Thirteen is the earliest age for a young person to safely ride in the front seat, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But before you let your kid hop up there, check his or her height and weight against the manufacturer’s recommendations for the front airbags in your car. If your child doesn’t meet the minimum size requirements to absorb an airbag deployment without risk of major injury, he needs to stay in the back a little longer. Again, the major concern here is size, not age.
Another area of potential concern for this age group is monitoring who they ride with as their independence and busy schedules grow. Older brothers and sisters may have a license and a car, but still may not be ready to handle the responsibility and potential distraction of passengers. Be very selective about allowing your young teen to ride with other drivers, especially teenaged drivers.
Also, as they approach the time to get their restricted license, look into driver’s education courses and be sure you’re modeling the do’s and don’ts of the road.
