Car seat in front seat?

dublinlady

Are you allowed to put a maxi cosi in the front seat of a car if it's rear facing and you have disabled the airbags? My daughter is six weeks old and I feel uncomfortable with her in the back as she vomits alot etc.

January

Yes you are, but be aware that having your air bag disabled may compromise your insurance in some way so notify them before you do this. Not a lot of dealers like disabling air bags because sometimes they can deploy anyway even if they are disabled.

I am a friend

I dont think you can anymore... Is it not illegal now?

Lisha

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Road-safety-for-kids/Child-safety-in-cars/

From what Ive just read on above website it is ok to have baby in front seat in rear facing seat once air bag is dis-abled.

Personally I would have found it too distracting to have baby beside me, but what everworks for you:) Good luck and I hope vomiting eases soon

vibe666

i'd have said no, but i guess i'd have been wrong.

personally I wouldn't be at all comfortable with the baby in the front though, when you're driving you're supposed to be driving and nothing else. if a baby is distracting you sitting next to you then you are liable to have an accident trying to sort them out.

if they are in the back with a mirror on the headrest so you can see them by glancing in the rear view mirror, you can stop safely if they need your attention and then set off again once they are sorted.

the baby will also then have a front facing view in the mirror and will be less likely to suffer from travel sickness (hopefully).

i hate to sound like an old fart, but if you are in an accident because you were tending to your baby whilst the vehicle was moving, you could very easily be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention at the very least, not to mention the potential damage you could do in the process as well as hurting yourself, the baby and who knows who else.

hunnymonster

would agree that a good mirror is the way to go. We have this one and it is fantastic, really clear view
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Mummy-BearView-Mirror-Tan/dp/B0007CS4HC/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1333085402&sr=8-18

Someone told me (but I don't have an official source) that the rules changed on 1 Jan this year and you can no longer put baby in the front seat, disabled air bags or not?

Moonbeam

The new law states that the airbag must be disabled.
Yes it is safe to do and some cars even have isofix ni the front.

Hannibal Smith

I couldn't imagine having baby beside you could be anymore distracting than hearing baby scream or gag in the back and bot being able to do anything.

But you should try the mirror suggestion first DL.

cbyrd

I always put my now 2 year old in the front seat.. i turned off the airbag. It was far less distracting than having to pull in every 10 mins to see what was up (before i discovered he had reflux) when he calmed down at about 4 months he went in the back.. sometimes even just seeing me was enough. He also HATED the car.. as soon as he went in the seat he'd roar :eek: the baby loves the car so with his big brother in the back i haven't needed to put him up front

vibe666

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I couldn't imagine having baby beside you could be anymore distracting than hearing baby scream or gag in the back and bot being able to do anything.

But you should try the mirror suggestion first DL.

the difference being that in the front, if there is a problem, you are liable take your eyes off the road and to reach over and try and do something without thinking about stopping first, hence the lack of due care and attention to driving.

if the child is in the back, you have no choice but to pull over and attend to the child with the vehicle stationary, where you are less of a danger to other road users and yourself.

Moonbeam

http://www.carseat.se/rearfacing/position-in-vehicle/

dublinlady

I've made my decision - she's going in the front. For us it is the best choice - I know it will be safer than me stressing about her bring in the back and not knowing if she's ok or not ( even with a mirror) . I know she will be calmer and easier to soothe if she can see me!
Now I just need to figure out how to disable the airbag!
Thanks for your advise and opinions!

Moonbeam

Your are welcome.
If you bring your car to the relevant garage they will do it for you or tell you how.

I am a friend

dublinlady wrote: »

I know she will be .... easier to soothe if she can see me!

With all due respect other road users should be a factor here as well and a child should not be soothed while you are driving... My son has reflux and gets sick a lot so journeys take longer cos once I can see from the back seat mirror that he has gotten sick then I pull over. I dont think its safe to be watching anything other than the road and other cars while driving.. My 2c worth...

Acoshla

To disable the airbag in my car on the passenger side there is a lock on the passenger arm rest that the car key goes into to disable it, but as mentioned your local garage or dealership will tell you how to.

dublinlady

I am a friend wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I know she will be .... easier to soothe if she can see me!

With all due respect other road users should be a factor here as well and a child should not be soothed while you are driving... My son has reflux and gets sick a lot so journeys take longer cos once I can see from the back seat mirror that he has gotten sick then I pull over. I dont think its safe to be watching anything other than the road and other cars while driving.. My 2c worth...

Thankyou for your opinion but I disagree.. I dont see how it's more dangerous for me to be able shush and sing to my little girl while driving - I sing along to the radio anyway! the fact that she can see me will help her to be more relaxed and thus create less upset with her and ultimately less distraction from me to the road. I have no intention of playing with her or tending to her while driving - I agree the safety of my family and ALL rd users is paramount - which is why I will seat her in the front.
When being taught to drive you are taught ( and examined specifically on) to look downs side rds as you approach them to ensure safety while driving by - this process takes one second - for me being able to reassure myself by taking one second to confirm she isn't choking etc rather than straining to look in the small mirror which would take me longer is the clear choice! If she pukes on herself or needs attention I will of course pull over and tend to her. I'm not the type of girl to put on my eye make up on the way to work like others I've seen!! I just know after much thought that this is the safest solution for me personally for everyone involved

Arciphel

If a member of the gardai sees a driver tending to their infant in a front car seat, could they be done for driving without due care and attention? I'd say so. Anyway, hope for my sake and that of my kid in the BACK seat I don't meet you on the road in a moment of distraction OP.

dublinlady

Arciphel wrote: »

If a member of the gardai sees a driver tending to their infant in a front car seat, could they be done for driving without due care and attention? I'd say so. Anyway, hope for my sake and that of my kid in the BACK seat I don't meet you on the road in a moment of distraction OP.

I find that comment offensive and unnecessary, you are trying to imply that I would risk the safety of my child. There is no point in debating it further with you as you are clearly unwilling to respect my opinion as I have yours.

Acoshla

Arciphel wrote: »

If a member of the gardai sees a driver tending to their infant in a front car seat, could they be done for driving without due care and attention? I'd say so. Anyway, hope for my sake and that of my kid in the BACK seat I don't meet you on the road in a moment of distraction OP.

My passenger airbag is easily disabled to allow for a car seat to go into the passenger seat, my car is a make that is renowned for its safety so it is clearly an option to have car seats in the front. Many babies settle just by being able to see their parent so that's a big bonus, and I doubt any parent is going to put their safety and their baby's safety at risk by looking at or interacting with their infant for very long, no longer than it takes to check mirrors, look at radio, etc. I'd be more worried about people talking and texting while driving than driving with their infant in the seat beside them.

Arciphel

dublinlady wrote: »

I find that comment offensive and unnecessary, you are trying to imply that I would risk the safety of my child. There is no point in debating it further with you as you are clearly unwilling to respect my opinion as I have yours.

No, not quite. I'm saying that you place a higher value on accommodating your own needs over the safety of other road users, and ironically your own safety. I think you know this too, and hence that's why you posted here seeking affirmation about what you had already decided you were going to do. Children should be in the back because they are safer in the back, and you are a safer driver with them in the back. I am sorry but i don't see why you would find that assertion offensive.

January

Make sure you notify your insurañce company that you're disabling it. It could compromise your insurance policy.

dublinlady

Arciphel wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I find that comment offensive and unnecessary, you are trying to imply that I would risk the safety of my child. There is no point in debating it further with you as you are clearly unwilling to respect my opinion as I have yours.

No, not quite. I'm saying that you place a higher value on accommodating your own needs over the safety of other road users, and ironically your own safety. I think you know this too, and hence that's why you posted here seeking affirmation about what you had already decided you were going to do. Children should be in the back because they are safer in the back, and you are a safer driver with them in the back. I am sorry but i don't see why you would find that assertion offensive.

Wrong on every count. No interest in your opinion.

Hannibal Smith

Arciphel wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I find that comment offensive and unnecessary, you are trying to imply that I would risk the safety of my child. There is no point in debating it further with you as you are clearly unwilling to respect my opinion as I have yours.

No, not quite. I'm saying that you place a higher value on accommodating your own needs over the safety of other road users, and ironically your own safety. I think you know this too, and hence that's why you posted here seeking affirmation about what you had already decided you were going to do. Children should be in the back because they are safer in the back, and you are a safer driver with them in the back. I am sorry but i don't see why you would find that assertion offensive.

Young infants have only been put in the back since passenger airbags started being installed on cars. Before that it was very much the norm to have an infant in the passenger seat. I remember all my infant relatives in their car seats in the front. My recollection is that it only stopped because passenger airbags were introduced.

To be fair, its a big leap, and a bit over the top to make judgement calls on whether the OP couldn't give a monkeys about anyone else on the road just because she wants her infant where they can be seen. Do you never check your speed/petrol etc while driving?

Arciphel

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Young infants have only been put in the back since passenger airbags started being installed on cars.

????? :rolleyes:

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Before that it was very much the norm to have an infant in the passenger seat. I remember all my infant relatives in their car seats in the front. My recollection is that it only stopped because passenger airbags were introduced.

It was the norm to have kids jumping around the car with no seatbelts on as well, or standing up between the two front seats - will we go back to those days?

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

To be fair, its a big leap, and a bit over the top to make judgement calls on whether the OP couldn't give a monkeys about anyone else on the road just because she wants her infant where they can be seen. Do you never check your speed/petrol etc while driving?

That is quite a leap there alright - checking my speed is the same as having a small child next to me in the front seat. I don't think for s econd that the OP doesn't give a monkeys, quite the opposite, she is trying to do the right thing by her child and that is natural, however I think that by looking at the proc and cons somebody would realise that the safest thing for everyone (child, parent and other road users) in the long term is to have the child in the back of the car. That's all I am saying.

I am a friend

Acoshla wrote: »

I'd be more worried about people talking and texting while driving than driving with their infant in the seat beside them.

I disagree - the temptation, when in a rush to tend to your child rather than pull over is too great. I think it's irresponsible but the op has her own view. Just hope I don't meet her on the road 5 seconds after her child gets sick beside her.

Zambia

If its legal and no one has posted a link to say it is or is not. Well then I dont see the issue. I personally feel it would be a distraction but thats just in my case if the boy smiled at me I could be on my third pedestrian before I looked up.

Even with the child in the back seat with/without a mirror you can be distracted to the same extent
I witnessed an accident many years ago and allegedly the cause was a mother reaching into the back seat.

If the OP is less distracted seeing the baby and the baby calmer seeing the mother chances are that's the way to go. The OP seems well aware of her duties as a driver.

The official line is though in the event of a crash the child is safer in the rear seat.

OP best of luck

vibe666

I am a friend wrote: »

I disagree - the temptation, when in a rush to tend to your child rather than pull over is too great. I think it's irresponsible but the op has her own view. Just hope I don't meet her on the road 5 seconds after her child gets sick beside her.

i have to say, i'm agreeing with this.

i can appreciate the OP thinks otherwise, but she did come here asking what people's thoughts were but has gone out of her way to ignore anything that doesn't match her own opinions on the subject.

having said that, the RSA says as long as the front passenger air bags are disabled, you caqn pout a child in a front seat, so she is not breaking any laws.

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Safety%20for%20kids/Child%20Safety%20in%20Cars%20English.pdf

in an ideal world, the latest research says that for maximum safety in case of an accident, all children below 4 years old should be in an appropriate rearward facing child safety seat and recent movements in legislation are looking like it will be compulsory before too much longer, although at the moment, you'll have almost zero luck trying to find a rearward facing seat in the republic for anything other than small babies.

i'm currently trying to get one for our 8 month old to replace the one we got before he was born as he's bet into it at this stage and he needs a bigger one, but it looks like we're going to have to go up to the north to actually buy one.

Moonbeam

Tony Kealys sell them now and actually seem to have them priced pretty well too.

pwurple

Tony Kealy's and Halfords have them. I think it's a britax seat, it can swivel sideways as well.

OP, I completely understand what you mean. I have a baby who throws up a lot as well, I was nearly killed stopping in the hard shoulder on a dual carrigway running around the car to get over to her side in the back seat to get the vomit out of her airway. If she was in the front next to me I wouldn't have had to get out of the car to get to her. Some babies are better in the front. I have a van as well (no back seats) so she went in the front of that for a while after that. She was always happier there where she could see me, and I was calmer as well.

uberalles

I recall seeing a couple on a motor bike in Cuba with a side car taking to the people on another motor bike along side them as they were doing about 30 kms going up the road. They had a kid sandwiched between the driver and pillion and the mother was in the side car. No one had helmets on.

OP do as you see fit having double checked with the ins co and dont listen to the OTT health and safery posters.

dublinlady

dublinlady wrote: »

Are you allowed to put a maxi cosi in the front seat of a car if it's rear facing and you have disabled the airbags? My daughter is six weeks old and I feel uncomfortable with her in the back as she vomits alot etc.

Where did I ask for your opinion?
I asked about the law.
I was happy to hear everyone's opinions as there's always an opportunity to learn something new - and I did.
As you can all read there's is ample argument to both sides of this debate , I have stuck with what I originally wanted to do.
I should not be chastised for disagreeing with one side of the argument.
There is no solid right or wrong here - just opinion and preference.
I am not degrading anyone else's opinion and as a result I would appreciate the same courtesy.
I asked a question - I got the answer. I don't need nor want to be insulted as a result.

Thankyou to everyone who replied to the original qn and thanks to those who shared there opinion , even if different, but also respected mine.