Where is the safest place in the car for my child to sit?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that all children 12 and under be restrained in the back seat. The center of the back seat is the farthest away from a side impact, so always try first to install a safety seat there. If you can’t secure the safety seat firmly in the center, or there is more than one child seat in the car, you will need to use a side seating position. If the car has lap-shoulder belts on the sides only, older children in boosters or belts alone should sit on the side instead of using a lap-only belt in the center.
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. The center of the back seat is the farthest away from a possible side impact, so we always try first to install a safety seat there. If you can’t secure the safety seat firmly in the center or there is more than one child in the car, you will need to use an outboard (side) seating position. Safety seats fit differently with various vehicle belts and seat cushions, and a tight fit is very important. If the car has lap-shoulder belts on the sides only, older children in boosters or belts alone should sit on the side instead of using a lap-only belt in the center. If there are two young children in the family, it may be necessary to separate them (for various behavioral reasons, and p
