At a recent event, I was struck by how many questions were asked about child restraint laws in Washington. Many parents were confused on Washington law, and the same questions were asked throughout the day. The laws can seem confusing, especially when mixing in laws and recommendations for particular types of child restraints. The biggest questions were related to whether or not children could ride in the front seat of the car.
Q: Can my child ride in the front seat of the car?
A: Not until they have reached their 13th birthday. There are some exceptions. If your car only has 2 seats, such
as a sports car or pickup truck, the child can sit in the front. Otherwise, all children under the age 13 should be in the back seat.
Q: But I have 3 kids, and my back seat will only accommodate 2 car seats, and there is no room for my third child. What should I do?
A: In this case, check your vehicle manual and car seat manual to ensure all car seats are installed properly. You may be able to change the configuration of car seats to accommodate fitting another human. If you cannot make these adjustments, generally speaking, the oldest or largest child would go in the front seat. Your car may automatically disable the air bag, or you may have to do it manually. Follow the vehicle manuals instructions related to your front airbag. It is not ideal to have ANY children in the front seat at all, so if possible, avoid this situation.
Q: I thought my kid was tall enough to sit in the front seat, so he doesn’t have to be 13.
A: This is incorrect. The law specifically requires the child has reached their 13th birthday. People often confuse the height/weight requirements for a child restraint (car seat/booster seat) for the ability to sit in the front seat. The height/weight restrictions only apply to whether or not the child is required to be in a child restraint system.
Q: I don’t understand why my child can’t sit in the front. Why?
A: The front seats are statistically the most dangerous seating positions in the car. Couple this with a child’s physical stature and internal development, and the danger increases. Their bodies are too small to absorb the very strong crash forces from the front of the car. Additionally, the airbag poses additional risk. The airbag deploys at approximately 124 miles per hour. A child sitting in the front is not positioned correctly for the airbag to help – the child can hit the airbag at the incorrect place on their body and cause severe internal injuries.
Q: I heard a kid can suffocate from the airbag in the front seat, does that really happen?
A: I’ve never heard of this actually happening – it seems to be more urban legend than anything. The bag inflates for a short amount of time, and once the crash is over, deflates and hangs low. I suppose it’s possible if a child slipped through restraints and wound up underneath the deflated airbag, suffocation would be a possibility.
If you have questions about child vehicle safety, contact your local police department non-emergency number, or www.safekids.org. Many police departments have Certified Car Seat Technicians that can help you.
Q: Can my child ride in the front seat of the car?
A: Not until they have reached their 13th birthday. There are some exceptions. If your car only has 2 seats, such
as a sports car or pickup truck, the child can sit in the front. Otherwise, all children under the age 13 should be in the back seat.
Q: But I have 3 kids, and my back seat will only accommodate 2 car seats, and there is no room for my third child. What should I do?
A: In this case, check your vehicle manual and car seat manual to ensure all car seats are installed properly. You may be able to change the configuration of car seats to accommodate fitting another human. If you cannot make these adjustments, generally speaking, the oldest or largest child would go in the front seat. Your car may automatically disable the air bag, or you may have to do it manually. Follow the vehicle manuals instructions related to your front airbag. It is not ideal to have ANY children in the front seat at all, so if possible, avoid this situation.
Q: I thought my kid was tall enough to sit in the front seat, so he doesn’t have to be 13.
A: This is incorrect. The law specifically requires the child has reached their 13th birthday. People often confuse the height/weight requirements for a child restraint (car seat/booster seat) for the ability to sit in the front seat. The height/weight restrictions only apply to whether or not the child is required to be in a child restraint system.
Q: I don’t understand why my child can’t sit in the front. Why?
A: The front seats are statistically the most dangerous seating positions in the car. Couple this with a child’s physical stature and internal development, and the danger increases. Their bodies are too small to absorb the very strong crash forces from the front of the car. Additionally, the airbag poses additional risk. The airbag deploys at approximately 124 miles per hour. A child sitting in the front is not positioned correctly for the airbag to help – the child can hit the airbag at the incorrect place on their body and cause severe internal injuries.
Q: I heard a kid can suffocate from the airbag in the front seat, does that really happen?
A: I’ve never heard of this actually happening – it seems to be more urban legend than anything. The bag inflates for a short amount of time, and once the crash is over, deflates and hangs low. I suppose it’s possible if a child slipped through restraints and wound up underneath the deflated airbag, suffocation would be a possibility.
If you have questions about child vehicle safety, contact your local police department non-emergency number, or www.safekids.org. Many police departments have Certified Car Seat Technicians that can help you.
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