Carseat in the third row of a minivan?

[mrsdocmartin]

Is this safe? We have two kids, 3 years and 3 months and our small minivan has two captain's chairs. Now, we have both kids there, but are taking a very long car trip and I'd like to sit by the baby and put DS in the back next to my mom. Is this a bad idea? DS is in a Britax roundabout and DD is still in a Graco bucket.

[~Amy~]

Yes, provided the seat installs well in the location you choose, it's perfectly safe. If your child is forward facing, make sure the location you choose has a tether anchor.

[paxye]

I have 4 kids so 2 have to be in the 3rd row... I have an older van that didn't have the anchors so I just went to the dealership and they installed them for free..

[MJB]

Sure, why wouldn't it be?
I have a Mazda 5. My RFing baby is in the middle row, the other middle seat is folded flat, and my bigger (school-aged) boys are in the way back, 1 in a booster, one in a tethered FFing convertible.

[sunnymw]

Is your older child rear-facing or forward-facing? What year/make/model is your vehicle and do you have tether anchors in your captain's chairs? If you do, then I'd guess 99% likelihood that your 3rd top tether anchor is in the center of your back seat, not one of the outboard sides.

If your DS is FFing and you need to put the child in the back outboard, I'd put your DD there. The center of the vehicle is marginally safer so remember the least protected child in the most protected position--meaning DD in the third row, where she won't need a top tether.

Otherwise it doesn't matter who goes where as long as the seats install well

[mrsdocmartin]

Thanks mamas!