Viva Vitality: Keep those tweens in the backseat

By Medicine Hat News on March 8, 2019.

March is Occupant Restraint Month and it got me thinking about my own family. My 12-year-old will yell “shotgun” as we head for the vehicle. He has been bugging me to sit in the front seat for a while and always uses “my friends have been riding up there since they were 10” and he feels he is missing out on some big step into adulthood. Yes, my son is 12 and in the vehicle’s manual does say 12 years of age and up can sit in the front seat. It’s just a recommendation and it is the safest car seat practice for him.

All passengers, even adults, are safer in the back seat. In a collision, there’s less likelihood of serious injuries if you’re in the back, but children in particular are even more vulnerable because of their developmental stage, physically. Experts agree that children under 12 should be in the back seat because they’re even more vulnerable to severe injury stated by Parachute Canada.

Airbags are designed to protect adults, and can actually cause more harm than good to developing children. Before puberty a child’s skeleton is still soft and spongy making it unable to withstand the full force of an airbag deployment and leaving them susceptible to internal injuries. A child under 12 years of age should be in the backseat every ride. As we’ve heard a large percentage of collisions happen close to home so even a “quick ride” for a school drop off should be treat the same as any other trip. (Melissa Murray CPST)

And as a hockey mom my vehicle is usually full of kids. In those situations I put the oldest child in the front (which is usually my child) and make him put his seat back the farthest it will go. If your vehicle is equipped, you can turn off the air bag on the passenger side. There are always going to be situations that will test our judgment, but keep in mind that you are the adult and your first priority is to keep your child safe. It’s not about them being a certain height or weight, it’s about your child’s bone development and structure.

If you can get your child to hold off getting into the front seat that will be a win.

If you would like any more information on car seats for any stage please visit albertahealthservices.ca/injprev/page4842.aspx and parachutecanada.org