How it is allowed to carry children in a car is indicated in just one point of the traffic rules. It provides comprehensive instructions on this matter. You can put a child in the front seat at any age, but at the same time, there are nuances for each age that must be observed.
The smallest children
Infants can only be transported in the front seat of a car in a child car seat. The safest position for a baby in the car seat is "facing back". With emergency braking in this position, there will be no sharp nodding of the head, which is dangerous for a small child. The weight of the head in babies is quite large, and the neck is still very weak; therefore, such a nod can be extremely dangerous for a baby.
When you put the car seat in the car in the opposite direction of travel (that is, the baby is looking back), you should definitely deactivate the airbags if your car is equipped with them. The child is positioned in relation to the pillows with his back, so in case of an accident they will strike the child's head and back with a blow comparable to a blow with a sledgehammer. Therefore, pillows will not at all provide safety for the baby who sits backwards in the car seat, and may even kill him.
After a year, you can put your child in the front seat in the car seat and in the direction of travel. In this case, you do not have to deactivate the airbags, but you must move the seat back as far as possible. This is to compensate for the thickness of the car seat. This will keep the child as close as possible to the airbags for their effective and safe deployment.
Children under 12 years of age
Car seats are always designed for a specific weight and age of the child. At some point, many parents give up the car seat and use a booster. The booster is a backless seat with seat belt guides. Some boosters are also equipped with armrests. In fact, it does not provide safety for the child, as it does not protect him in a side impact. The booster only allows you to raise the child a little so that the standard seat belt in the car passes over his shoulder. However, there is one “but” regarding the use of a booster in a car: you cannot transport children under 12 years old in the front seat using a booster. At any age until the child is 12 years old, the front must be fastened in the car seat.
The booster is very inexpensive. But if you have the need to carry your child in the front seat, spend the money on purchasing a car seat. Models of car seats of 2-3 categories, intended for children under the age of about 12 years, have a very simple shape and allow you to fix the child with the car's belts. The cost of this category of car seats is quite low when compared with models for younger ages. But, of course, such a car seat will cost you more than a booster.
Children over 12 years old
If your child is already 12 years old, you can safely put him in the front seat without any additional devices. You must, of course, fasten it with your seat belt.
It is more important not even to reach the age of 12 years, but the height of the child - 150 cm and above. With this height, the standard seat belts in the car are located on the shoulder of a person. Even if your child is small at the age of 12, you should definitely continue to use the car seat. If the height is less than 150 cm, the seat belt will either slip off or press down on the child's head in the event of an accident, which can lead to very bad consequences.
Always remember that the front passenger seat is the most dangerous in a car. If possible, it is better to put the child behind the driver, where it is safest.
