Just FYI, it is not about height. Or even weight. It is about development. Bone strength, etc. They say 12/13 because of puberty.

My older child is 11 and 50th percentile for height (which puts him nowhere near my 5'4" height) and I don't do it nor does anyone we carpool with. I assumed 7th grade (age 13) but haven't had to really drill down on this yet. Interested to read that many parents of younger kids permit it.

Anonymous wrote:Child of the driver should sit in the front seat IMO.

+1 This is what I am comfortable with. I have two kids (age 9 and 10) and a small 5-seater car, and whenever I'm transporting 4 kids, I always have one of my kids ride up front. I'm comfortable with it.

Child of the driver should sit in the front seat IMO.

10 or 11 is the norm for carpools.

I don't plan carpools where a kid has to ride in the front, so it has never been a regular thing. It has happened a few times in a pinch, though. Probably 8 has been the absolute youngest, a handful of times with my 10-year-old. Always local and relatively low speeds.

In VA, you can be as young as 8.

For short distances, I let my dd sit in the front. The passenger side airbag is turned off.

I had a mom ask me once to take her 10 or 11 yo daughter in my front seat because she couldn't and I refused-- felt bad though.

12 for our carpool, but I still have her sit in the back at other times if possible.

10 is too young to sit in the front.

OP here. I was thinking 12 for my children. They will surely be taller than me by then so it sounds like this is the same as most of you. Thanks for the input.

As soon as DS was as tall as me, so at age 11. If it's safe enough for me, it's safe enough for him.

Many parents on my son's team allow it at 10.

However, these are local roads to our travel practices--not high speed.

12 except in case of emergency or no other option. Sports is not an emergency.

How big is the oldest? The car manufacturer says no one under 13 and that front passenger seat is called "the seat of death" b/c that's where many crashes hit. Yes, you can do younger, but I wouldn't allow a normal sized 10 yr. old up there. For my comfort, it would have to be a big 11 yr. old or 12 yr. old before I'd do it. The distance and frequency would matter to me as well.... is it 15 mi. or 2 mi? Is it every day or just once a week?

My 12.25 yr old just sat in the front seat for the first time on spring break (grandparents driving). She is thin, but average height. It was a thrill for her. Back at home, she still sits in the back.

A bunch of us are figuring out carpooling for spring practices. I know what the law suggests but wonder how you handled this. There is a lot more to coordinate as they get older. Trying to figure out how many I can safely fit in the car, with a possible younger sibling riding along.