The recommended and legal minimum age for a child to sit in the front seat of a car varies by location, but safety guidelines provide clear advice:
- In many U.S. states, there is no strict law for minimum age, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend children under 13 years old should ride in the back seat for safety due to the danger posed by front airbags and crash impact.
- Some states, like Texas, require children to be at least 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall to sit in the front seat.
- Generally, children should only sit in the front seat when they are large enough that the seatbelt fits properly (usually about 4 feet 9 inches tall) and they have outgrown booster seats.
- Australian states commonly set the minimum age for front seat travel around 7 years old , but recommend children under 12 remain in the back seat for safety.
- In Europe, children often must use child seats until about 135 cm or 150 cm tall, after which they can sit in the front with a seatbelt.
Overall, the safest practice is to keep children in the back seat until at least 13 years old or until they meet proper height and weight criteria for the front seat, ensuring the seatbelt fits correctly and airbags will not pose a risk.
