moms of 2 - car seat positions?

amyinaustin · December 2011

I had always thought that behind the driver's seat was "safest" b/c you subconsciously protect that side more in an accident (since it's your side), but the moms on the Jan board are saying the safest is the passenger side?

Our plan WAS to put our newborn behind the driver and then my 3-yr old either in the middle or on the passenger side (she's FF now).

So which is "safest" and what do/did you do?

TIA

Mrs.Froggianna · December 2011

I was under the impression that the middle seat was the safest. With that in mind we planned to put Butterbean there and move Luke behind me. I haven't a clue which is safer--behind the driver or passenger. There's a fire station close to our house so I was planning to have the car seat arrangement double checked by them.

Taytee · December 2011

Many cars do not have a middle LATCH. I know you CAN do carseats safetly with a belt but let's face it, most of us need LATCH to get it in safely tight enough. The safest place is where the carseats fit best.

My Saab doesn't have middle LATCH so Abby is behind driver and Emily on Passenger. I could then see Emily with my RF mirror (my only safety "no-no" compromise") and I could also put a pacifier in her mouth when she was tiny while still driving. You can't possibly reach behind yourself to a RF infant carrier while driving!

Do not take the "oh you'll protect yourself" into account. Seriously. SHITHAPPENS. Do what you know will work best for you everyday and make you a less distracted driver. ie, children happy and not screaming. I had to give into the RF mirror because the only way Emily was happy in the car for a long time was if she was eating. Something I never had to worry about with Abby. But with her eating in the car came the risk of her choking. So, long story short - baby eating = not crying = mirror = mommy not crazy = safer.

We also didn't have to worry about them bothering each other or at least not worry about Abby "hurting" the baby or anything like that. Abby has much more to fear from Emily usually!!!

ETA: if you take the "middle is safest" too seriously you'll drive yourself crazy over considering who you love more. Your first LO or the newborn.

ec3under4 · December 2011

I agree with Taytee about the whole "middle is safest" because, then, which kid do you "love more" to put in the middle.

Technically, the middle is the safest but that is only if you can correctly install a seat using the belt path which most people(as much as they think they can) can't do properly. And, when I had one in the middle and one on the side, there comes a point where they start kicking each other or "his leg is touching my seat" and then it becomes a safety issue because you are constantly distracted by the bickering happening in the back. At that point, when I had 2, both were in a side seat. Also, when I had 2 under 2, I was always paranoid that my son would somehow put a choking hazard or some food or something into the babies mouth. He is a good kid and he would never intentionally hurt the baby but accidents happen and it always scared me.

Technically, since the middle is the "safest" seat, you would want whichever child is in a forward facing carseat to be in the middle. I know this is contrary to popular belief because you think the smallest child needs to be in the safest seat. In reality, a bucket-type infant seat in the rear facing position(or any carseat rear-facing) is one of the safest seats available therefore, a forward facing child would be in more danger in a crash.

mcgee · December 2011

I put Alex behind the driver's seat because that's where I get out of the car, and it was easier to carry his infant seat around the car to get Meredith than it was to watch Meredith while I got Alex out. I've kept it that way even though Alex is mobile and on the go because at least half the time I'm in the car, Meredith is at school and I just have Alex, so having him on the driver's side is simply more convenient.

angelaggie · December 2011

Just a side note...my brother is an EMT and fireman. He says wrecks go in order like this...front/rear crash, driver's side, passenger side. He said he mostly sees front and rear. The drivers side one is next because people run lights or pull out in front of others. He also said the wrecks with car seats he's always amazed. He said he'll see adults bruised and broken and a kid in the car seat with barely a scratch. Those things are tough!

amyinaustin · December 2011

all good points - thanks for your replies!

Taytee · December 2011

mcgee:
I put Alex behind the driver's seat because that's where I get out of the car, and it was easier to carry his infant seat around the car to get Meredith than it was to watch Meredith while I got Alex out. I've kept it that way even though Alex is mobile and on the go because at least half the time I'm in the car, Meredith is at school and I just have Alex, so having him on the driver's side is simply more convenient.

It doesn't work for every car, but when Emily was still in the infant carrier, Abby just got in on the passenger side. She still does most days. She can easily slip under/behind Emily's RF carseat these days although it was much easier when it was just the infant carrier base. Now she gets up in her carseat and can do most of the buckling herself. When she was younger (she was 2y 5m when Emily was born) she would just stand in front of her carseat and I'd put her in when I went around. I actually feel much safer having her IN the car while I'm fussing with Emily in her carseat.

Exiting is the same way. I open Abby's side to unbuckle her and then shut the door. She hops down and crawls out on Emily's side as I'm getting Emily unbuckled.

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