Is it Safe for Child to Sit in 2-Seat Car?

Dear Driving for Dollars,

My husband drives a small pickup with just two seats. Is it safe for my 8-year-old daughter to ride in this two-seat car?

-Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Children, defined as those under age 13, are safest in the rear seat of a car, due to possible injury and even death from the front-seat air bag, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, one of the two safety agencies that perform crash-test ratings.

Even so, most states don't mandate this. According to the IIHS, only 13 states require kids to sit in the rear of a car regardless of whether the car has a front-seat passenger air bag, while just four states require them to be in the rear unless the air bag is deactivated.

Even if it is not required by law in your state, it's safest to make sure you deactivate the front passenger air bag in your two-seat car when your daughter is a passenger.

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