Children are usually safest riding in the back seat until at least age 13, even if local laws sometimes allow the front seat earlier.

Quick Scoop

The safety bottom line

  • Major safety bodies (like the American Academy of Pediatrics and NHTSA) recommend keeping kids in the back seat until age 13 because airbags and crash forces in the front are designed for adults, not children.
  • Even where it’s legal for younger kids to ride up front, crash data consistently shows the back seat is safer for children in most collisions.

Think of the front seat as the “graduation” spot for teens, not for younger grade‑schoolers.

What the laws often say

Rules vary a lot by country and state, so you always need to check local law, but there are some patterns.

  • Many U.S. states do not set a specific minimum age for the front seat, but still recommend waiting until 13.
  • Some places use height rather than age.
    • Example: In parts of Europe, children must use an appropriate child seat until about 135–150 cm (roughly 4'4"–4'9"), whether in the front or the back.
  • Child-seat laws (rear‑facing, forward‑facing, booster) almost always apply regardless of where the child is sitting.

If your region doesn’t specify a front‑seat age, following the “back until 13” rule is still the safest bet.

Practical checklist before you say “yes” to the front

When you’re tempted to let a child ride shotgun, run through this mental checklist:

  1. Age
    • Ideal: 13 or older.
  1. Size and fit
    • Can they sit with their back against the seat, knees naturally bent at the edge, without slouching?
    • Does the seat belt sit low on the hips (not on the belly) and across the middle of the chest/shoulder (not the neck)?
  1. Airbag and seat position
    • Front airbags can seriously injure smaller children when they deploy.
 * If your car allows it and law permits a child in front, push the seat as far back as possible and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the airbag system.
  1. Behavior
    • Can the child stay seated upright, not lean forward, not play with the belt, and not put feet on the dash? If not, they’re not ready for the front.

Current “trending” guidance parents talk about

Recent articles and forum‑style discussions from the mid‑2020s still repeat the same themes, even as car tech (like smart airbags and better sensors) improves.

  • Tech helps but doesn’t erase basic physics: a smaller body is more vulnerable to airbag force and front‑impact crashes.
  • Many parents compromise by:
    • Keeping kids in the back full‑time until 12–13.
    • Allowing a “special treat” ride up front for older, taller kids on short, low‑speed trips only when conditions feel very low‑risk.
  • Expert articles published in 2024–2026 still frame the question with the same message: “Check your local laws, but from a safety standpoint, wait as long as you reasonably can, ideally to age 13.”

Short story example

Imagine a 10‑year‑old who is tall for their age and really wants to ride up front “like a grown‑up.” Legally, in many places, they might be allowed if they’re in the right booster and properly belted. But if that car is hit from the front and the airbag explodes outward, it deploys with enough force to injure even an adult’s chest or ribs—so for a smaller, lighter child, the risk of head and neck injury is much higher. In the back seat, that same child has more distance from the impact zone and no front airbag in their face, so their risk of serious injury is significantly lower.

TL;DR:

  • Safest rule: keep kids in the back seat until at least 13.
  • Always follow your local child‑seat and seat‑belt laws, and use age‑/size‑appropriate car seats or boosters until your child outgrows them.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.