High backed booster question

[noon_child]

I am confused by the different info available on the internet. I know that IF you have back seats in a car then you should use them for a child seat before opting for the front, but you can use the front if your car has no rear seats or those seats are occupied by other child seats. HOWEVER I don't know if you can use the front seat if you believe the back seats are unsuitable.

I'm so confused I'm pretty much ready to buy a new car!

I have a Toyota IQ and a high back booster seat. All is fine at the moment but I know that I need an arms width between her legs and the seat in front. As she gets bigger her feet are getting closer and closer to the seat infront. I keep it quite far forward, but if it is too far forward it obscures my view out of the passenger window (which I think is even more unsafe).

What is safer - back seat but too close to the seat infront, or front passenger seat?

 

[Nibblenic]

An IQ is a very small car. I really dont know what would be 'best'. What I do know that in the serious car accident we had, the car seat and our daughter was on the 'wrong' side of the car, behind the driver. It was the passenger side that was crushed and our child would have been too so sometimes its just 'luck'

Personally I would keep them in the rear of the car but I can understand your dilemma especially in such a small car, however toyotas are very safe so I would take some comfort in that

 

[tommyg]

I wouldn't think it would make much difference. But I've never heard the arms width distance either. Do what you are comfy with.

 

[wishingonastar]

If it helps your decision, they are always said you be safest in the back as opposed to the front.

Also if you have a passenger airbag this MUST be disabled if LO in front even if forward facing. Cosatto website has warnings stating that a child can sustain a serious injury if airbag active

 

[liz1985]

I dont know which would be safest but like pp said if you are in a crash it can just be down to luck of where the impact happens. I have two children so have to have one behind passenger, one behind driver as cant fit their seat in the middle, so ine of them has to be in the more 'unsafe' seat. I personally try to avoid putting them in front seat at all costs. A child in my brothers year, think she was 8 or 9 at the time so not a young young child broke her back when she was sat in the front in an accident. She was in a child seat but the impact of the airbag did it.

 

[minties]

We have a very small car, a Mazda 2/Demio. Have no choice but to have Thomas in the front when #3 arrives.

We barely ever use the car so I try not to worry about it too much.