# is it legal to put baby seat in front passenger seat



## Sydney100 (20 Aug 2008)

Hi

My daughter is 16mths and since she was born hates her car seat and goes berserk.  its at the point were I just avoid taking her in the car at all and when I do its dangerous as shes a distraction screaming her head off.  

I think she might be better in the passenger seat beside me where she can see me and I can at least talk to her.  If I disable the airbag, is this legal to have her in the front in her baby seat??

Thanks


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## FredBloggs (20 Aug 2008)

Don't know if its legal - but is it safe?  I know where you're coming from - been there.  I know how difficult it is to drive when all this is going on.  One word of advice - try to avoid giving her weapons (toys, soothers, bottles).  I've had them thrown at me while driving and I don't know how I didn't crash on a couple of occasions


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## oldtimer (20 Aug 2008)

What would happen if you had an accident and the passenger airbag opened?


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## Auntie (20 Aug 2008)

oldtimer said:


> What would happen if you had an accident and the passenger airbag opened?


 


Sydney100 said:


> If I disable the airbag


 
I'm fairly sure there must be people with vans and car vans that travel all the time with babies in the passenger seat


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## RS2K (20 Aug 2008)

Nothing illegal in doing that I believe, but it may have insurance consequences.


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## huskerdu (20 Aug 2008)

I think I saw a reference to it being illegal for a child under 4 to be in the front seat. I'll try to find the reference and post it.

Here is it. This is from www.citizensinformation.ie on the rules for seatbelts in Ireland


"Children over 4 years of age may occupy a forward facing front seat of a vehicle _only_ if they are using a safety belt or an appropriate child restraint. Otherwise, they must travel in a rear seat."


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## huskerdu (20 Aug 2008)

THe actual wording of the law, in the document linked from [broken link removed] is as follows

(3) Subject to the provisions of article 8 of these Regulations, the driver of a vehicle to which this article applies shall not, as and from the 1st day of January 1993, permit a person who is under 17 years of age to occupy a forward facing front seat, unless that person is—
( _a_ ) 4 years of age or upwards and is wearing a safety belt, or
( _b_ ) restrained by an appropriate child restraint.


This means that is it legal to have a child in a child seat in the front seat.


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## clocon (21 Aug 2008)

i am amazed that its legal to do that. astonishing....id be nervous though if u were unlucky enough to be in a collision.i wonder if the OP brought the kid with the horror of car seats  into store and let her "help" pick a new carseat for the back of the car would it help the situation. ive seen sleeping beauty and princess themed carseats in my local toystore lately and they were about 50 euro... maybe it would work....just a thought. ive 2 kids and my son hated the carseat for the 1st year and a half ....constant howling til we changed the car seat to one he "helped" pick...nothing fancy just a basic blue carseat...he nearly drove us all mad up til then..


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## Vanilla (21 Aug 2008)

Lots of kids go through this. They get over it as long as you persist and are confident and calm with them ( natch easier said than done). Our first was like this with the added bonus of vomiting too. Try building up a routine around something they enjoy. Do they like the playground or some other place reasonably near. Well use the car to get there. Tell them where you are going beforehand. Make sure it's a short journey. Repeat.


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## Bronte (21 Aug 2008)

In most cars you can disable the airbag, you should not put a baby in the front without doing this, but from a safety point of view it's always better to have the baby in the back.  I would try getting into the car and everytime she acts up pull in and read a book until she calms down, you might have to do it 10 times or more, obviously do this on a safe quiet road, or in a car park when it's empty.  Do not entertain or confort her and she will get the message that it's boring, if she starts before you drive off then just wait until she stops.


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## j26 (21 Aug 2008)

I thought children under 4 could only be in the front in a rearward facing baby seat (which I'm pretty sure a 16 month old is too big for)

Sit her in the carseat a few times in the driveway and play with her, and she might get used to it.  Also play some of her favourite music and sing with her (my daughter loves Blondie, Lenny Kravitz and the Wheels on the Bus ) so she associates the car with fun.


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## FredBloggs (21 Aug 2008)

A related question - can children travel in the front seat if they are tall enough to use the seat belt regardless of age?   I sometimes have four children in my car.  I put the younger ones in the back but have to put the older one in the passanger seat.  Wondering if this is against the law.


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## Sydney100 (21 Aug 2008)

oldtimer said:


> What would happen if you had an accident and the passenger airbag opened?


 

If you read my post again i said I'd have the airbag disabled


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## z101 (21 Aug 2008)

I thought it was illegal for children under the age of 12 to sit in the front seat of a car - Did that not come in as part of the compulsory safery belt law??


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## huskerdu (22 Aug 2008)

Ceatharlach said:


> I thought it was illegal for children under the age of 12 to sit in the front seat of a car - Did that not come in as part of the compulsory safery belt law??


 
If you read the details on www.citizensinformation.ie which I quoted above, there is no mention of this. I seem to remember that it used
to be the case.


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