When can kids sit in the front seat?

NeuRA's Prof Lynne Bilston features in this Today Tonight report by Laura Sparks on airbag safety and how tall a child should be before they can safely occupy the front passenger seat of a car.
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[@6_chantel765]

I always sit in the front seat of my sister's car and I'm 12

[@heyhello8607]

Same but I’m 11 but she let me when I was 9 so did my mom

[@suzie_lovescats]

You can turn the airbag off. In some vehicles parents don’t have a choice. And it’s not illegal for children to sit in the front seat in the UK so long as they’re in the right car seat. It’s a grey area really in the UK. And I think it depends on what car you’re in.

[@veronicavloggs4124]

i sat up front when i was nine im 12 in a half

[@TanA-ri6hi]

What about adults of this height? Should they not be in the front?

[@zach4627]

That’s what I’m wondering

[@emmalemay]

I started sitting in the front seat when I was 7..

[@aznchasru7025]

AtxEmmaa me when i was 4

[@janaan74]

Ded Boi me when I came out the hospital

[@rileysmith9843]

Me when I was 11

[@heyhello8607]

Me when I was 9 but I have older sisters and we fight over front seat lol even tho they are 19 and 15 and my oldest sister drives and has to sit in the back seat

[@jamienelson2805]

I was 8

[@NeuraEduAu]

Thanks for your comment. The aim is to prevent either of these types of serious injuries from occurring by optimally restraining the child. Our research has shown that risk of spinal injuries for children up to age 12 is much lower in the rear seat than the front seat, including in cars with airbags (Brown & Bilston, Arch Dis Childhood, 2009). While pushing the seat back might slightly reduce the risk from the airbag, front seated children will still interact with the airbag in a frontal crash.

[@NeuraEduAu]

Children younger than age 11-12 are also typically not large enough to get good seat belt fit without a booster seat (Bilston & Sagar, Stapp Car Crash J, 2007), and larger boosters accommodating older children will usually have a tether strap which can only be connected in the rear seat, so they should be seated in the rear seat in their booster seat until they are approximately 150cm tall. This minimises their risk of both head, spinal and abdominal injuries in crashes.

[@Lyrabon]

Neuroscience Research Australia What about a month before birthday? ie. 12 and turning 13 next month

[@caba.vrc1]

I was 150cm at 10 now I'm 12 and 164cm

[@mariedupont9453]

This makes no sense. Age has nothing to do with size. My 11 year old best friend is 3 inches taller than me and 10 pounds heavier than me, and I’m 14

[@EnlightenedSavage]

The age is a guide line that’s why they also give the height. Pay attention.

[@catlic2146]

I started sitting a month ago and I'm 11.. oh

[@catlic2146]

Also I'm pretty small so... I'm going to start sitting in the back now

[@assu4lt]

That's very nice of you To make use of the information, research and facts you are given

[@Jackary1232]

Im 11

[@Jackary1232]

You can turn off the air bag. Im also 11 and I sit in the front with an air bag. Is that ok?

[@davidalmanza7137]

My mom said i sit in the front someday,so im watching this video

[@heyhello8607]

I have 2 older sisters one 21 and my other one 15 and I’m allowed to sit in the front seat even when there in there (it depends how long I take or they take but I always get it) I’m also eleven and I have been siting in the front since 9 and got out of a booster seat at 7 but I am allowed to sit in the front seat with everyone like my dancing teacher my mom my dad my older sister my Aunty and uncle my grandparents heaps and I’m still here today lol

[@Recroomsniperpro]

I did for the first time because my dads trucks backseat was full of tools

[@Julius_FL5]

Man why does it have to make it by age why not Height like some 13 year olds height is like the same height as a 5 year old and some kids who are under 13 are tall and look like teenagers than toddlers

[@beahulsey129]

my cousin is 10 and i am 3 days younger one time i was in the back seat she was in the front and i said this is not safe but she is 120 pounds so is it ok

[@fatherelmer5188]

Beatrice Hulsey after what you just said of the cousin who WAS 10 weighed 120 pounds, I feel better of being 11 and weighing 114

[@andrew_omara5759]

My weight at 10 yrs old was 85 pounds.

[@AlissaLpstv]

im 10 and 75 pounds.

[@moonlightkitty7274]

Andrew_O'Mara 69..

[@angehis4163]

When I was 10, I weighed 50 pounds.

[@eggcustardtart334]

100 pounds 😪

[@rodneyjohnson6313]

Fortunately my vehicle doesn't have an airbags when I have one child riding with me I just have him buckle up in the front seat I don't see any reason that if there's no airbag the kid can't be buckled in the front seat

[@Christinasalloum]

Can the kid start siting in the front if their ten?

[@MrKrypt]

Yeah but just put the seatbelt on

[@georgiaavibe6937]

I sit in the front seat and my sister is 27 so she can drive,she lets me in the front my mom and dad let me and heaps of other people let me to even my teacher at school and my dance teacher my brothers are 9,7 and 5 and my 9 year old brother is allowed even when I’m in the car,I’m 11 and I’m also allowed when my sister is in the car

[@juanzingarello4005]

In the US it's illegal for kids younger than 12 to ride in the front seat.

[@EnlightenedSavage]

Not it’s not. Depends on the state.

[@alexsgamingchannel5554]

I wear a seatbelt under my arm

[@alexsgamingchannel5554]

In the back seat

[@isaacrahman4068]

I don’t see how it has anything to do with age, it mostly has stuff to do with height and weight and strength

[@theemodancer]

My nephews and niece are always Sat in the back seats never at the front, even though I can disable the front passenger airbag!!

[@keldonboone2992]

My brothers car doesn't even have airbags, is that worse

[@megatronron5494]

John Gibson yes it is and I know Iam late

[@alexsgamingchannel5554]

I was 6 I stoped using a booster seat at 4

[@Virginiason_]

Or turn the air bag off but ok

[@curtisallred7250]

If your child is 13 years-old or under, they should be in the backseat. Only when they get 13 should they be facing forward in the front. You always have to wear a seatbelt when you have airbags because airbags are designed to work in conjunction with seatbelts. The seatbelts keep your torso from moving forward and airbags are what actually cushion your face. Without the seatbelt, safety would be compromised. In the late 90's, the rule of airbags on sun visors said this. Children 12 and under can be killed by the airbag. The back seat is the safest place for children. NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in the front. Sit as far back as possible from the airbag. Always use seatbelts and child restraints.

[@rodneyjohnson6313]

Fortunately my vehicle doesn't have airbags so there's no chance of an airbag killing the kid riding with me he may be about 6 years old but I see no reason for him to ride in the back when he can easily fit in the seat belt in front with no airbag to hurt him what can happen

[@2035jim]

This is wrong in my opinion i ride in the front every time when i ride with my grandmother and i am 11 years old its because those kids are 8

[@tyraandaliyahsnation4081]

Well my sister sits in the front sometimes and she is 7 we both trust my moms driving but the other people on the road is reckless. Either way why don’t you use examples with a child in a SEATBELT unlike the examples shown in this video. btw in some cars you can just turn off the air bag soooo... anyway whatever you say. 😐

[@megatronron5494]

They could easily get injured without them

[@rodneyjohnson6313]

Some Vehicles don't even have airbags

[@speedlover7362]

I found a solution im gona get a old car without an airbag and not crash

[@johnblaze6269]

I was 5 lol

[@mememaster-kq5ri]

In sat in the front seat when i was a baby my mom carried me on her lap.

[@samuelansah4357]

Your mom fight care about your safety

[@ghostgirl6297]

Ok I just absolutely HATE how "airbag safety" reports only talk about children and never about small adults that could not be safe in front of an airbag. So, basically one thing you're saying is, say there's a child that's in danger in front of an airbag. But, then there's a small adult that is the same size, height and weight if that child. You say the child is in danger in front of the airbag, but you say only kids are in danger in front of an airbag. So, you say the adult that's the same size of the child that's in danger in front of an airbag is safe in front of an airbag. Also, at 3:30 the kid is all the way forward in the seat with no seatbelt. Probably anyone would be hurt at that position. How bout how make the child dummie sit in the seat with a seat belt like a child would normally sit in the seat. Oh, but then at 3:38 the adult sits normally in the seat with a seat belt on. That is how a child would most likely sit in the seat. Not like how the child sits at 3:30. Same thing at 3:42. Like seriously what is this this does make some sense but this still doesn't make much sense.

[@unnamedchannel1237]

Sitting forward emulates the child’s forward momentum during a crash. The seat belt will stop you going forward. Bit but your head and upper body will learch forward somewhat it is physics.

[@isaacrahman4068]

I agree with you, and plus I don’t know why the fuck they make children seem so vulnerable and weak even though it has nothing to do with your age because like you said about the adult being same size as a kid, the proper rule should be regarding to height, weight and physical strength

[@Hampstead343]

This is all bullshit! When you know you are a kid in front, just DRIVE EXTRA CAREFULLY!

[@toughduskies7372]

GURLL- ur overreacting, i’m almost 12 years old and i have been sitting in the front seat since i was 9!! :) nothing even happened!! 😌💅🏻💖

[@chad4832]

Now I’m scared

[@jasminema]

that doesn't mean something wont happen

[@EnlightenedSavage]

Anecdotes are useless.

[@tacomuncher12678]

I'm 411

[@tacomuncher12678]

In height

[@jakepaul9614]

Im lucky im fucking 12

[@unnamedchannel1237]

Does your mother know you swear in KZbin comments?

[@randywhelchel4674]

The worst report EVER you use a child with NO seat belt on to "make your point" about child seats as in the 3:30 mark the kid is all the way forward in the seat. ANYONE at that point would be hurt. At 3:38 the man in has his seat belt on and the point is made how safe he is, your comparing apples to oranges WHY do you feel you have to distort the truth to make a point? Next at 3:42 you have two kids both with no seat belt, The one in the back fairs better by "Just" smashing into the seats then the child in the air bag seat AGAIN nether has a seat belt on. The truth is strong enough without you adding fake "facts" how hard is it to just be truthful??

[@ianianleighton8628]

that's so true the dummy is at the tip of his seat

[@unnamedchannel1237]

Kid is forward in the seat to emulate the forward momentum of the crash