Is it me or shouldn’t car seats be placed behind the passenger’s seat in the car? All traffic laws in the US require us to pull to the right when stopping unless on a one-way street. And that would mean that the sidewalk would be on the right side of the car therefore the safe side to open to car door. I have noticed a number of parents who have put their child’s car seat behind them in their car. I have a few questions about this – 1) How do you see your child while you are driving? 2) How stupid is it to open a car door into traffic and take your child out and risk harm to him/her and yourself? and 3) Do you all originally come from the UK? I am not a parent yet but I can see that it is stupid as I have witnessed these car doors opening without any regard to oncoming traffic and have seen children nearly being missed by cars driving by.
I would be interested to hear people’s takes on this subject. It is common sense to me that you would put your child in a place where you can see him/her. It is also makes sense to me to put your child in a situation that would allow safe discharge to a sidewalk.
Here are my thoughts – I do believe one of the reasons why the seats have to go in the middle is because of all the airbags in cars now. Side impact airbags can impact the child if the seat is directly behind a front seat. The front air bags have been known to apply so much force that the front sitting passenger’s chair breaks and slams backward, thereby hitting the child.
Now how do you see your child? There are mirrors you can buy and attach to the rear seat’s headrest. Thereby allowing you to see the mirror through the front seat’s headrest.
And remember, no matter where the car seat is, nothing prevents you from opening the car door on the passenger side and getting into the car to take out your child safely that way.
My rant had to do with people who put them on the drivers side and then proceeded to open car doors into traffic. I absolutely agree that parents can reach over on the passengers side and take their child out. Some parents are not thinking and take them out on the drivers side into traffic. I have seen it in NYC too many times and it upsets me.
We usually do middle or right side but sometimes did install the seat on the left side for long trips so the mom can reach back and provide an endless supply of snacks and toys w/out completely destroying her back and neck over a 6-8 hour period.
(This only works after one year when the seat is forward-facing.)
Then of course months would go by before anyone wanted to switch that seat back again b/c it was likely winter and freezing outside (and no garage)!
I completely understand. I should have been more clear and was most concerned with people opening doors into busy traffic and just pulling their children out without any regard to oncoming traffic. It does make sense for people to put children on the drivers side at times. Most people I know have tried to put the baby in the middle or on the passengers side because they use mirrors that go on the back of the seat and it is easier to see the child in the rear view mirror from the middle or other side.