Safest spot for 2nd carseat?

[ljv1975]

I know the safest spot for a carseat is in the center of the backseat. BUT - When you have 2 children in carseats is it safer to put the second seat on the passenger or driver's side? I'm just wondering for when DS is born in May!!

DD has a Britax, and now I could kick myself for not getting the one that has the side impact protection. I guess at the time we bought it, I wasn't thinking about a second baby!

[kakn7294]

We couldn't fit 2 carseats side by side with one in the middle so we ended up with one next to each door in the back seat. I really don't know that either side is safer.

[BrerGnat]

I concur with the above post. You will probably not be able to fit an infant seat in the middle with a toddler seat on the side. The toddler seat has a wide front and the infant seats have wide bases, so it probably won't work.

I put my two kids on the sides, one by each door.

I was concerned about it too, so we upgraded our 2000 year model car to a 2007 that comes equipped with side curtain airbags for the back seat passengers. If that would ease your mind, it might be worth thinking about. I realized that our old car's safety for backseat passengers was basically nil. Having a child in each of those seats with the amount of driving I was doing really made me nervous.

I feel much better in our newer car...

If your car is already equipped with side curtain airbags in the back, you should not worry too much.

As far as the rest of your question goes, there is no "safer side". You never know what kind of accident you may be involved in and where the impact will be. However, drivers tend to instinctively maneuver the car in a way that avoids the driver side, although there is really not that much you can do if someone hits you straight on the side (from either side).

[MomPoppins]

I have a 4-year-old and a 9-month-old. I've never read anything about which side is safer, but when DS was born, we moved DD's seat from the center to the passenger side and put the infant seat in the middle (they fit side by side in our mid-size car just fine). Our reasoning was that I could more easily see DD while driving (hard to do if she's directly behind me). The only problem is that when the car's in the garage, she has to climb over the base of the infant seat to get to her booster and it's a little tricky to help her get buckled, since I have to climb all the way in.

I do have to say -- if they'll fit, it is really nice to have them side by side. DD has always been a godsend in the back seat -- she sings to DS, has her stuffed animals dance for him, helps him find his bottle when he loses it, etc. DS absolutely adores DD and I think it's because they spend so much time in the back seat together! LOL!