Where to put car seat? (in USA)

[Jcliff]

I have just started my maternity leave recently, and Im already bored out of my mind. I think I may try to install my car seat today. But Ive heard different things of where to put it..in the middle on the left, right. I dont know! Im thinking I may just take it to the police station and have them do it so I dont have to worry!

 

[CatherineK]

With one child only, center back seat, especially if you have latch system. It's the safest. Failing that, behind passenger seat.

 

[misspriss]

Some cars only have Latch on the two side seats.

For me, the center seat did not work. The seat belt was too wide apart? The seat base slid from side to side, no matter how tight I put it. It is "acceptable" to use the outermost latches on the side to use latch in the center, but it had the same problem - the tie points were too far apart and the base shifted too much, no matter how tight.

Put it on the side with the latch, no movement at all. It just has to do with the structure of the seat and/or the width of the seat belt connectors.

Try and put it in the center. The center is best for a side impact crash. However, if it doesn't work, the side positions, as long as they in the backseat, are safe as well.

Also check your car's owners manual for appropriate placement.

 

[love2live]

When we had our first we wanted to put our car seat in the center seat, but it didn't fit without moving the front seats forward. We figured it was safer to let the driver be comfortable and have the car seat behind the passenger seat than to have it in the middle and have the driver squished up to the steering wheel. That was really the only determining factor for us.

 

[lolita1990]

Middle seat is safest as if you are involved in a crash and there's any impact to the sides then baby will be furthest away. Failing that, the back seat diagonal from the driver (so for you as you're in the US, back right). Not directly behind as that can be distracting! Never in the front passenger seat if there is an active airbag. Even if your airbag is turned off in the front passenger seat, crashes are unpredictable and can still activate themselves.

I'm trained on car seat fitting by Maxi-Cosi so if you've any questions, please feel free to ask! x

 

[Super sun]

I would refer to your owners manual.... I know Some makes have side curtain air bags and such...

 

[Jcliff]

Well I couldnt barely pick up the car seat so I have made an appointment at the Police Station tomorrow so they will do it! yay.

 

[Scout]

I went to the fire dept yesterday with mine and they installed it behind passenger seat.

 

[mac1979]

If you have to install it behind the passenger seat and you have side airbags in the back see if you can get the one on that side deactivated.

 

[stellababy]

i had mine in the center.

 

[BabyUrq]

i've been wondering this too...i was actually going to create a post asking the same question....i understand the sides not being safe for side impacts but for some reason the centre seems just as unsafe to me....after reading this it seems to be wherever the seat is the most secure is the safest...
i'm going to check the car's manual for sure...and my father in law is on the local volunteer fire department so i'm going to check with him too to see if there really is a difference between the safety of the centre versus the side...

 

[Jess137]

Neither the manual with the car seat nor my car owner's manual specified a side. I couldn't do the center because the latch system is only on the sides. It won't fit behind my passenger seat if there's someone sitting there. It fits behind the drivers seat because I'm so short. The other determining factor for me was that I read that a driver tends to instinctively protect their side of the car in a crash. So I've got her seat on the driver's side.

 

[iwantabub]

Either passenger side or middle here for two reasons...

1. When u park and get baby out the car it's safer to get out the passenger side then drivers if your parked on the road.
2. You can pull over and reach back to passenger side if needed but its much harder to bend around behind your own seat.

Middle is good but I have a giant 4wd and with my section scar I couldn't reach over to get him out without pain for a bit and also have my step sons car seat that needs to go on other side.

 

[Fortune Cooki]

Mine is in the middle.

 

[CatherineK]

Middle is best, but it does not work on all cars, and if you have more than one kid, it often won't work. But the important thing is to have it properly installed, whichever position it is placed. Side/curtain air bags are not as powerful as front air bags, and don't need 'turned off' like front ones. But older kids in booster seats should alway be taught not to leans or resr against doors where there are side air bags.