What age can child ride in front seat in California?
. Since the most common type of crash is frontal, the rear seat is the safest place for children to ride. A study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) showed that children under 13 are up to 36-percent less likely to die if they are seated in the rear seat. Despite this, an estimated one-third of children ride improperly restrained in the front seat. Front airbags don’t protect children, either, because they were designed for adults. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, 141 children have been killed by passenger airbags as of January 1, 2004. The federal government now requires auto manufacturers to begin phasing in “advanced,” or third-generation, airbags that deactivate if the front passenger is too light. But this is intended more to protect smaller adults. So don’t give in to the whining of your “I’m too big to sit in the back” kid.
