[philip rodney]

Can you help me please.

From what age is it safe for a child to sit in the front seat with an airbag?

[m19dut]

I understand it is illegal to have a child under the age of 12 sitting in the front with an airbag. It is fine if the airbag is de-activated. I'm not 100% sure if this is the case but I am pretty certain.

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by m19dut

I understand it is illegal to have a child under the age of 12 sitting in the front with an airbag. It is fine if the airbag is de-activated. I'm not 100% sure if this is the case but I am pretty certain.

correct as far as I aware too.

Basically its up to the age that a Child has to be in a car seat, the main reason being in an impact is that the seat moves with the child and if an air bag goes off then the child and car seat hit something that should not be there, and it could be fatal.

[Pom Down Under]

Over here it depends on the size of the child.
My 6 year old sits in the front seat, with the seat as far back as it will go and as high as it can be (have chilli pack so seats are height adjustable). The seatbelt rests properly agains his shoulder without rubbing his neck so I figured he is big enough.
I am not aware of UK legislation being specific in relation to whether the vehicle is SRS equiped or not.

Phil

[Rakey]

its not about the law as to fitting the seat with an airbag, its about the possible injury and fatality of a child. Airbags are designed to help over 12's in an impact, and those sat in the front without a childs carseat.

From next year the law is changing on the use of car seats, it will be law that that a child restraint is used, well it is being pushed to be next year.

[dietcokeplease]

Rakey,

One time I had to drive my sisters One from Harlow back home. I had Amelia with me and she refused to sit "in the funny car" at the back by herself. After a screaming match I capitulated and put the Priori XP in the front seat. What amazed me about the MINI is the length of seat travel. On the MINI the seat goes so far back that the child seat was miles away from the dash and the possible effects of an airbag. Even her feet (when are now long enough to dangle down away from the airbag), being the closest point to the airbag was comfortably far enough away.

Now someone is going to tell me about the negative effect of the side airbags on a childseat. This is another question. On my 530d and V70, both the rear doors have side airbags and curtain/head airbags. But neither handbook discourages child seat use with a side airbag so it must be OK?

[mph999]

Don't know if this helps, and also, it is only an opinion ...

My sister and brother-in-law are both doctors, and as such see the tragic results of car accidents. Their two children (5 and 2) are always in the back in car seats, and will be in car/booster seats until the are tall enough to fit a seatbelt correctly.

They also buy car seats with side head protection, though I understand that these are usually more expensive and they are fortunate to be able to afford these.

Their view is that children under 12 should be in the back, and as far away from airbags as poss, and if necessary in a booster seat.

Whenever I have the children in my car, I follow their rules, and I guess, that as they see the results of seat belt injury on children that should have been in car seats etc... that they know better than I.

Martin

[philip rodney]

Look at this link. Very interesting. http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/airbags.htm

Seems to suggest that airbags aren't the problem; insuficient restraint is.

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by philip rodney

Look at this link. Very interesting. http://www.safety-council.org/info/traffic/airbags.htm

Seems to suggest that airbags aren't the problem; insuficient restraint is.

oh totally true, an incorrectly fitted child restraint can kill, but you would be surprised at how many people buy any old seat or only read the instructions once and never check them after the first install

There are lots of new things coming out to increase safety, but until people are fully educated on the importance of fitting, there will still be cases of lives lost due to poor fit, even with ISOFIX too

There is a new standard currently been drafted at the moment car seats for kids that have sensors in them and then tell the car the weight and position of the seat, so then the car uses the airbags in conjunction with the car seat, but that could be about 5 years before the technology is ready to go to market.

[minicabrio]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rakey

There is a new standard currently been drafted at the moment car seats for kids that have sensors in them and then tell the car the weight and position of the seat, so then the car uses the airbags in conjunction with the car seat, but that could be about 5 years before the technology is ready to go to market.

Surely the technology is here now?

Mums new Merc senses through the seat the weight of its occupants, versus the position of the seat, versus force of impact to judge how strongly it should deploy the airbags!

Also affects the seat belt tensioners too, so the seat belts are more effective.

It also automatically turns off the passenger airbag when a Merc child seat is put in place.

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicabrio-uk

Surely the technology is here now?

Mums new Merc senses through the seat the weight of its occupants, versus the position of the seat, versus force of impact to judge how strongly it should deploy the airbags!

Also affects the seat belt tensioners too, so the seat belts are more effective.

It also automatically turns off the passenger airbag when a Merc child seat is put in place.

No, as no car seats on the market have chips in to send details to the car, and no car is set to read these yet.

But it works on a similar kind of therory that the system you talk about in the merc

[philip rodney]

At what age should one go on to booster seats?

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by philip rodney

At what age should one go on to booster seats?

its more about weight than age, and I would say only ever use a Highback Booster, not one of those booster cushions, as they about to be declassified soon along with Group 0 seats as the new regs come into force next yeat R44.04

There are some really good seats out there which don't cost the earth, but best bet get one that fits the contours of the rear seat and one which gives plenty of head and side impact protection, oh and one that your kid doesn't mind sitting in

[philip rodney]

can you suggest one for mini?

[philip rodney]

PS What are these regs?

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by philip rodney

can you suggest one for mini?

I haven't done any fitting for a while with other companies seats, so all I could suggest is find a good store and take the MINI and the kid along, ask them to fit them in your car and see which fits the best and which your kid likes the most/look most supported in

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by philip rodney

PS What are these regs?

the regs, are the European Standard for testing, which all car seats have to comply to, the out going standard is ECE R44:03 and the new one which companies have normally 2 years to move to is ECE R44:04

They make good bedtime reading if you get a copy of them, even more so than pushchair testing regs