I was reading that the center in the backseat in the safest place to have the carseat...
We have a small car and I was thinking I'd install it off to one side, probably behind the driver's seat, (to maximize the amount of space an adult would have if sitting in the backseat next to the carseat) until I read that the center was safest.
Where is yours installed?
72 votes
honeydew / 7504 posts
The carseat manual said to check the car manual for their recommendation of the safest place. I have a Nissan Rogue, and it said behind the driver's seat. So that's where it is.
watermelon / 14206 posts
I have a 5 year old in a booster. He is behind the passenger side, because of school...he gets dropped off from that side. I don't want him right next to the baby, so she'll be behind the drivers side.
pomelo / 5093 posts
If I put my baby in the middle, I'd never be able to put the back seat down and haul anything in my car, which would be a really big loss. I'd also have a really hard time getting her in and out. So, driver's side it is.
coconut / 8279 posts
I checked the manual and the LATCH tethers are only on the side seats. I put the carseat behind the passenger seat.
DH has the same make (Toyota) different model, his said center LATCH, so it's in the center in his car.
Definitely check your car manual.
pomegranate / 3053 posts
With my first I put him behind the passenger seat. With my second behind the drivers seat b/c my oldest is behind the passenger seat.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
Passenger side. It wouldn't tighten enough in the middle.
bananas / 9628 posts
I don't have a middle (captains chairs), so it's behind me, but if I did & could get a good fit, it'd be in the middle.
kiwi / 673 posts
Ours is in the middle based on the car seat and vehicle manuals. Our car is also small and adult space in the back is pretty minimal now. We don't often have adult passengers, though, so it's no big loss.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts
Drivers side, it was too hard for me to get the seat in the middle.
pear / 1698 posts
Behind the passanger seat in my Honda Civic. DH is so tall, he couldn't it in the drivers side with the seat in the middle.
bananas / 9357 posts
In the middle. It depends on your car, but generally middle seat is safest. The next safest is behind the driver, according to the police officer that checked our car seat.
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
Our base wouldn't get level in the middle so she's behind the passenger seat (so I can see her with my mirror).
pomelo / 5331 posts
I only have side latch and using side anchors for a center install is prohibited in my car. So it's behind the passenger seat. I didn't feel as comfortable installing it w the seatbelts and I can't scoot my drivers side seat up enough to accommodate it. I know the passenger side is least safe because of the higher incidence of right side collisions so I'm torn on whether a seatbelt install would actually be safer.
grapefruit / 4582 posts
Why are people nervous about seat belt installs? Our inspector and manuals all say seat belt is just as safe as LATCH
pomelo / 5789 posts
Middle in our mazda cx5! It's hard to get him in and out but its the safest spot.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
We have it behind the drivers seat because it fits best there. I like being able to see him from both the drivers seat and passenger seat, I wouldn't be able to if he was in the middle. It would have been a lot more work to get him in/out i the middle!
I guess I hadn't thought about it - we just went with what is easiest. Maybe when we get our convertible carseat we'll move him.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@luckypenny: same thought here. The carseat tech at the hospital installed ours with the belt.
FWIW I was also told passenger side is safer than drivers so if/when you get them out on street, you're on the sidewalk versus in the road.
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
We installed t behind the passenger side because it took up too much space behind my seat.
@luckypenny: We prefer LATCH only because it's easier to move it from one car to the other with our brand of seat. No opening plastic covers etc, just snap snap done.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
I am so confused as to where to put ours. I have a 2009 Honda Accord, the manual doesn't say where to put the car seat. I can't find online which is better too.
Can someone explain the LATCH system too? My car has it but I don't understand how it is different from using the seat belt.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
I would have never guessed to check my driver's manual! Who knew they'd have info about installing car seats. I was planning on installing our behind the driver's seat for convenience because have a huge SUV and I can't imagine being able to lift the car seat AND shift if over 2 feet to put it into the base.
squash / 13199 posts
Our convertible seat is in the center. Our infant seat was behind the passenger seat
kiwi / 589 posts
@littlebug: thanks for the info. I have a Nissan Rogue too, but I can't seem to find that information in the manual. Do you remember where it states that?
honeydew / 7504 posts
@brady80: I'm pretty sure in the manual, under child seat install. I think I just looked up car seat or child seat, and found it while reading in there.
pineapple / 12802 posts
I am so torn as to what to do. We haven't tried the seat in the middle yet (not quite at that point yet) but I have a feeling I will have a really hard time getting a car seat into the middle (5"0' over here! lol) and we also have two boys on either side of the middle in boosters. They would be a reeeeeeeeeal hassle sitting next to each other, I can just envision the amount of fights!
pear / 1965 posts
If DH drives my car. It doesnt fit behind the driver seat. I have a small car (Honda Insight). So had to go behind pas seat
grapefruit / 4669 posts
We have a small car (Corolla) and the car seat is in the middle. I didn't find the owner's manual or internet helpful at all; we went by Buy Buy Baby to try out the seat we liked in our car and the guy recommended placing it there. DH is 5'11" and I'm 5'7" and we still have enough room up front, but can't lean the seats back very far/ride dirty.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
We have bucket seats in an SUV, so she is located behind the passenger seat so I can see her in the mirror.
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