Where is your car seat?

Alexinav · May 2014

I'm a STM and my sons car seat was always in the middle but because he was the only one. Now he's 7 but still in a booster. So does the baby's car seat go in the middle still or is it best off the the side?

BKD1386 · May 2014

The infant seat should be in the middle, rear facing... especially if you have a car with side impact airbags. We just went over this in childbirth class 2 weeks ago, and as a volunteer firefighter, that's what we've been told for proper placement as well. It's the safest spot.

ho11yday · May 2014

Both sides as we have captains chairs in the minivan and a hump in the middle of my car's backseat. Even if it was only one car seat, it'd still go on the passenger side as with DS because of the need to move driver seat all the way back.

Alexinav · May 2014

I am just nervous for my 7 yr old he seems squished I wonder if it will be safe to put the baby by the window since I don't have side air bags I just want them both safe and comfy

SMM1986 · May 2014

Baby's car seat is in the middle because the big kids are in boosters and they need the shoulder belt.

ho11yday · May 2014

Your kid will be safe putting him by the window. Depending on the car, the side positions can be just as safe. More importantly is a correctly installed and correctly used car seat.

blessedandhopeful · May 2014

This is our second as well, so I looked up information on this topic not too long ago. The consensus seemed to me to be to put the "most vulnerable" kid in the middle. If you have a forward-facing kid, that one goes in the middle because he/she is automatically at a higher risk in a crash versus a rear-facing kid. Our current positioning is DS1 (3 y/o) FF in the middle, and DS2's seat RF (of course) behind the driver's seat. We are working on getting the installation and all inspected, so we'll see what they say. We've gone to two different places that we were told did inspections, only to find out they used to do them. We now have to call and make an appointment somewhere.

CopperPoppy · May 2014

SS? rear behind driver. After reading through car seat manual and car manual, the safest for us was using the latch systems which the middle seat doesn't have. Statistically, the driver side is less likely to be impacted in an accident (from what we read) and that's why we chose that.

Tkhixen · May 2014

Our middle seat wasn't even with the rest of the seat...and no latch system there... So we did passenger seat...

BKD1386 · May 2014

blessedandhopeful said:

This is our second as well, so I looked up information on this topic not too long ago. The consensus seemed to me to be to put the "most vulnerable" kid in the middle. If you have a forward-facing kid, that one goes in the middle because he/she is automatically at a higher risk in a crash versus a rear-facing kid. Our current positioning is DS1 (3 y/o) FF in the middle, and DS2's seat RF (of course) behind the driver's seat. We are working on getting the installation and all inspected, so we'll see what they say. We've gone to two different places that we were told did inspections, only to find out they used to do them. We now have to call and make an appointment somewhere.

Have you tried your local fire department? A lot of them do inspections

giggler25 · May 2014

BKD1386 said:

blessedandhopeful said:

This is our second as well, so I looked up information on this topic not too long ago. The consensus seemed to me to be to put the "most vulnerable" kid in the middle. If you have a forward-facing kid, that one goes in the middle because he/she is automatically at a higher risk in a crash versus a rear-facing kid. Our current positioning is DS1 (3 y/o) FF in the middle, and DS2's seat RF (of course) behind the driver's seat. We are working on getting the installation and all inspected, so we'll see what they say. We've gone to two different places that we were told did inspections, only to find out they used to do them. We now have to call and make an appointment somewhere.

Have you tried your local fire department? A lot of them do inspections

Or your local police station. I just got my car seat installed my a police officer today!

spinsoffresonance · May 2014

When it was just DD she was in the middle. Now that we have 2 kids rear facing in a small sedan with big chicco carseats it's gonna be one on each side. Maybe with different carseats we could do one in the middle, one on the side. Also our car doesn't have latch in the middle.

LunaBug924 · May 2014

My car has captain's chairs as well and because of how I park the garage we decided to put her car seat base on the passenger side. We put her on the driver's side in DH's car for the same reason. Based on our vehicles and the research I did it was the best choice for us.

daizijayne · May 2014

Our car seats have always been on the sides because we have a slight hump in the middle of the back seat. We can get a much tighter install on the sides.

As for LATCH being safer than the seat belt, my understanding is that either is fine. The one that allows you to get the tightest installation is the safest bet. That being said, we've always used LATCH because it is so easy to install.

chillypenguin · May 2014

DD1 is behind the passenger seat, DD2 is behind the driver. Her car seat would fit in the middle (we have a minivan) but DD1 tosses things over and everything would land on the baby so we had to move her.

artroyer · May 2014

My vehicle couldn't have the seat in the center while being secure. We just moved DD1's rear facing seat to the passenger side and put the infant seat behind the driver side.

hfooter · May 2014

We will be putting him in the middle in both cars. DH was fighting me on this thinking it wasn't the safest location until I made him do his own research.

sthomas1222 · May 2014

You need to check your car manual and the manuals for the booster and car seats. This will let you know if you're even allowed to have 2 child restraints next to each other. If not then your only choice is one at each window (outboard) seat. Middle is only marginally safer so you're not doing harm by putting them there. There's no way I can get one securely in the middle and one next to it in my Prius even if it was allowed so no option here.

ETA: CPST here. If you take your car/car seat to be checked at a police or fire station make sure they're trained. AND that they're not installing it for you! A CPST should not be doing installs but educating you so you can safely and correctly install and use your seat every time. https://cert.safekids.org/get-car-seat-checked

Kris2011RN · May 2014

Ours is still in the attack : / but it will go in the passenger side since DS is still facing

ABColeslaw · May 2014

Baby is going in the middle and older son passenger side. I'm doing this mostly because our seat could go anywhere, but I can easily access and monitor the infant seat in the middle and my son likes to look out his window.

Mimaloo · May 2014

BKD1386 said:

The infant seat should be in the middle, rear facing... especially if you have a car with side impact airbags. We just went over this in childbirth class 2 weeks ago, and as a volunteer firefighter, that's what we've been told for proper placement as well. It's the safest spot.

I took our carseat, which DH had installed in the middle, to a state inspection site and they told us that not all car seats are best in the middle.

First of all, it's a half seat so the car seat may not be level. Second, when the car seat is on the passenger side, the front passenger seat acts as an extra shield God forbid there is an accident, as do the higher back passenger seat (head rest makes it higher). We were told that the middle is only safest in the instance of a t-bone collision.

We now have ours rear facing in the back passenger seat.

blessedandhopeful · May 2014

giggler25 said:

BKD1386 said:

blessedandhopeful said:

This is our second as well, so I looked up information on this topic not too long ago. The consensus seemed to me to be to put the "most vulnerable" kid in the middle. If you have a forward-facing kid, that one goes in the middle because he/she is automatically at a higher risk in a crash versus a rear-facing kid. Our current positioning is DS1 (3 y/o) FF in the middle, and DS2's seat RF (of course) behind the driver's seat. We are working on getting the installation and all inspected, so we'll see what they say. We've gone to two different places that we were told did inspections, only to find out they used to do them. We now have to call and make an appointment somewhere.

Have you tried your local fire department? A lot of them do inspections

Or your local police station. I just got my car seat installed my a police officer today!

We went to our local fire department. They told us we had to go to the main fire department. At that location we were told they no longer did them, and to call a specific phone number to make an appointment. I used the link someone posted above, and apparently they only do them at our local health department. Interesting. I need to get on it! I'm 40+4! Maybe the hospital can check it out if we can't get an appointment in time. Lol.

Beegirl99 · May 2014

AAA does a free install even if you are not a member. They read over the manual for my car and it said that for my type of car it was best on the side, not the middle. So check out what your car model suggests.

RachelCA29 · May 2014

CopperPoppy said:

SS? rear behind driver. After reading through car seat manual and car manual, the safest for us was using the latch systems which the middle seat doesn't have. Statistically, the driver side is less likely to be impacted in an accident (from what we read) and that's why we chose that.

SS ours is on the drivers side as well. There are no LATCH hooks for the middle seat and after reading both the car seat and car manuels and some reading online we decided behind the drivers side was the safest option for us. We got our seat installed so securely with the LATCH system even though we could have done the middle seat with the belt we felt the best install for us was with the LATCH behind the driver.

jschwind22 · May 2014

BKD1386 said:

The infant seat should be in the middle, rear facing... especially if you have a car with side impact airbags. We just went over this in childbirth class 2 weeks ago, and as a volunteer firefighter, that's what we've been told for proper placement as well. It's the safest spot.

I'm sorry, but this is just not always true. The seat should be in the location where you can get the best install. You determine that by consulting both your car manual and your car seat manual and seeing where you can get it the tightest (should not move more than 1"). My car manual said to use the sides because the hump in the middle does not provide a good install. Also, my car does not have latch in the middle and does not allow latch sharing. Although you can get a good install with a regular seat belt, it's not always as easy. Also, not all volunteer firefighters are certified to install car seats. I was able to find a monthly car seat clinic that was held at local fire department, but the techs were only there 1X per month. I was able to get an excellent install on my own after consulting my car seat manual, my car manual, and then watching a couple you tube videos that were specific to installing my car seat model. I then took it to the clinic and had it checked by a tech and got an A. It was important to me to know how to do it myself.

mmks · May 2014

Our infant seat is still in the nursery. I am tired of asking my husband to install it. He DID turn our older son's seat around to forward facing (at 3 yo) and moved it behind the passenger seat.
When he finally gets his ass in gear, it will be installed behind the driver's seat. (He better not be trying to install it as I'm in labor!) I read the same as @mimaloo, so will not have either child in the middle of our vehicle.

I decided that I wanted the older kid on the passenger side so that his seat will be on the sidewalk side when I have to park on the street. That way I can put baby's seat on the sidewalk and strap my toddler in and then can just pop the baby in on the other side.

Alexinav · May 2014

I ended up putting the car seat on the passenger side. I read my car manual and I do not have side air bags. There are latch hooks so I could have put it anywhere in the back seat. I chose the passenger side because I can see the baby on that side. Now my son has space and everyone is happy.

pistolpackinmomma · May 2014

Baby will be in the middle and DS is behind the passenger seat.

danabsd · May 2014

My toddler is currently behind the passenger but will move behind the driver and the baby will be behind the passenger. The middle is not an ideal spot for a car seat in my. My toddler is still in the middle in H's car but will move into the same configuration once he needs to drive her places.

danabsd · May 2014

blessedandhopeful said:

This is our second as well, so I looked up information on this topic not too long ago. The consensus seemed to me to be to put the "most vulnerable" kid in the middle. If you have a forward-facing kid, that one goes in the middle because he/she is automatically at a higher risk in a crash versus a rear-facing kid. Our current positioning is DS1 (3 y/o) FF in the middle, and DS2's seat RF (of course) behind the driver's seat.

I consider the infant to be the most vulnerable here. Car seats are tested with front and rear impact crashes which are most the most likely and he main reason we RF. I would have my infant in the middle given the choice.

jschwind22 · May 2014

There is a FB group dedicated to car seat safety that is run by techs. Everyone in this thread needs to be in it. Much knowledge. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the title of it on a public message board, but if you want to PM me I will pass it along.

danabsd · May 2014

jschwind22 said:

There is a FB group dedicated to car seat safety that is run by techs. Everyone in this thread needs to be in it. Much knowledge. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the title of it on a public message board, but if you want to PM me I will pass it along.

Car Seats for the Littles.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarSeatsForTheLittles/?ref=ts&fref=ts

ABColeslaw · May 2014

I'm changing my answer, we put both our convertible for DS and the infant seat in today and the only way they would both fit is one on each door. The middle just would not allow us to put the other seat in level.

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