Should Kids Sit in Front Seat?

[Akash1886]

Team,

Here is a small thought that cropped up suddenly as I re-thought about seeing an overloaded school Maruti Van today with 2 kids sitting on front passenger seat of which none had seat belt. This I saw on way to Rohini (Delhi) today afternoon.

After that, 2nd such thing I saw in a Auto rickshaw in which 3 children were sitting in front seat of Auto rickshaw, 2 on one side and one on the other. We all know auto-rickshaws don't have any safety measures so this way we are putting our kid's life at risk as every where in India the traffic is increasing day by day.

Apart from above two practical experiences, how often does it happen that your kid or any small child grabs the front seat of your car and you let it go? Do you advise your kids to refrain from sitting in front seat?

Would like to have your views over the same!

Regards

Akash

 

[gandhi]

I say Big NO to kids in front seat.

But this fight is going on always with my 6 year old daughter. She wanted to sit in navigator seat which I don't allow her. The manual also says not to allow children to sit in navigator seat with age below 12 years.

 

[drive enthusiast]

Yes but not in that manner as you saw. I mean we should set an example by putting seat belts, obey rules on roads. So, whenever they would be getting their licence they just make sure to do same things.
I mean it's a learning moment for them and obviously to feel same passion for our rides.

 

[nick1188]

Putting seatbelts is the way to go.. Children can sit on the front seats, provided the safety is not compromised. What you saw on the way in autos and vans is not the scenario you would want your kid in, as a minor mishap may turn out be catastrophic for kids.

 

[GrandRk]

Children's can sit in front sit provided that they are fastened with seat belts. Normally seat belts are passed from shoulders for kids above 12 years where it passes by neck of kids below 12 years, hence most of the car manuals ask to allow kids above 12 years to be seated in front seat.

My son has habit of observing how am i driving and he too starts replicating the same sitting in navigator seat

 

[manojodungat]

I mean we should set an example by putting seat belts, obey rules on roads.

Putting seatbelts is the way to go..

Children's can sit in front sit provided that they are fastened with seat belts.

Children up to 12-13 years old shouldn’t be seated in front. Seat belts won’t help either as they are designed for larger bodies.

Air bags when deployed in the event of crash, can seriously injure tender bones.

 

[nick1188]

Hi guys..

Just as today I was on my way to office, I encountered an incident.
I was driving around 30kmph speed and it was not on the main road.. There was a school boy coming from opposite side on a bicycle.. just when he was some 10 feet from my vehicle he suddenly took a U-turn in front of me and I had to apply sudden brakes.. I just stopped 1 feet or so from him.. and the reaction I get was the boy laughed at us and went on..(before anyone steps in let me just say he wasn't that young around 14yrs or so maybe).. I had my heart in mouth, really frustrating to see such ignorance ..

Also, a side story of it was I had the belts on and i got a minor jerk whereas my friend who didn't put the belts literally banged on the dashboard.. So seatbelts do help.. maybe not with kids below 12 years for obvious reasons pointed out in earlier posts.

 

[vijay]

Absolutely NO for kids in front seats below 16 years of age.Seatbelts could be fatal for them rather then safety.
Make your kids seated on the rear seats which is comfortable as well as safer for them.
Even a brake with more then normal force needed on routine driving could make them hurt in front seats.
Nick1188, absolutely i have seen such accidents where front passengers have badly smashed on the dashboard bleeding their nose and faces when not buckling their seatbelts.