{"id":3214,"date":"2023-11-28T02:02:21","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T02:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/?p=3214"},"modified":"2023-12-14T22:42:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T22:42:45","slug":"safest-car-seat-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carseaton.com\/safest-car-seat-position\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Safest Car Seat Position? Center or Sides on the Back Seat"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
After deciding on the best car seats for your baby<\/a>, another question may come out.<\/p> What is the safest car seat position?<\/strong><\/p> The center of the back seat is statistically the safest place<\/strong> in the car to install a child safety seat.<\/p> That is the direct and short answer to this question. It is the easiest decision you can make for your first child in case there are three seating positions in the back of your car.\u00a0<\/p> How about for the second kid? Where are the safest places for both of them?<\/p> If you\u2019re going to have more children in car seats, then what are the safest positions for placing the car seats?<\/p> In this guide, we\u2019ll provide a few safety tips to help you find the safest car seat position to ride your boys or girls, from birth to 12 years old<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> Commonly, there are four positions in a sedan to install the car seats – rear-middle<\/strong>, rear passenger<\/strong>, rear driver<\/strong>, and front passenger<\/strong>.<\/p> So we ranked these four car seat positions considering their crash performance to be the safest spot and show you why.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Safest Car Seat Position\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t#2 Safest Car Seat Position\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t#2 Safest Car Seat Position\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t#3 Safest Car Seat Position\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Based on the kid\u2019s age, there are different places for the safest car seating position. If you want to know the result matching your child\u2019s age, directly click to choose that age.<\/p> After your child grows to 5 years old, 6 years old, or 7 years old, he or she in the same situation at this age range. You can click the ‘Five Year Olds’ button to check the details.<\/p> After your child’s eighth birthday, he or she does not need to stay in a car seat anymore – even if it’s better and safer for them to use a car seat.<\/p> Older kids aged between 8 to 12 years old are in the same situation.\u00a0You can click the ‘Eight Years Old’ button to view details on the safest car seat position for a child in this age range.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t It\u2019s very common that a growing family has more than one child. If this is your case, you may find the safest place for all of them. Click to get the best recommendations for your personal situation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for 2 Car Seats\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for 3 Car Seats\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t If you know the car seat stages meaning and want to learn more on placing the car seat in the right position along with the direction, click to get a direct answer for that.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for Rear-facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for Forward-facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for booster seat\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position for seat belt\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The rear middle is theoretically the safest place for placing a child safety seat<\/strong> because it\u2019s furthest away from the passenger-side airbags and the sides of the car to avoid any potential impact.<\/p> However, in the real-life case, it might not always be very practical or even possible due to the lack of a seat belt or ISOFIX points of your vehicle or the size of the car seat (this is not a big problem as there are a few slim fit options<\/a>).<\/p> So you should check both the car seat and vehicle manual to make sure the rear middle seat allows for installation of the child safety seat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t According to the study published in Pediatrics<\/a>, newborns to 3 years old toddlers, with all installs being equal or proper installation, sitting in the rear middle seat is 43% safer than sitting on the side in the back.\u00a0<\/p> The rear middle seat will be the furthest position from any impact in any type of crash, and from the airbag impact of the front passenger seat, which is supposed to cause fatal injury for kids if it is active.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Assuming you can get a good install in all seating positions, the center in the rear seat is the safest<\/strong>.<\/p> If you cannot get a proper, safe installation in the center seating position, it is no longer the safest car seat position.\u00a0<\/p> Let me say it in another way. It is more important to have a good car seat installation than to be in the middle seating position<\/strong>.<\/p> If the center seat is challenging for you but you can get a good install in a side seat, install the baby car seat behind the driver or passenger. These two sides have no difference behind the driver or passenger<\/a> in safety considering crash performance.<\/p> If you are planning to put the seat on the side, choose whichever side you prefer or where the car seat fits best.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Parents often choose this position to place the car seat<\/strong>, even though it’s not considered the safest car seat position statistically.\u00a0<\/p> Away from the side impact, the rear passenger seat offers the convenience to allow parents to get their children in and out of the car more easily on the pavement side. And you can always keep an eye on the baby if you put them in this location.<\/p> The researchers found that 41% of parents put the child\u2019s car seat in the rear passenger seat. That\u2019s a great percentage!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tSafest Car Seat Position by Crash Performance<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRear Middle\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRear Passenger\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRear Driver\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFront Passenger\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Safest Car Seat Position by Age<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Safest Placement for Two Children and More<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTwo Children in the Car\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThree Children in the Car\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Safest Car Seat Position by Stage<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRear-Facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tForward-Facing\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBooster\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSeat Belt\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Rear Middle - The Safest Spot<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Why is the rear middle seat safest?<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
When Is The Rear Center Not The Safest Location?<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Rear Seat behind the Passenger<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Rear Seat behind the Driver<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t