his car seat around to face forward.  I'm not sure about this, and I keep getting different opinions on this topic  so I'd like to ask here... Is it safer to place a forward facing car seat in the middle of the car or on the passenger side?  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks!

Wilwarin

My answer depends on what car seat you have and what the rear-facing weight limit is.

Why the rush to turn him around?

CaraLynn91

Wilwarin:

My answer depends on what car seat you have and what the rear-facing weight limit is.

Why the rush to turn him around?

^Ditto!

BUT I had a dream when DD was first born that we got T-boned on the side I had her on, so I always put her in the middle.

Bananas0827

I always have DS' car seat in the middle, unless it won't install properly (like in my MIL's BMW). Then I have his seat on the passenger side. He's FF, and has been since about 12 months when we switched to his new seat.

FTR, It's almost impossible to find a safe and reliable RF seat in the UK, so don't flame me over this.

JCGreene85

Her son is almost 2. I would hardly call that rushing FF. 

OP. my son is FF behind the driver.  

Wufroggy79

If she made it to almost two, I wouldn't say it is a rush either.  I have always heard that the middle is safer.  I had to install mine on the passenger side though because it did not have the proper latch in the middle when our firefighters installed it.

carolyn02

We have ours in the middle in my car (Santa Fe) and behind the passenger size in DH's (big truck).  DH is a certified car seat installer through the fire dept. where he works and he was taught that if your vehicle has the room, put the car seat in the middle.  If your car is involved in an accident, there is a much higher likelihood that either side of the car will be hit, versus the front of the car.

ASmallWonder

If your car and seat support it, middle is safer but if your LO isn't maxed out on the RF  height/weight, rear facing is substantially safer than any forward facing position.

sugarland726

elmoali:

If your car and seat support it, middle is safer but if your LO isn't maxed out on the RF  height/weight, rear facing is substantially safer than any forward facing position.

I'd hazard a guess that since her kid is almost 2 and still RFing, she is well aware of the safety of RF vs. FF.

OP, I believe the middle is the safest, provided you can get the seat properly installed and secured.

Angela814

We've had DD1 in probably all possible positions. I believe the middle is technically the safest, but if you want to install the carseat with LATCH, you'll have to do it on one side. When it was just DD1, we had her on the passenger side. Now she's on the driver's side, and her sister is rfing on the passenger side.

SuperCuteBenz

Angela814:

We've had DD1 in probably all possible positions. I believe the middle is technically the safest, but if you want to install the carseat with LATCH, you'll have to do it on one side. When it was just DD1, we had her on the passenger side. Now she's on the driver's side, and her sister is rfing on the passenger side.

Doesn't it depend on the car she has? We have LATCH in all 3 positions in both our cars.

I would put him in the middle.

Angela814

SuperCuteBenz:

Angela814:

We've had DD1 in probably all possible positions. I believe the middle is technically the safest, but if you want to install the carseat with LATCH, you'll have to do it on one side. When it was just DD1, we had her on the passenger side. Now she's on the driver's side, and her sister is rfing on the passenger side.

Doesn't it depend on the car she has? We have LATCH in all 3 positions in both our cars.

I would put him in the middle.

I didn't know they starting putting latch in the middle seats now. For a long time it was only on the sides.

SuperCuteBenz

Angela814:

SuperCuteBenz:

Angela814:

We've had DD1 in probably all possible positions. I believe the middle is technically the safest, but if you want to install the carseat with LATCH, you'll have to do it on one side. When it was just DD1, we had her on the passenger side. Now she's on the driver's side, and her sister is rfing on the passenger side.

Doesn't it depend on the car she has? We have LATCH in all 3 positions in both our cars.

I would put him in the middle.

I didn't know they starting putting latch in the middle seats now. For a long time it was only on the sides.

We have a 2006 Pontiac G6 with 3 LATCH positions, 6 LATCH anchors. You can't use all 3 at one, but you can use LATCH in the middle.

Our 2012 Dodge Journey also had 3 LATCH positions, but only 5 LATCH anchors.

I do think that there are a lot of cars that still don't offer LATCH in the middle though.

ASmallWonder

sugarland726:

elmoali:

If your car and seat support it, middle is safer but if your LO isn't maxed out on the RF  height/weight, rear facing is substantially safer than any forward facing position.

I'd hazard a guess that since her kid is almost 2 and still RFing, she is well aware of the safety of RF vs. FF.

OP, I believe the middle is the safest, provided you can get the seat properly installed and secured.

I'm sure she is but if she's asking for the safest use of a car seat I want to tell the truth.  A lot of people are now hanging on the AAP recommendation of 2 years the same way people stuck to the legal requirement of 1 year and 20 pounds.  Just because you hit the milestone doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to exceed the recommendation, kwim? 

ASmallWonder

sugarland726:

elmoali:

If your car and seat support it, middle is safer but if your LO isn't maxed out on the RF  height/weight, rear facing is substantially safer than any forward facing position.

I'd hazard a guess that since her kid is almost 2 and still RFing, she is well aware of the safety of RF vs. FF.

OP, I believe the middle is the safest, provided you can get the seat properly installed and secured.

I'm sure she is but if she's asking for the safest use of a car seat I want to tell the truth.  A lot of people are now hanging on the AAP recommendation of 2 years the same way people stuck to the legal requirement of 1 year and 20 pounds.  Just because you hit the milestone doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to exceed the recommendation, kwim?  A lot of people think that once a kid hits two, they're just as safe FF, which isn't true.