Please don't let your kids...

[Trina]

... ride in the front seat of your cars! I drive my kids (9 & 11) to school every morning, and every morning I see kids riding in the front seat who are too young to be doing so. Doesn't anyone read the warning labels in their vehicles? The force of an air bag deploying can KILL, if not, cripple a child. Even without airbags, kids are significantly safer in the back seat until they reach the teen years.

I've often heard parents say, "Well, my car has advanced airbags. It senses when kids are riding up front and disables the air bag." Unfortunately, these sensors have malfunctioned. My DH's car has advanced air bags, but I don't trust them. My kids still ride in the back seat. I just don't want to take that chance. Besides, as I mentioned above, even without air bags kids are much safer in the back.

Taken from http://www.carseat.org in the FAQ section.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that all children 12 and under be restrained in the rear seat. Researchers estimate that putting a child in the back seat instead of the front reduces the chance of injury and death by more than 30%, whether or not the car has a passenger air bag.

More info:
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/div...c.jsp?id=77971

[musicmom]

I agree. Kids should be in the back. The ONLY time my children are allowed in the front seat is if I am in the parent drop off line in front of their school. (not on the main road)
My friends 13 yr old was in the front and the air bag went off when they were in a tiny accident and the air bag cut the crap out of her face. It was horrible.

[Kaytee]

I also agree. Of course my child is in the front seat though. We only have a pick up truck but there are no air bags. The driver side has one, but not the passenger side. We keep her on that side instead of the middle though as that would put her too close to it if it did go off. The truck is designed to have a carseat in the front as well. I still wish I could get a car, would make life easier for me lol

[superdad99]

You'd think that with all the warnings and labels most people would get the idea. Most people know what can happen, but just think it can never happen to them. Why do some many people not wear seatbelts, ride motorcycles, and smoke?

[jenilouise]

According to what I have read I am too short for airbags. Typically mine are turned off because I am only 5 foot.

[Trina]

Originally Posted by jenilouise

According to what I have read I am too short for airbags. Typically mine are turned off because I am only 5 foot.

jeni, there is no height limit for adults regarding air bags. Info from NHTSA here:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...bagqa.html#Q14

[jenilouise]

Originally Posted by Trina

jeni, there is no height limit for adults regarding air bags. Info from NHTSA here:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...bagqa.html#Q14

Thanks for the info.

[ljmahr]

I do not let my children ride in the front seat either. I babysit a 3 year old and her mom drops her off about 6:30 am. She lets the daughter ride in the front seat in the morning. I have even seen her just open the door and let her crawl around in the backseat without being in her carseat. To top it off this lady is married to the police chief. I wonder if he knows she does this?

[musicmom]

people like that piss me off! I see it too many times and I would love to approach them. Usually you can get their tag number and call it in the police dept, they can stop them. Poor children.

Originally Posted by ljmahr

I do not let my children ride in the front seat either. I babysit a 3 year old and her mom drops her off about 6:30 am. She lets the daughter ride in the front seat in the morning. I have even seen her just open the door and let her crawl around in the backseat without being in her carseat. To top it off this lady is married to the police chief. I wonder if he knows she does this?

[Trina]

Originally Posted by ljmahr

I do not let my children ride in the front seat either. I babysit a 3 year old and her mom drops her off about 6:30 am. She lets the daughter ride in the front seat in the morning. I have even seen her just open the door and let her crawl around in the backseat without being in her carseat. To top it off this lady is married to the police chief. I wonder if he knows she does this?

Yikes! Not only is that illegal, but VERY unsafe for the child.