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From: lps@iham1.UUCP (L P Stoa)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Car Seat in the front seat
Message-ID: <315@iham1.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Feb-85 10:07:57 EST
Article-I.D.: iham1.315
Posted: Thu Feb 28 10:07:57 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Mar-85 20:21:48 EST
References: <701@decwrl.UUCP> <945@ihuxb.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 60

>> I don't know of any comparison in the DEGREE of safety between
>> front seat and rear seat for the child seat.  (Lots of seats. :-)
>> But here's my understanding of the rules, in order of importance:
>> 
>> 	1.  Always use the child seat.  ALWAYS!
>
>		Absolutely!  It drives my wife and I crazy when we see people
>		holding their children in their laps.  Don't they realize that
>		in an accident the child will be crushed between the adult
>		and the dashboard (or, if the adult has a seat belt on, that
>		the child will be impossible to hold)??

			Agreed

>> 	2.  Face it backwards.  (It's worth noting that this is also the safest
>> 	    position for the adults, too, but it's not socially acceptable, so
>> 	    cars aren't made this way.  No cute jokes about the driver.)
>
>		I don't believe that it is ALWAYS the safest for the child
>		seat to be facing backward.  The manufacturer instructs the
>		user to face the seat forward after a child reaches a certain
>		weight (20lbs. for the Century 200).  I assume that the seat
>		(when used facing forward) is better able to handle the
>		stronger forces that result from the increased weight of the
>		child.

                        Personnally, I think it just more comfortable for
                        the child to face forward especially when they
                        have grown so big that their feet extend beyond
                        the child seat.  However, it is safer to have them
                        face backward since they are protected faceward
                        by the back of the seat and the child seat protects
                        the other areas of their body.

>> 	3.  Put it in the rear seat.  (Also safer for adults.)
>
>		The child is equally safe in either front or back as
>		long as the child seat is used properly.  Perhaps it is
>		shielded from flying glass better when in the rear, but
>		when the driver and the child are the only occupants,
>		the child should sit up front with the adult driver.

                        The middle of the back seat is the safest part of
                        the car in an accident.  The front seat places the
                        child close to the side of the car and closer to
                        injury if the car is broadsided.  The back seat
                        is usually non-movable in most vehicles which
                        gives an extra margin of safety as opposed to
                        the front seat.

>> 	4.  Make it snug.
>
>		Absolutely.

                        Agreed.

>> ---Pete
>  ---Mike Clifford

   		Larry Stoa