Car seats in trucks

lolob45

Does anyone know the laws about this? My husband has a truck (given to him from work) and it doesn't have real back seats (they're the fold up kind - not sturdy at all). I've googled to see if he is allowed to have a car seat in the front because of the cars limited seating and can't find a concrete answer. He will be responsible for taking/picking up our daughter most days from childcare and now i'm worried he won't actually be able to do this. We don't have a 3rd car and his car is company owed so it's not like we can request an upgrade... 

reneeandbill

I know in Tennessee you can put a car seat in a truck if you can and do turn off the passenger side airbag. I'm not sure if it is state to state though.

kimbo1216

In Texas, you can put a rear facing car seat in the front of a truck so long as you turn the airbags off.

kimbo1216

FamBam12143:

Well here where I live your not supposed to have kids in the front at all until like 12 or something?

Most likely this is true only for cars without a back seat. Generally, there are exceptions for single cabin vehicles.

sooner1981

lolob45:

Does anyone know the laws about this? My husband has a truck given to him from work and it doesn't have real back seats they're the fold up kind not sturdy at all. I've googled to see if he is allowed to have a car seat in the front because of the cars limited seating and can't find a concrete answer. He will be responsible for taking/picking up our daughter most days from childcare and now i'm worried he won't actually be able to do this. We don't have a 3rd car and his car is company owed so it's not like we can request an upgrade...nbsp;

In most states, with this configuration, you would install the car seat in the front seat, as those collapsible back seats are not considered safe for car seat installs. There are exceptions to the "no kids in the front" rule for single cabin vehicles.

Make sure the airbag is turned off. Also, if you look at the facebook group car seats for the littles and tell them the make and model of your huabamd's truck, they can usually tell you exactly how to get the safer install. It is run by licensed car seat techs.

taylormarie923

I looked into this exact issue because we are in a similar situation.  Rear facing in the front seat with airbags turned off is fine.  There is little info online because it isn't technically illegal.  I was trying to prove DH wrong on this fact and convince him we needed to buy another car. 

We are both going to SAH on alternating days and our plan is to switch off cars, so whoever is going to work that day will take the truck.  

sfshorter

If that's what vehicle you have then that's what vehicle you use.  As long as the seat is facing rear like it is supposed to be and the airbag is off, you are good to go. 

norbert5

Just like everyone else said.  We had to do this with DD1 and it was no big deal.  Those fold down seats are not safe for multiple reasons but one of them is you can't make the child fit rear facing among other things. 

We did get some comments from complete strangers and it was really irritating.  So just warn your DH that people might give him there two cents in the parking lot but we just asked those people if they would like to buy us a new car.