How Much Do You Have to Weigh to Sit in the Front Seat?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no minimum weight for a child to sit in the front seat of a car. The CDC recommends, however, that children continue riding in a booster seat in the back of the car until seatbelts fit the children properly.

The CDC notes that it is inappropriate for children under 12 years of age to ride in the front seat of a car. The CDC also makes more specific recommendations regarding child passenger safety. From birth until age 2, the CDC recommends that a child should ride in a rear-facing car seat. A child should ride in a front-facing car seat from age 2 to 5. Starting from age 5, a child should continue to ride in a booster seat until a seatbelt fits properly. The CDC further advises that the back middle seat is the safest place for children to ride.

In 2012, more than 1,100 children under the age of 14 were killed in automobile accidents and more than 176,000 suffered injuries. Airbags pose the biggest danger to young children riding in the front seat of a car. The impact of an airbag can severely injure or kill children.