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Car seat in front seat?

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13

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    #62
    vibe666
    Registered Users Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    Moonbeam wrote: »
    You installed the isofix base in the front? there are very few cars with this feature but it must give extra piece of mind.
    i imagine she's using the seatbelt fixing. my car doesn't have isofix points at all in the back or front, so i've had to do the same.


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    #63
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    vibe666 wrote: »
    Moonbeam wrote: »
    You installed the isofix base in the front? there are very few cars with this feature but it must give extra piece of mind.
    i imagine she's using the seatbelt fixing. my car doesn't have isofix points at all in the back or front, so i've had to do the same.

    Sorry for confusion - the base in is the front but is installed using the seat belts - my car doesn't have isofix at all either - only my husbands.


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    #64
    Arciphel
    Registered Users Posts: 2,840 ✭✭✭Arciphel


    Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but just in case anyone uses the search function and sees this thread, new laws coming into force tomorrow (Friday 3rd August) make using a rear facing child seat in the front of a car illegal.

    "The new laws will penalise drivers who ignore advice on seatbelts – including those who put babies in the front of the car in a rear-facing seat.

    This move is being implemented because of the risk of the baby's neck being broken if the airbag is deployed in a crash.

    Offenders will get two points and a €60 fine -- rising to four points and €90 if they challenge this in court and lose."

    Full article via Irish Independent online - http://www.independent.ie/national-news/drivers-to-get-points-for-flouting-seatbelt-laws-3188019.html


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    #65
    Squiggler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Squiggler


    As far as I can see it only applies to situations where there is an ACTIVE passenger side airbag. No change to the law, just introduction of penalties surely?


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    #66
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Campaigns/Current-road-safety-campaigns/No-Child-Car-Seat---No-Excuse/The-Law/


    Can't see it illegal anywhere?
    If u have a link to an official Garda / rsa source I'd be hugely interested as obvs my little one travels in the front in rear fitting seat. I'm not here to debate my decision again - I'm happy with it - but clearly interested if it against the law!!!
    No offense at all to u but I hate the indepentant - it's a rag - never gets facts right! But I'm not at all saying ur not right - just looking for an official source?


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    #67
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    On the Last Word this evening, Conor Faughnan confirmed that it is only an offence if the passenger airbag is not deactivated while a baby is in a rear-facing seat.


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    #68
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,953 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    He also said it is legal for a child under 3 to be in the front seat of a car in a suitable car seat or in vans etc where there are no back seats.


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    #69
    thesimpsons
    Registered Users Posts: 1,694 ✭✭✭thesimpsons


    leeomurchu wrote: »
    OP has pointed out that she intends on turning the airbags off :confused:

    I hope OP and everyone else remembers to ALWAYS turn on and activate the air bags again once childseat is taken out. got the fright of my life few yrs ago when was a passenger in a car hurtling down a motorway when the driver calmly says "oh ya, I forgot to turn on the airbag after I had the kids out at the weekend". I insisted stop car straight away to activate the airbag but driver couldn't see what the problem was !


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    #70
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    thesimpsons wrote: »
    I hope OP and everyone else remembers to ALWAYS turn on and activate the air bags again once childseat is taken out. got the fright of my life few yrs ago when was a passenger in a car hurtling down a motorway when the driver calmly says "oh ya, I forgot to turn on the airbag after I had the kids out at the weekend". I insisted stop car straight away to activate the airbag but driver couldn't see what the problem was !

    :confused:
    Stopping on a motorway to do this is FAR more dangerous than not having the airbag on. Plenty of vehicles don't even have one in the first place. The first rule of safety is not to get in an accident in the first place.


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    #71
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    pwurple wrote: »
    The first rule of safety is not to get in an accident in the first place.


    I agree to say that the airbag should be off when baby in it or car seat set up ( we have the base permanently in front so no one else can sit there. As soon as that base cones out I agree it would be shockingly irresponsible not to reactivate the airbag!!!! I'd hate to be a passenger in someone's car who treated my life with such flippancy!!

    To say the first rule of car safety is to not get into an accident... Well I'm hoping you don't mean that as it sounds. As someone whose been in 2 car accidents caused by other drivers / I do t put it down to the fact that I didn't consider road safety!!!!!
    A) it can be someone else's fault!!
    B) it can be an ACCIDENT !

    The main thing here is that consideration is always put into , and every effort made to make each journey as safe as possible for each passenger travelling.

    To say avoid an accident is like saying avoid cancer.. Or being hit by a bus. We dont always have control over fate or those around us!


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    #72
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    dublinlady wrote: »
    The main thing here is that consideration is always put into , and every effort made to make each journey as safe as possible for each passenger travelling.

    To say avoid an accident is like saying avoid cancer.. Or being hit by a bus. We dont always have control over fate or those around us!

    Dublinlady, I meant that the risk in stopping a car on a motorway, getting out and faffing about with the airbag settings in a hard shoulder, illegally, is FAR more dangerous than driving with the airbag off.

    You are increasing the risk of causing or being involved in an accident by stopping on a motorway. There is no increased accident risk in driving without an airbag.

    You can certainly reduce risks of accidents by not doing crazy things, like driving without lights in poor visibility conditions, stopping where it is not safe to do so, speeding, etc. I have been rear-ended in traffic, so I know not everything is under your control, but plenty is. To follow your analogy, Don't step out in front of the bus.


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    #73
    Rubberlegs
    Registered Users Posts: 7,073 ✭✭✭Rubberlegs


    Hi Dublinlady, only for I have, 9 times out of 10, another child in the back of the car with the baby, I'd have my carseat base in the front too. Those first few weeks of travelling with them are nervewracking, especially if they tend to bring up milk a lot. And because they are rear facing, you obviously can't see them. Every little noise from them would have you on edge. I'm not a fan of those mirrors, I would find it totally distracting to have them put up in the car. But that's me, I can't have any distractions whatsoever when I'm driving, can't even have tunes pumping:o
    I must say it's about time the penalty points came in for not having children correctly and safely seated in cars, it's proper order. Though it does leave me wondering should I be using a booster seat, as I'm under 5 foot:p


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    #74
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    Didn't want to start a new thread for this.

    I have a small car with a back seat that is too small for an adult to sit in or a child using a booster seat to fit in. (Basically the seat is just there for show)

    Can I put the booster seat in the front seat?

    It's a front facing booster and the child is 3 and a half.


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    #75
    Rubberlegs
    Registered Users Posts: 7,073 ✭✭✭Rubberlegs


    Stench Blossoms wrote: »
    Didn't want to start a new thread for this.

    I have a small car with a back seat that is too small for an adult to sit in or a child using a booster seat to fit in. (Basically the seat is just there for show)

    Can I put the booster seat in the front seat?

    It's a front facing booster and the child is 3 and a half.


    Hi Stench Blossoms, as far as I know a child has to be around 11/12, or about 5ft tall before they can sit in the front seat of a car, forward facing. Though perhaps there are allowances for cars/vans where there is not enough room, or no seats in the back, I'm not sure..


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    #76
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,953 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    I am not sure but it is legal to have a child under 3 in the front seat in a proper car seat,a booster seat in the front sounds a bit scary to me but there maybe nothing wrong with it. Check your car manafacturers webpage no doubht it is an issue many have had before you.


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    #77
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    As long as there's genuinely no room in the back, having your child restrained properly in the front seat with the seat as far back as possible and the airbag ON is legal.


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    #78
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    Thanks for the responses.

    Unfortunately I've gotten nowhere with the car manufacturer and since it's a 'sporty' car there doesn't seem to be anyone else with this problem.


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    #79
    caprilicious
    Registered Users Posts: 1,880 ✭✭✭caprilicious


    If it's a car like the Audi TT I would understand your preference to have the seat in the front as they're tiny in the back.
    Might be no harm to see can the airbag be switched off though.

    Maybe contact the RSA for clarification?

    I understand why someone would put a baby in the front. My daughter from the age of about 6 - 9 months old would cry *every day* I drove to & from work/nursery with her.
    To say it was stressful & distracting is an understatement! It was a 30 minute drive each time. Her only problem was being alone in the back of the car, as once someone sat beside her she was fine.
    Thankfully she eventually grew out of it/got used to it.

    I had the first model of Renault Scenic though which the front airbags can not be deactivated in, so I had to leave her in the back.

    I now have the second model of scenic & that one does come with Isofix fitting in front passenger seat as well as airbags that can be deactivated, so they are geared towards putting a child seat in the front.


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    #80
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    Cap, if child is rearward facing then airbag has to be off, but if child is forward facing the airbag must be back on.


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    #81
    BabyGoIE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭BabyGoIE


    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.

    Yes you can but remember to disable the air bags. I know what you mean about vomiting - it was terrible. Now she is over 2 and we have more issues :) - portable DVD solves most of them :)


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    #82
    caprilicious
    Registered Users Posts: 1,880 ✭✭✭caprilicious


    Seen a scarey sight today, a woman driving along with a child no more than 6-7 months old forward facing in the front seat of a car. So wrong :(


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    #83
    dublinlady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭dublinlady


    caprilicious wrote: »
    Seen a scarey sight today, a woman driving along with a child no more than 6-7 months old forward facing in the front seat of a car. So wrong :(

    That is wrong!
    We moved A back to back of car - rear facing a couple of months ago as she stopped puking so much and I didn't have to keep such a close eye. Next time ill do the same - rear facing in front for first 2-4 months and then back to the back.


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    #84
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,540 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    January wrote: »
    Cap, if child is rearward facing then airbag has to be off, but if child is forward facing the airbag must be back on.

    No, this is wrong. Air must be off. The air bag would push uje rear facing seat into the seat and may harm the child. The rear facing seat does the job of an airbag in that it secures the child.


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    #85
    Hannibal Smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    ted1 wrote: »
    January wrote: »
    Cap, if child is rearward facing then airbag has to be off, but if child is forward facing the airbag must be back on.

    No, this is wrong. Air must be off. The air bag would push uje rear facing seat into the seat and may harm the child. The rear facing seat does the job of an airbag in that it secures the child.

    I think January was saying exactly that, if the seat is rear facing air bag must be off, but when forward facing air bag must be back on


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    #86
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    That's exactly what I was saying.

    Rear facing in front seat - airbag is OFF

    Forward facing in front seat - airbag is ON and seat is pushed as far back as it can possibly go.


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    #87
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,540 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    it's still questionable as to weather or not use a airbag fro a child in the front. here's an extract from:
    http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/faqs/index.htm

    Can I put a forward-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat if it has an active airbag?

    A: It is better not to place a forward-facing restraint in a seat with an airbag; try to avoid this if possible. If it is not possible, then check the advice of the vehicle manufacturer. Find out how far the airbag extends when deployed and ensure that your child is well outside the expansion area. Ensure that the passenger seat is as far back from the airbag as possible, that the child seat is very securely fitted and the child is securely held by the harness or seat belt.


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    #88
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    No it's not questionable at all. If the child is forward facing in the front passenger seat the airbag MUST BE ON. That is the law in Ireland at present.


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    #89
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,540 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    January wrote: »
    No it's not questionable at all. If the child is forward facing in the front passenger seat the airbag MUST BE ON. That is the law in Ireland at present.

    Please show me the law you reference.


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    #90
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    ted1 wrote: »
    Please show me the law you reference.

    http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Campaigns/Current-road-safety-campaigns/No-Child-Car-Seat---No-Excuse/How-it-works/
    Can a child sit in the front seat of a vehicle?

    Any child under 150cms or weighing less than 36kg must be restrained in a child restraint which is appropriate for their height and weight. The safest place for a child to sit is in the back seat of the car, in the appropriate child restraint, however this is not always possible. It is safe and legal for a child of any age to sit in the front passenger seat of a car provided they are using the correct child restraint for their height and weight. However, if you are transporting a baby in a rearward facing child restraint in the front passenger seat you should disable the front passenger air bag. Please leave the air bag active for all other child restraints.


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    #91
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,540 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    January wrote: »
    ted1 wrote: »
    Please show me the law you reference.

    http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Campaigns/Current-road-safety-campaigns/No-Child-Car-Seat---No-Excuse/How-it-works/
    Can a child sit in the front seat of a vehicle?

    Any child under 150cms or weighing less than 36kg must be restrained in a child restraint which is appropriate for their height and weight. The safest place for a child to sit is in the back seat of the car, in the appropriate child restraint, however this is not always possible. It is safe and legal for a child of any age to sit in the front passenger seat of a car provided they are using the correct child restraint for their height and weight. However, if you are transporting a baby in a rearward facing child restraint in the front passenger seat you should disable the front passenger air bag. Please leave the air bag active for all other child restraints.

    That is not a piece of law. Show me some actual law.


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