Should the Child Safety Seat Be Placed on the Left or Right Side?
3 Answers
The child safety seat is recommended to be placed on the left side for the following reasons: the seat belt provides the most secure fixation, and drivers instinctively tend to protect the left side while yielding the right side. Below are the relevant details: 1. Child Safety Seat: A child safety seat consists of belt assemblies or flexible components with safety buckles, adjustment mechanisms, connection devices, and auxiliary equipment (such as portable cribs, infant carriers, booster seats, or impact protection devices). It is securely installed in the vehicle using the vehicle's built-in anchor points to restrict the child's body movement, thereby reducing injuries in sudden events (such as collisions or sudden deceleration). 2. Risk Index of Different Positions: The most dangerous position is the front passenger seat, with a risk index of 101, followed by the driver's seat at 100, the rear seat behind the front passenger at 74.2, and the rear seat behind the driver at 73.4. The safest position is the middle seat in the rear row, with a risk index of 62.2.
I always place the child safety seat on the right side, which is behind the front passenger seat, when taking my child out. Since I often drive alone with my kid, parking by the roadside makes the right side closer to the sidewalk. It's safer to get the child in and out from the right door without having to cross the road. Plus, I'm right-handed, so operating the safety seat buckle on the right side feels much more natural. However, research reports indicate that the left rear seat has the lowest accident rate, which is an advantage. If family members frequently sit in the back to take care of the child, either side can be chosen, but never place it in the front seat. Safety comes first—always check that the connectors are securely fastened after fixing the seat in place.
I have two kids, so I've researched car seat placement. Currently, placing a dual car seat in the center of the back row is ideal, allowing seating on both sides. For a single seat, I recommend placing it behind the driver's side, as statistically this is the safest position in major accidents. However, practical considerations matter: rear seat width, easier access when placing on the right side, vehicle's ISOFIX anchor positions, or avoiding seats with airbags. We prefer the left side because our eldest likes watching the rearview mirror. When installing, using the LATCH system provides more stability than seat belts.
