The safest spot for a newborn is the back seat, ideally in the center position. If the center doesn’t work for your vehicle, either the left or right side of the back seat is equally safe. There is no evidence that one side is better than the other, so the best choice comes down to which position gives you the most secure installation.
Why the Center Back Seat Is Ideal
The center rear seat puts the most distance between your newborn and any point of impact in a crash, whether that’s a side collision, a front-end hit, or a rear-end strike. It also keeps your baby farthest from side airbags and door panels. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that the center of the back seat “may be best” for children whenever it’s possible to use it.
That said, “whenever possible” is doing a lot of work in that recommendation. Many vehicles make it difficult or impossible to get a tight, stable car seat installation in the center. When the center seat isn’t an option, placing the car seat on either outboard side of the back seat is perfectly safe.
When the Center Seat Won’t Work
The most common reason parents can’t use the center seat is the lower anchor system (often called LATCH). U.S. vehicles are only required to have dedicated lower anchors for the two outboard seating positions, not the middle. That means many cars simply don’t have the hardware to anchor a car seat in the center using LATCH.
Some automakers do allow you to “borrow” one anchor from each outboard position to install a seat in the middle, but this creates a wider-than-standard anchor spacing. The standard spacing is 11 inches, and borrowed anchors are often farther apart. Both your vehicle manufacturer and your car seat manufacturer need to explicitly allow this type of installation for it to be safe. If your car seat uses rigid LATCH connectors rather than flexible straps, nonstandard spacing is especially likely to be prohibited.
You can also install a car seat in the center using just the seat belt rather than LATCH. But some center seats have a raised hump, a narrow seat cushion, or a contour that makes it hard to get the car seat level and snug. A car seat that wobbles more than an inch side to side at the belt path is not installed tightly enough, regardless of which position you chose.
The key principle: a tightly installed car seat on the side beats a loosely installed car seat in the center. Prioritize the position where your car seat locks in most securely.
Left Side vs. Right Side
If you’re going with an outboard position, parents often wonder whether the driver side or passenger side is safer. No major safety organization recommends one side over the other based on crash data. Both sides have the same LATCH hardware, the same structural protection, and similar proximity to side airbags.
What many parents consider instead is daily convenience:
- Passenger side (right): Puts the car seat on the curb side when parked on a street, so you’re loading and unloading your baby away from traffic. This is the more popular choice for parents in countries that drive on the right.
- Driver side (left): Lets the driver glance back at the baby more easily. Some parents prefer this for visibility, especially if they’re frequently driving alone.
Neither choice changes crash safety in a meaningful way. Pick whichever fits your routine.
Side Airbag Considerations
Some vehicles have side curtain airbags or door-mounted airbags that deploy in the rear seat area. These airbags are smaller and inflate with less force than front airbags, but they can still pose a risk if a child’s head is too close to the deployment zone. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, side airbags “may be harmful to children who are leaning against the door.”
A properly installed rear-facing car seat in an outboard position generally keeps a newborn’s head well within the car seat shell and away from the door panel. The real risk comes when older children lean their heads against the window or door. For a newborn strapped into a rear-facing seat, side airbags are not a reason to avoid an outboard position. Just make sure the car seat is positioned per the manufacturer’s instructions and check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for any specific guidance about rear side airbags.
Front Seat Is Never an Option
A rear-facing car seat should never go in the front passenger seat of any vehicle with an active airbag. Front airbags deploy from the dashboard with enough force to cause fatal injuries to an infant in a rear-facing seat, because the force is directed straight at the back of the baby’s head. This applies even if the car has a passenger airbag on/off switch. The back seat is always the right place for a newborn.
How to Confirm a Secure Installation
Whichever position you choose, check these basics. The car seat should not move more than one inch in any direction when you grip it at the belt path and push firmly. The recline angle should match the indicator on the seat (most rear-facing seats need to be reclined at roughly 30 to 45 degrees so the newborn’s head doesn’t slump forward). The harness straps should sit at or below the baby’s shoulders for a rear-facing seat, and you shouldn’t be able to pinch any excess strap webbing at the collarbone.
If you’re unsure about your installation, certified car seat technicians offer free inspections at fire stations, hospitals, and community events across the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a searchable database of inspection stations by zip code.