I have read a lot of places that the center of the second row is the safest place for a car seat, but in my 2018 Chevrolet Express there is a big gap between the front seats and it just doesn’t seem as safe as it would be in a minivan. I started looking at the research to find out the best place for a car seat in a passenger van.
The safest place for a car seat in a 12 or 15 passenger van is the middle of the second row. This position is safest in the case of a roll over, which is a concern in the larger vans. The next safest position is the center of the third row.
There are lots of options in the Chevrolet Express for Latch and anchors for properly installing car seats, but the biggest concern when choosing where to install the seats is safety. It is important to understand the limits and recommendations of your specific car seats, and to use them correctly. The correct use of your car seat is more important than the position of the seat in preventing injury.
I read some reports that made my stomach turn.
This information was really very sobering as a mom. I chose this van so that we could be more comfortable as a large family and so that we would be able to bring others along on trips. I knew that rollover was a concern, but it was hard to read all the injury and fatality reports.
There is no argument that the danger of passenger vans is rollover. This makes positioning seats even more important. The correct use of appropriate child safety harnesses greatly reduces the risk of injury!
Children under 3 who were in the middle seat were 43% less likely to be injured in a crash! This study also found that seating position matters less than appropriate use of the car seat. That was some serious great news.
I still chose to rearrange my seats!
Before
After
I found this one page flyer by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration super helpful. It discusses some important best safety practices when using a 15 passenger van.
Should I put a car seat behind the driver seat or passenger seat?
The Driver’s side and Passenger’s side are equally safe for car seats in large vans, but the middle is the safest.
If the middle seat is taken in the second row, the next best place is the middle seat in the third row.
If those positions are taken it is best to put the most vulnerable person in the middle seat. A child who uses a booster is more vulnerable than an infant in a properly installed rear facing seat. A young child in a front facing car seat is more vulnerable than a young child in a rear facing seat.
While the best age to turn a child’s car seat front facing can be controversial, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children remain rear facing until at least the age of 2.
Where to put an infant seat in a 12 or 15 passenger van
When deciding where to put the newest member of the family it might be tempting to put them behind the passenger seat. This is statistically where most parents put their infants. It is easy to see a child in this position and this is comforting. It is also an easy place to put an Infant Only style seat.
An infant seat should be in the middle of the second row. It is the safest place in the event of a collision or rollover and if a child is properly restrained in the seat, there is no need to worry about going through the windshield. Securing your child in their seat in one of the back seats of the car is the most important thing you can do to keep them safe.
It might be more convenient to use a convertible style seat from the start for your infant. In a large van you can carry the baby to the van, and climb in to secure the baby in the seat.
Can I put a car seat in the front seat of a 12 or 15 passenger van?
If it is possible, all children under 13 years old should ride in the back seat in appropriate child safety seats.
It is important to know that it is much, much safer for a child to be seated in the rear of the car.The National Highway and Traffic Association, the CDC and many car manufacturers recommend that children under 13 ride in the back seat. A child in the front seat is more likely to be injured or killed.
If you are wondering when it is legal, this tool can tell you the laws in each state.
12 and 15 Passenger Vans and Rollover
While we are talking about safety for these larger vans, the topic of rollover always comes up. There are some features of the design of these vans that make them more likely to roll, but an experienced driver can make it much safer.
When you first get your large van, be extra mindful until you are more experienced. You may even want to pursue some education, this site gives some great tips to drive a 12 or 15 passenger van more safely.
Safe driving is good practice for every parent, but you can go a step further by regularly checking the tires of your van.
11% of rollovers in large vans were the result of tire failure
Are car seats rollover tested?
Car seats in the United States are not required to be tested in rollover crashes. There are a few who have chosen to do that testing, Greco seats with Protect Plus and Evenflo Safe Max are two rollover tested car seats to look out for.
This document details all the testing that is required for determining safety for children in crashes. It is SUPER technical and discusses the types of dummies used and how the impacts are measured in crash tests.
The Bottom Line
While many families outgrow SUVs and choose large vans for the space and convenience of more seating, it is important that they use appropriate child restraints and arrange them in the safest manner possible.
I read through a LOT of grizzly reports and statistics concerning fatalities of children under 12 in vehicle accidents and it is easy to feel like the sky is falling. After all my research I decided to move my car seats so that I was taking advantage of the safest locations in my car. I also plan to pay closer attention to the condition of my tires and obey the speed limit closely.
I love my van (obviously) and I love driving around with my family. It was a great reminder that I need to be very mindful of all safety concerns that are present when driving.
Where are the car seats in your mom van?
