While I wait my C4S to make its way slooooowwwly across the country, I've been pondering something:

I have two kids that will be riding with me occasionally - a 10 year old girl (about 85 pounds) and my up and coming linebacker 6 year old (also 85 pounds). Both are long out of car seats, but what would you do in the 996? I'd like to disable the passenger airbag and have one ride up with me - surely they're as safe up there as they would be sitting 14 inches behind in the back, and that way we both can enjoy the ride.

What do you do, and what do you think of the plan?

 

At 10 years old and 85 lbs, surely there wouldn't be much additional risks sitting in the front passenger seat -- of any vehicle. Yes, children are the safest in the backseat, but an average 10 year-old should have the size to be properly secured by the SRS, so I wouldn't imagine they would be in any more danger than a regular adult in the front seat. Additionally, is a passenger (adult or child) really safer in the backseat of a sports car like the 911?

Personally, I've put my 2 year-old in a childseat in the front a couple times -- with the seat all the way back as far as it can go. With my 4 year-old, he's in the front seat with a booster. I've yet to take both in the car at the same time.

 

Roof rack.

 

Put your least favorite child in the passenger seat ;->

They should both fit fine in the rear. Check local regulations at what age & weight & height
they can sit up front.

 

Trunk. But only for short trips.

 

Both my boys ride in the rear.

 

skateboard tow, just take it easy on the corners

 

Apart from the roof rack and skateboard tow options, I don't think there's a law that says you have to put them in the back. I'm thinking along with Ucube that there's not much safety difference between the front and back in a car so small. Plus, when one is sitting up front, we can actually have a good time and enjoy the ride.

There was an article in Car and Driver about a year ago where Csaba Csere (or Beddard) noted that it was statistically SAFER to have the kids in the front than the back, since the number of accidents caused by distraction from the back seat far outweigh the relatively few airbag accidents.
Since it's not illegal, and not any less safe, I'm looking for the negative...

However, if I put them in the trunk, I'd have to leave the hood up a little so they could see out, but no doubt they'd be messing with the CD changer.

 

definately trunk.. we all need our room to recline and drive comfortably..

 

You can get a Porsche child seat that fits in the front passenger seat.....
With this you can fit an extra seat belt bracket at the front of the passenger seat and get your local Porsche shop to active the airbag switch function in the computer.

Then when the Porsche child seat, which comes with a male seat belt fixing on the front, is in place it switches the airbag off.

Now having done all this, cut the male seat belt part off the child seat and just bring it with you. Plug it in to deactivate the bag and remove it to activate it again. It's that simple.

This solution is probably Illegal in most states and in Europe. Please do not try it at home

 

...and the ultimate place for kids in a P-Car......in mom's car.....

 

Woo hooo mbergeron! I'm with you on that one. Anyone who might pee their pants, puke or otherwise "drop their Cheerios" will ride in Mom's car. Once my kids reach an age where I feel they can appropriately behave/exist in my car, they will ride with me. And, of course, who ever calls "dibs" on the front seat, gets it.

 

My kids have been brain-washed...no drinks, no foods, no dirty feet and no putting their hands all over the windows in daddy's car....they make it up by turning daddy's pickup into a mobile pig barn...

 

My kids are 9 and 7, they both ride in the back all the time, and love it. I sometimes let my 9yo son ride shotgun,(esp when he goes to thre track with me) he loves that, just don't tell his mom.
BTW, I have the same no food/drink/bickering rules in Daddy's car. Do whatever you want in Mommies SUV.

 

OK, now I'm obsessed - is the reason that kids over six are sitting in the back an AIRBAG issue, or do you truly feel they're safer sitting crammed behind you?

I would think any kid under 80 pounds automatically rides in back, but these are not unsubstantail children, almost as big as small adults, so what gives? Plus, I'm 6'6", so the chance of anyone riding behind me is zip.