When can a child go in the front seat of a car

Finally the time has come and you have decided to buy a car because it is no longer comfortable, neither for you nor for your family, another means of transport that is not private. Maybe you have moved to the outskirts where public transport does not arrive or maybe the need to have a car can not be postponed any more. Or do you already have a car and have you decided that it is time to increase the family?

It is likely that following these changes in your life you raise certain doubts about cars and children. What you want is for your children to be as safe as possible inside your car, but you are not entirely sure about the systems that are available and the rules that must be met according to the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) as it is the First time you have to face this reality. Most likely, the main question you ask yourself is when a child can go in the front seat of a car . In you we solve it.

The regulations on where children can sit in the car

Since last October 1, 2015, the regulations regarding where to seat children in the car have changed. All minors who measure 135 cm or less have to travel in the back seats and, logically, with the child restraint system adapted to their age and size. If you have never purchased a child restraint system or a car seat for children, you will find that there are different groups, from 0 to III, that refer to the child's measurements and that have different characteristics to adapt completely to him.

What happens if the child exceeds 135 cm? In theory, the child who exceeds 135 cm in height can go in the front seat with the seat belt buckled, but the Traffic Department recommends that until the child does not exceed 150 cm height it is best to travel always in the back seat with a child restraint system adapted, although the fact of not wearing it does not imply any penalty, but it does mean an increased risk of suffering worse injuries in the event of an accident.

In the event that the law is not complied with, in the case of Spain, the penalty for the driver is 200 euros and the withdrawal of three points from the driver's license. But, without doubt, the most serious is the danger to which the minor who does not travel with the appropriate safety standards is exposed.

But, what happens if you have already bought a two-seater car? Or if you have three or more children that do not exceed 135 cm and you have to travel with all of them? Do not worry, the law includes three exceptions in which children can travel in the front seat, but always with the appropriate child restraint systems, because otherwise the penalty will be imposed in the same way.

Exceptions to the law on where to put children in the car

The law contemplates 3 exceptions :

• In the event that the car does not have rear seats, for example a two-seater car or a van that only has three front seats.
• In the event that the car does not have rear seats in which the child restraint systems can be installed. There are cars in which you can only place this type of device in the passenger seat, so the child can go in the front seat of the car .
• In the event that the rear seats are already fully occupied by minors of the same characteristics. If you have to travel with four children that measure equal to or less than 135 cm (or three, in case there are only two child restraint systems fitted in the rear seats of the vehicle) one of them must travel in the front seat, with the child seat or the appropriate child restraint system.

How a child should travel in the front seat of a car

In the event that the child must travel in the passenger seat, there are some details that you should keep in mind. First, you have to place the child restraint system in the front seat, you can not travel only with the seat belt, as it is not adapted to your measurements and can not protect you in case of accident in the right way.

In the case of a retention system of group 0 or 0+, ranging from 0 to 13 kilos you should know that it is placed in the opposite direction to the gear, so do not forget to disconnect the airbag from the passenger seat before to boot If your airbag can not be disconnected automatically, you will have to go to a workshop to do so.