Does it matter which side of the car I put the carseat? What have you all decided to do? Is it safe to put it in the center? We're going to install it tonight and I was wondering where to put it. I drive an Excursion so it's hard to reach into the middle with a carseat but my DH thinks that's a good place.

The middle is the safest. Not sure which side would be safer...I would think the side away from traffic.

Oh okay! I would like to do the middle but for some reason I thought that it wasn't safe. I don't know what gave me that idea!! Thank You :)

I drive a jeep and we have DS in the middle. I usually crawl in the back with him and stand hunched over and strap him in. It was really easy with the carry-type carseat 'cuz it just clicked in and we were good to go. Now days with the front facing regular car seat I set him in there, then I strap him in --one hand at a time 'cuz he's usually clutching a toy or book and demanding a chip, juice or candy "in mine hand"

I always place my DS in the middle. The same with the inivan we have as well. We alo have the carrier with the snap in base, so like the previous poster said, it is very easy :)

That's what we have too, so it wont be as hard as I thought. We also have a nice big step for me to step up on when I'm putting him in there.

Thanks everyone!! :)

well I have 2 kids and have them on either side of the car. My minivan has bucket sets in the middle row and a full seat in the back, but neither car seat fits in the middle. The only vehicle we had that the carseat would fit in the middle was our jeep grand cherokee. Now both of my kids sit on the sides of the car, as they don't fit in the middle.

I think you may have gotten the idea that the middle is not the safest, was because if they are on the sides your front seats protect them from going anywhere, if in the middle there is nothing protecting them, but if they are on the sides, then if you get side swiped, it affects them that way. I think it is a matter of where you want them, and/or where they fit. good luck

I was always told the middle is the safest for them. In the middle if you get tboned or something then they weren't right there. I have heard if you have two children that the youngest in the middle and then i believe its the drivers side that is the safest. I can't really remmeber. I wish i could remember where i read it too. I believe it's that side because it get hit the least amount when involed in an accident. I would talk with your ped about it and see what they have to say about it. My DD is always in the middle.

I think that most guides tell you to put them in the middle, however, my father is a statistical analyist (sp!) and he made us put ds behind the driver because most car accidents are on the passenger side, because we tend to turn ourselves away from the collision being the driver and all, so that's what we did. Just a little strange tid bit for ya.

Very interesting Dizzy.... that makes sense!! I think we'll put him in the middle. I mean, the Excursion is a tank anyway!! That's why my DH wants me to drive it, so that I'm safer, and the baby too.

I appreciate all of your advice :)