Greetings All,

I have three young children (ages 6, 5, and 1 month). I was told by my MA that the weight recommendation for the front passenger seat is 70 pounds. My 6 year old is about 10-15 pounds shy of that mark, so for the last year he's been riding in the back seat with a child booster seat.

I was wondering if anyone has pushed the envelope on this recommendation by having young children in the front seat. If so, what effect has it had on your MINI's passenger seat airbag (light)? Is this a safe thing to do in a MINI with a booster seat?

Many Thanks!

 

It is never safe to have children younger than 12 years old in the front passenger seat. This is due to the fact that they are shorter and are at higher risk of death due to the airbags hitting them in the chest and face. In CA they can not ride up front until age 6 or 60 pounds (with exceptions of course). Here is a link to a Q&A page of the California highway Patrol.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/chil...seat_faqs.html

Can't answer about the sensors.

 

My 2 year old sits in the front seat when she's with me. A) Because I have the rear seats deleted, and B)She's as large as a 3 year old. Since the MINI's front airbags are turned off, and she's harnessed in pretty well, I feel comfortable with her riding in the front. My driving style changes with her riding in the car and I just have to watch out for the other people. Now, in my Suzuki Sidekick, she rides in the back always. I can't say if this is safe or not, nor can I tell you that you should let your child ride in the front. Me, if I felt that it was unsafe, I wouldn't do it, and mostly it's on the backroads taking and picking her up from the babysitter. But Of course I don't live in communist Cali.

 

I have so much to say to both the OP and the two posters. But without getting into the details of the shoulda', coulda', woulda, I'll just say.

"Could you live with yourselves if you lost that little one looking up at you...tugging on your pant leg??"