When Can Your Child Sit in the Front Seat of Your Car?

When it comes to your child’s safety, there’s almost nothing you wouldn’t do. Driving from place to place or using another form of transportation whether it be a bus or motorcycle happens so often every day it is easy not to consider the immense danger that exists when you get into a moving vehicle. There are so many reasons why a car accident can take place such as driver error, which is the most common reason for collisions, defective car parts that malfunction, bad weather conditions, or even defects in the road. It only makes sense to take as many precautions as necessary to be safe.

Every state has regulations and guidelines for young children riding in cars. Depending on a child’s age, height, and weight, where they sit in the car as well as if they require specialized child safety seats will be dictated under the law. In the state of Arizona, for all children under the age of eight and not taller than 4’ 9”, one of these specialized children safety seats is a must. Carseats are essential to your child’s safety and so while having one is a start, your child’s car seat isn’t going to keep your child safe in an accident if it isn’t installed correctly and positioned appropriately. This is why it is advisable to learn the exact way that a child’s car seat should be installed.

Where is the Safest Place For Your Child to Sit in Your Car?

There are too many dangers that exist for front-seat passengers. In some catastrophic car accidents in Phoenix, there are adult bodies that cannot sustain the impact and the force that comes with the incident. Very little bodies that aren’t secured in a seat face an exponentially higher risk for harm if sitting in the front. This is why children should never be allowed to sit in the front seat. Any child that is not taller than 4’9” or who is younger than eight should stay in the backseat.

Despite the law in Arizona indicating that children under eight should not sit in the front seat, the Arizona Department of Transportation says that all children up to 12 years of age should not ride in the front seat no matter how tall and heavy they are. Even though a child may no longer meet the requirements under the law to have to use a child safety seat or they are “big” for their age, children are best kept in the back to ensure they are in the safest position.

Should there be an extenuating circumstance where your child is over the age of eight and taller than 4’9” that requires them to be seated in the front, there are some considerations to think about. While airbags tremendously improve safety in the event of a car accident, they can also inflict their own type of harm on victims who get into a collision. For this reason, it is best to have an airbag be deactivated so that it doesn’t inflict additional harm on the child in the event of a crash.

Speak with an Arizona Personal Injury Attorney

After an Arizona car accident, victims need and deserve the most experienced and talented legal counsel to fight on their behalf and obtain the highest monetary amount from their settlement. Call the Arizona car accident attorneys at ELG today to schedule your free consultation at (623) 877-3600.