Generally, no, it is not recommended to place a booster seat in the front passenger seat of a car. The safest place for any child restraint system is the rear seat. This is the official and consistent recommendation from safety authorities like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The primary danger is the vehicle's front passenger airbag. In a collision, this airbag deploys with tremendous force, designed to protect an adult. This force can cause severe or fatal injuries to a child in a booster seat.
A booster seat's purpose is to position a child so that the vehicle's lap and shoulder seat belts fit correctly across their stronger bone structure—the hips and chest. It does not provide the same kind of crash-protective shell as a forward-facing car seat. When placed in the front, even with a proper seat belt fit, the child is directly in the deployment zone of the airbag.
There are very limited exceptions. If your vehicle has no rear seat (like a single-cab pickup truck) or if you must transport more children than can fit in the back, you may have no choice. In this scenario, you must take critical safety steps. First, manually disable the front passenger airbag. Consult your owner's manual for the exact procedure, as it varies by vehicle. Second, slide the passenger seat as far back as possible from the dashboard to maximize the distance from the airbag compartment. This should always be a last resort.
The following table outlines the key safety positions and considerations based on NHTSA guidelines:
| Child Restraint Type | Recommended Seat Position | Critical Safety Consideration |
|---|
| Rear-Facing Car Seat | Rear Seat Only | Never place in front of an active airbag. |
| Forward-Facing Car Seat | Rear Seat Only | Airbag risk remains extremely high. |
| Booster Seat | Rear Seat | Safest position for proper seat belt fit, away from airbags. |
| Front Seat Exception | Front Passenger Seat | Only if rear seats are unavailable; airbag must be disabled. |
Always prioritize the rear seat. If you are ever unsure, the simplest and safest rule is to keep all children aged 12 and under in the back seat.
