A child should not ride in the front seat until they are at least how many years old?

The recommendation for a child to not ride in the front seat until they are at least 12 years old is based on safety guidelines aimed at protecting children from the risks associated with front-seat airbags and the overall safety dynamics of a vehicle. Children under this age are generally smaller and may not be properly positioned for the deployment of airbags, which can cause serious injury in the event of a crash.

Furthermore, crash dynamics often indicate that children are safer in the back seat, where they experience greater protection from front-end collisions and side impacts. The back seat is statistically the safest place for all children under the age of 13, according to various child safety advocacy organizations and research studies.

This age guideline emphasizes the importance of maximizing a child's safety during their developmentally vulnerable years while traveling in a vehicle.