RE: New Belt Laws
Friday 21st June 2002
New Belt Laws
Harmonisation of seat belt laws with exemption for 'large families'
Discussion
Anyone here know how the law stands re kids and the front seats?
The wife has an MX-5. What happens if we have kids, does she need to have a 4 - seater just so that you can put a child in the back?
I have seen a number of mums with baby cot thingys on the front seats but facing the other way, is this legal?
What happens when they are todlers, and the baby cot thingy is too big, can you put a child seat in the front for the 2+ year olds?
Jas.
The wife has an MX-5. What happens if we have kids, does she need to have a 4 - seater just so that you can put a child in the back?
I have seen a number of mums with baby cot thingys on the front seats but facing the other way, is this legal?
What happens when they are todlers, and the baby cot thingy is too big, can you put a child seat in the front for the 2+ year olds?
Jas.
Jas,
I think the limitation on little kids in front seats is to do with air-bag recommendations than UK law. In many European countries kids under 14 (I think) can't travel in the front, I'm not sure if this is just when rear seats are available or if it rules out 2 seaters.
In the UK the child just has to be 'properly restrained'. My 5 year sits in the rear of my Audi due to the air bag but in the front of his mum's Defender.
His favourite seat is the front passenger seat of the V8S, with or without a booster seat
.
Cheers,
JSG
I think the limitation on little kids in front seats is to do with air-bag recommendations than UK law. In many European countries kids under 14 (I think) can't travel in the front, I'm not sure if this is just when rear seats are available or if it rules out 2 seaters.
In the UK the child just has to be 'properly restrained'. My 5 year sits in the rear of my Audi due to the air bag but in the front of his mum's Defender.
His favourite seat is the front passenger seat of the V8S, with or without a booster seat
. Cheers,
JSG
Hmm, if your child is in a "proper" child seat ie a recaro, and is correctly belted into the child seat, and the passenger seat is "reasonably" adjusted IE NOT 2" from the dashboard, then WHY can't you have them in the front seat of an airbag equipped car??
Let's be honest, if you have an accident, the forces exerted will probably exceed any survival thresholds for a young child anyway..............front seat or back...........SO don't have one(accident)in the first place, and take your place in the great game of chance that is LIFE. MoJo.
Let's be honest, if you have an accident, the forces exerted will probably exceed any survival thresholds for a young child anyway..............front seat or back...........SO don't have one(accident)in the first place, and take your place in the great game of chance that is LIFE. MoJo.
The problems with child seats and airbags have been with rear facing child seats - children have been killed by the airbag in these situations.
People out of paranoia and misinterpretation have then turned this into any child seat at all, and from there into children in the front seat at all, etc. Although I suppose there's a theoretical risk of suffocation or something.
This is like don't eat cheese when pregnant. It's actually don't eat mould ripened cheese (eg brie), but this becomes all soft cheese, and then any cheese.
Misinformation, paranoia and stupidity - just to be on the safe side you understand.
People out of paranoia and misinterpretation have then turned this into any child seat at all, and from there into children in the front seat at all, etc. Although I suppose there's a theoretical risk of suffocation or something.
This is like don't eat cheese when pregnant. It's actually don't eat mould ripened cheese (eg brie), but this becomes all soft cheese, and then any cheese.
Misinformation, paranoia and stupidity - just to be on the safe side you understand.
its as the post below, front or rear facing seats can only be used in the front if the car has no airbag or has the airbag manufacturer disabled.
seems the force of the airbag could cause serious damage to a child in the front seat of a car and therefore not worth the risk.
BTW its not mould ripened cheese it is all soft cheese , it is to do with the risk of listeria.
Bennno
quote:
seems the force of the airbag could cause serious damage to a child in the front seat of a car and therefore not worth the risk.
I thought air bags were 'tuned' to an 'average' adult weight in terms of their volume and speed of deployment. For a light adult, or a child, the airbag deploying discharges excess energy, and in a more minor accident, the air bag is more likely to injure than the accident itself.
I think some newer vehicles have 'tunable' airbags depending on the weight of the passenger.
quote:
quote:
seems the force of the airbag could cause serious damage to a child in the front seat of a car and therefore not worth the risk.
I thought air bags were 'tuned' to an 'average' adult weight in terms of their volume and speed of deployment. For a light adult, or a child, the airbag deploying discharges excess energy, and in a more minor accident, the air bag is more likely to injure than the accident itself.
I think some newer vehicles have 'tunable' airbags depending on the weight of the passenger.
So how does all this affect women drivers? I've witnessed many sitting so far forward that their chests are almost touching the steering wheel (or level with it) [ look -- I'm not angling for a joke here, ok
]. Any airbag firing from this range must surely be bad news?
quote:
its as the post below, front or rear facing seats can only be used in the front if the car has no airbag or has the airbag manufacturer disabled.
What you mean it's safe if you go round and kneecap the MD of the airbag company?
Anyway, aren't small children only supposed to be transported in soundproof boxes in the boot?
>> Edited by Fatboy on Tuesday 25th June 15:30
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff