Car seat query

[Kyle Reese]

ALCON,
Had a few questions regarding the installation of a car seat. Our first child is due very soon, and everything we've learned points towards infant car seats should be in the center portion of the back seat. Our 2014 Hyundai Tucson advises against this in the owner's manual, instead advocating placement of the car seat to the rear of the driver or passenger.

What's the consensus here?

Thanks!

[41magfan]

My two kids were just 13 months apart so the center-seat option was short lived. My 3 year old g'baby however, rides in the middle. I would guess the current wisdom dictates that arrangement offers them more protection from a side impact and I personally concur with that notion. Once children are big enough to start wearing seatbelts however, I think they need to be located behind one of the front seats if at all possible.

[MD7305]

I could see installing in the center would give some offset protection from either side impact or deployment of side/curtain airbags. My wife and I installed our seats behind the driver side primarily due to your problem, room constraints with a Subaru WRX and Honda Accord. We chose drivers side as it's convenient if you're solo, kiddo is on your side. From a cop, trained/certified installer I'd worry more about a good quality seat instead of putting it in the middle. YMMV. It gets worse when the out grow the infant carrier and go to a rear facing seat. Those things are monsters!!!

PS: congrats, our kiddo #2 arrives next month!

[pablo]

http://alexandriava.gov/sheriff/default.aspx?id=71332

I'd recommend the center. If you drop the baby getting him or her out of the seat-it happens and no one plans it-dropping the baby on the seat is a bit less dramatic than a parking lot. When the baby gets a little bigger it's much harder to accidentally shut and hand or foot in the door-it happens and no one plans on it.

Ultimately the carseat needs to be mounted in the seat that it has the most secure fit, the width or shape of the Hyundia's seat may prevent a car seat from being safely mounted in the center.

[Cookie Monster]

I got 12 week old twins so they roll with one on each side. I can see the center and that is how our friends with singles roll.

Also probably depends how the middle seat belt is done. I can see side pillar attachment being stronger. Would also depend how the car seat base attaches via the seat belt or metal brackets in the crease of the seat.

Congrats!!! It is quite a ride.

[MD7305]

Go for LATCH attachment over seat belts if at all possible. Your Hyundai should be new enough to utilize LATCH but it may only offer LATCH on either side but not the center.

[LSP552]

Fred,

If you wish, PM me a phone number and I will have a child passenger safety technician contact you with specific info for your vehicle and car seat. My organization oversees the child passenger safety training program for LA, so no problem having an expert give you a call.

[Matt O]

Go for LATCH attachment over seat belts if at all possible. Your Hyundai should be new enough to utilize LATCH but it may only offer LATCH on either side but not the center.

Absolutely - latches are quite possibly the best invention since sliced bread, but I haven't seen any cars that utilize them for the middle seat unfortunately.


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[Vinh]

Center placement may be ideal, but for practical reasons, I've always placed mine on the passenger side.

[Irelander]

We would have preferred to use the center but with no LATCH options for the center position and the Subaru and Toyota manuals advising against the center position, we went with behind the passenger seat for our infant and now toddler car seats. Agree that rear facing toddler seats are beasts.

[scw2]

Fred,

If you wish, PM me a phone number and I will have a child passenger safety technician contact you with specific info for your vehicle and car seat. My organization oversees the child passenger safety training program for LA, so no problem having an expert give you a call.

Does your group or other similar groups maintain websites with education for expecting parents? I know we are always learning and there is newer and better technology so I am always wondering whether normal websites are spouting outdated advice or not.

[LSP552]

Does your group or other similar groups maintain websites with education for expecting parents? I know we are always learning and there is newer and better technology so I am always wondering whether normal websites are spouting outdated advice or not.

Here is a quick link for some basic info. Our website is in the process of being updated, but I can post up some other links when I get back in the office on Monday. If you have specific questions, shoot me a PM and I will have an child passenger safety instructor give you a call.

http://www.lahighwaysafety.org/child.html

[Kyle Reese]

Gents,
Thank you to all for taking the time to educate me on this subject. Just an update, I've visited the Alexandria Sheriff's Office, and got some hands on education installing the base properly. :)


My wife sends her appreciation for all of the information provided here as well.

This is why I love this forum.

[ubervic]

...latches are quite possibly the best invention since sliced bread, but I haven't seen any cars that utilize them for the middle seat unfortunately.


I believe this is the reason why a car manufacturer would recommend the left or right position of the backseat rather than the center area, as the latch anchor is much more secure & stable.

It's been quite a few years since my kids were in car seats but, as I recall, the latch was just becoming the standard in passenger vehicles as my younger child was moving out of car seats and into the 'booster' style seat.

Congrats to the OP on your growing family.

[JAD]

Congratulations, Fred. I am an older parent. For me center position kicked my butt with a long awkward lean to install the seat in its base. I mount outboard for that reason. I use the passenger side for the same reason German cars have the gas cap there -- safer access if you have to on the road side. Also, lets you reach the baby easier as the driver. Useful for finding a dropped binky early and strong-hand strangling later.


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[Kyle Reese]

Congratulations, Fred. I am an older parent. For me center position kicked my butt with a long awkward lean to install the seat in its base. I mount outboard for that reason. I use the passenger side for the same reason German cars have the gas cap there -- safer access if you have to on the road side. Also, lets you reach the baby easier as the driver. Useful for finding a dropped binky early and strong-hand strangling later.


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Thank you my friend! :)

[ragnar_d]

In my wife's car (2014 Terrain), the car seat base is mounted in the middle. My car (2011 Explorer) has bucket seats and can't have it mounted in the middle. The base is mounted behind the passenger seat so its easier for me to check on her if I'm flying solo (wife will ride in the back seat if we're together).

The center seat thing was suggested to us by the guy who helps install the carseats (fellow I work with, his dad is one of the guys that trains all the firefighters, police, etc. on how to install them). He went through everything and showed us how to do the seatbelt setup properly on my wife's car.

[cricket]

For what it is worth, I found that center vs. right/left placement had different impacts on my outward/rear visibility for various combinations of seats/vehicles. That may be important to you.

http://thecarseatlady.com/is-latch-safer/

The above website claims that LATCH install is not safer than using a seatbelt install. LATCH is supposed to make it more difficult to mess up the installation/securing of the seat. But apparently misuse is still very high.

[Painkiller7]

My first kid is due in aug, so I've been doing quite a bit of research as well. If this isn't too late for you OP, from what I've found; either is safe, with center being ideal.
If you can swing the 300 bucks, the cybex aton 2 has manually deployable "wings" dependent on which side of the car the seat is placed. The wings are supposed to help with energy transfer. The only downside is it's an infant seat meaning it won't last too long.

[DMF13]

For what it is worth, I found that center vs. right/left placement had different impacts on my outward/rear visibility for various combinations of seats/vehicles. That may be important to you.

http://thecarseatlady.com/is-latch-safer/

The above website claims that LATCH install is not safer than using a seatbelt install. LATCH is supposed to make it more difficult to mess up the installation/securing of the seat. But apparently misuse is still very high.Also, be aware that as the kid gets older you are not supposed to use the LATCH system. My kids' seats say that once the kids reach 40lbs we are not supposed to use the LATCH system, and switch to the seat belt install.

[StraitR]

Also, be aware that as the kid gets older you are not supposed to use the LATCH system. My kids' seats say that once the kids reach 40lbs we are not supposed to use the LATCH system, and switch to the seat belt install.

Overprotective Dads use both. :p