If your child is under 13, they’re always safest in the back seat. #TheRightSeat pic.twitter.com/mPYmDoku5t
— NHTSA (@NHTSAgov) September 14, 2017
Nobody takes more offense to being called a child than your 12-year-old. You remember when they used to love Dora the Explorer. Now they scoff, "That show's for kids!"
It's no surprise your middle-schooler puts up a fight when it's time to get into the car. They insist they're big enough to ride in the front seat, and there's no way they're going to sit in a booster seat, like a baby.
Unfortunately, car accidents are the leading cause of death for children under 13 years of age, and many of those deaths could be prevented—35 percent of children who died in crashes in 2015 were not buckled up in a car seat or booster appropriate for their age.
Your tween may not have a sense of their own mortality, but as a parent, you want to do everything possible to keep them safe—even if it causes a little embarrassment. Make them sit in the back seat until at least age 13, and use a booster seat to ensure seat belts fit them correctly until they are big enough for a good belt fit without the booster.
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