Where you place the seat comes down to a tight install in a position both manuals permit. The center may suit some vehicles. In others, a side seat is the only position that works. Here is how the two compare.
What AAP and others say
AAP says the back seat is the place for all children under 13. It adds that the middle of the back seat may be best, but only if the car seat can be installed tightly there, and that narrow or uneven seats and many vehicles without middle lower anchors can make this difficult. A seat on either side may be the better choice, and a certified technician can help decide. IIHS notes that the center is farther from the hard surfaces of the interior and from the side of the vehicle. Consumer Reports adds that a secure install is what counts: a seat installed tightly in a side position is a good alternative to a loose one in the middle.
Center versus side at a glance
| Factor | Center | Side |
|---|---|---|
| Lower anchors | Often absent. Federal rules require them only in two outboard positions, per Consumer Reports. | Commonly present, per the vehicle manual diagram. |
| Seat belt | May be a lap-and-shoulder belt or, in some vehicles, a lap-only belt. Follow the manuals. | Usually a lap-and-shoulder belt. |
| Cushion shape | Can be narrow or raised. AAP notes narrow or uneven seats. | Often contoured. Check that the seat sits flat. |
| Tether anchor | Check for one in the manual. | Check the same. |
| Access | You may need to reach across the row. | Easier to reach from the door. |
| Two seats | Using the center for one seat can leave only one side position for the other. | Two side positions leave the center free. |
Anchors in the center
If the center has no lower anchors, you install with the seat belt, locked as the vehicle manual describes. NHTSA says to use either the lower anchors or the seat belt, and AAP says to use one method unless both manuals allow both. Some vehicles let you use the inner anchors of the two side positions for a center seat. IIHS notes that an anchor cannot hold more than one seat at a time and that some child seat makers advise against borrowing. Consumer Reports says to check the vehicle manual for whether the carmaker allows it and the anchor spacing, then the car seat manual. If either manual does not clearly say yes, do not borrow. See also car seats in minivans, where bench and captain's-chair layouts differ.
Belt type and locking
A center belt can lock differently from a side belt, or be a lap-only belt. Locking clips work only on lap-and-shoulder belts with a sliding latch plate, according to Car Seats For The Littles and Indiana University's safety program, and only where the manuals allow. Your vehicle manual explains how each belt locks. A forward-facing seat needs a tether anchor wherever it sits; see the top tether. A lap-only belt is not compatible with every seat type, so check the seat manual.
How to decide
- Read the child restraint section of the vehicle manual for the seats that allow a child seat and their anchors.
- Read the car seat manual for allowed install methods.
- Try the center first if you have the anchors or belt type for it.
- Check the one-inch test at the belt path. NHTSA says the seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back.
- If it does not pass, move to a side position and test again.
- Ask a technician to check the final install.
A tight side-position install beats a loose center one. Do not accept a center position just because it is the center.
When you have more than one seat
Two seats can go on the two sides, leaving the center free, or one can go center and one on a side if the anchors and widths work. Our three-across guide and SUV versus sedan fit go deeper on width. In an older vehicle with limited anchors, see installing without LATCH.
Sources and verification
- AAP HealthyChildren.org: back seat under 13, center only if installed tightly, one method unless both manuals allow both.
- IIHS, Making sense of LATCH (June 2015) and Consumer Reports: center position, borrowed anchors, manuals.
- Car Seats For The Littles and Indiana University: locking clips and lap-only belts.
- NHTSA rear-facing install guide: the one-inch test, one install method.
- Not verified: center-seat anchor spacing or belt type in any specific vehicle. The vehicle manual is the authority.