Car seat safety?
I drive a four door Ford Focus. I already have two children, ages 4 and 2, with one more on the way. I’m looking for guidance or advice on what to do when the new baby arrives. The back seat is only big enough for two car seats. By the time the new baby is born, my 4 year old will be 4 1/2. Can she safely sit in the front passenger seat of the Focus, with the appropriate car seat, so that my younger two can sit in the back seat? I know I should definitely disable the front passenger airbag. But is this safe? Getting a bigger vehicle would be tough financially. Any other advice would be appreciated.
Wow, I didn’t expect to be judged about having a third child, I was just asking about car seat safety. If it is imperitive that I get a bigger vehicle, I will. I said it would be a strain financially, not impossible. Relax people.
looks like you get to go car shopping, or likely mini van shopping, I’m in a similar boat, i have a 11 month old and am expecting twins. I understand not wanting to buy a new car (we owe more on our car than it’s worth) but unfortunately it is what will be safest, good luck to us both!
I wouldn’t do it. Trade in your car and upgrade. Its part of having 3 children. I know I have 3 too. You have to plan for this stuff before you decide to have another. You have to figure out what it will take to have another child and if you can’t afford it don’t have more. With the economy going in the tank I don’t know why people are having children that they can’t even afford now, it’s not going to get any easier. Buy another car or risk your child’s safety
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I would not put your 4 1/2 year old in the front seat even if you disable the airbag, the back seat is the safest.
Have you checked into getting new car seats, smaller ones? Is your 4 1/2 year old in the booster seat? How old is your other child, is that one able to be in a booster seat also?
I had a Ford Countour and I put 3 car seats in the back seat, buckle your new baby in the middle so that the base does not come out of the car, then put your other children on the sides. You might have to lean the outside car seat out while buckling them in, but it is possible, I have done it. Good Luck.
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definitely not allowed in the front seat even with air bag turned off–not safe at all
you need a bigger car or find a way to put her in the back seat safely she may or may not meet height or weight requirements to be out of car seat-go to your local police department and ask for advice to ensure the safety of your children they will do free inspections for you for car seat safety–best advice
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Its againts the law for your 4yr old to sit in the front seat even with a car seat. I’m pretty sure you have to be 12 to sit in the front seat. Go look up the laws I guess. Good Luck!!
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Its not safe for a 4 year old to be in the front seat. You can buy slimline car seats that fit across, my friend did this when she had twins to go in the back with her 2 year old, and that worked for her. I understand it would be a strain financially for the new car business but i kinda think u should have though about that before u had another baby, your kids lives are way more important than the cost of a bigger car. However if u do decide to put the kid in the front definatly disable the airbag as that is illegal
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looks like you get to go car shopping, or likely mini van shopping, I’m in a similar boat, i have a 11 month old and am expecting twins. I understand not wanting to buy a new car (we owe more on our car than it’s worth) but unfortunately it is what will be safest, good luck to us both!
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Some people don’t read the questions before answering…
i have been driving my car for 5 years with no airbag in the front passenger. I placed my child in the front with me even when she was a baby as it was mush easier to tend to her if i needed to as i was on my own most of the time in the car..
I would put the 2 year old in the front with you and then you could ask the 4 year old to help with the baby if he/she gets wittery until your able to find a safe place to stop..
Or you could put the four year old in a booster chair which are smaller than a standard seat in the middle of the back seat. Personally i would put the 2 year old in the front with you and if the 4 year old gets up-set as to why he/she is not sat in the front explain he/she has a very important job to do that the 2 year old cannot do that will make him/her feel really special and tell them they can have a treat for looking after the baby so well for you and the 2 year old can also have a treat for been so good and sitting still whilst mummy is driving.
Good luck and i’m sure whatever decision you come too it will be the right one as long as the children are strapped in correctly. xxx
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Actually you CAN get 3 across the backseat. For now. But it may not work once your kids are in boosters. If your 4 year old is already in a booster, put him back in a harnessed seat. It is MUCH easier to have 3 across when all seats are harnessed. Its a pain to have to squeeze hands between seats to buckle/unbuckle a booster everytime. With harnessed seats, once they’re in there’s no more squeezing between them. The narrowest car seat out there is the Sunshine Kids Radian65. It touts being able to get 3 across in most vehicles. Get 1, 2, or 3 of these seats (they fit newborns just fine) and you’ll be able to get it to work.
If it were me, I’d get 1-2 of them, put them forward facing in the outboard positions for the 2 and 4 year olds, and put a different rear facing seat in the center. The Radians have a very tall back so they take up a lot of room front to back when rear facing - so you wouldn’t really want one behind the driver or passenger seat unless no one was going to be sitting there. Its all a matter of choosing different seats that are narrow or puzzle well together. For instance: A seat on a high base, like Britax Marathon, puzzles well next to a seat without a base, like Cosco Scenera or Radian65. Here’s a link to 3 across people have gotten in Ford Focus:
http://www.car-seat.org/search.php?searchid=1144288
That doesn’t mean that those are all that will work, just what these people have tried. If you go there and post your question, you may get someone to try something else out for you. Looks like people have gotten a radian and 2 marathons, 2 radians and a parkway (a booster), and more.
You may be able to fit an infant seat between 2 radians. Definitely steer clear of the Evenflo Infant seats, though.
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http://www.car-seat.org
people really shouldnt judge you by this question.
3 carseats can fit in the backseat. I’ve helped with putting them in one time! lol Your 4 yr old may be big enough for a booster seat by the time the newborn gets here. Try the booster seat, but by all means leave all 3 kids in the backseat, please. the idea of the base in the middle would create a problem getting the infant carrier over the toddler carseat. place the base on the drivers side. makes it easier for you to get it in and out. good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and i hope this helps!
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