Washington State Department of Licensing Knowledge Test

Where is it safest for children to sit in a vehicle?

1. Front seat

2. Back seat

3. Middle seat

4. Trunk

The correct answer is: Back seat

The safest place for children to sit in a vehicle is in the back seat. This is primarily because the back seat offers greater protection in the event of a collision. Airbags in the front seat, while designed to protect adults, can pose a danger to smaller passengers, particularly children, due to their force upon deployment. Additionally, the back seat is farther away from the impact points in frontal crashes, which are the most common type of collision. Research has shown that children are significantly safer in the back seat until they reach the appropriate age, height, or weight to safely use a seat belt in the front seat. The middle seat in the back is often considered the safest seat in terms of distance from side impacts, but the back seat as a whole is prioritized for child safety due to the presence of child safety seats and the general increase in overall protection provided by the vehicle's design. Sitting in the front seat, the trunk, or even the middle seat each have various safety drawbacks that make them less ideal compared to the established guidelines recommending the back seat for children under the age of 13.