Is it safe to put a baby carseat in a Jeep TJ?

Question

Hello eveyone!
I'm just wondering if anybody can help me out. I am currently 5 months pregnant and I'm expecting my baby in July. I have a 1997 Jeep TJ and was wondering if anyone knows it is a safe vehicle to drive with a small rear facing infant car seat? The reason I ask is that the back seat of a Jeep Wrangler is a little more narrow then that of a car, also the back seats sit so high up that there is no metal protecting the baby since the window starts right about where the seat is... Anyways if someone knows anything about this or knows where I could find the info I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I would never drive it with no roof on and it currently has a fiber glass hard top on it.

Answer 1

Hi! We have a 1997 Jeep Wrangler as well. Our 4-yr-old son has been riding in it since he was born. As a Child Passenger Safety Technician (aka Carseat Technician), I really do not have concerns about it at all, as long as a child is always strapped in securely and the seat installed correctly. If you have any doubt at all, please contact a local carseat technician or attend a seatcheck event in your area. (www.safekids.org).

Your child must ride in the back seat because of the airbags in the front seat. The narrow seat in the back is just fine. The frame of the Jeep is strong and has the added protection of the roll bar as well.

As for the top, feel free to take it off in nice weather! Honestly, the fiberglass top of a Wrangler is not going to offer any crash protection in the event of a rollover. It is more for added noise and weather insulation. We have a soft-top Jeep and take the top off regularly when the weather is nice.

There are vehicles that I do not feel are safe, not for myself nor for my child. The Wrangler is not one of them. The biggest danger in a Wrangler is in the event of a rollover and the chance of that happening can be significantly reduced by driving slower around curves, not getting a tire off the road at higher speeds, not swerving too fast, etc. In other words, more careful driving is required than in a vehicle lower to the ground and with a longer wheel base.

Like Starlight above said, remember to keep him/her rear-facing until the limit of the seat (usually 33-35 lbs for a convertible car seat which is the seat you'll get after the infant carrier is outgrown).

(For M C above, the CJ was an earlier model of the Jeep that stopped being produced in 1986. Then they produced a YJ for awhile before it was changed to the TJ model.)

Answer 2

Congratulations! You'll have to look at those new Wranglers with four doors soon ;) In the mean time there is no reason to say the TJ is any less safe than most other vehicles for your infant. It's certainly not *unsafe* at any rate. The better reason to look for another vehicle is a minivan or taller four door car/suv offer better access to the rear seat and more cargo room for all the strollers, diaper bags, etc. Also being a two door you may find it a bit of a strain loading/unloading your child through the front doors. The big advantage is your TJ is higher than most vehicles so you just move the baby in and out-you don't need to bend over much, something you'll miss if you switch to a regular car.

Answer 3

Baby Jeep Car

Answer 4

Why not?

Especially with the hard top, it's not much different than a normal car.

I've never ridden with my kids RF in one, but used to put my son (when he was 2-3) forward facing in one, with no problems. My dad 98 Jeep T.J.

If you go to www.car-seat.org and do a search for Jeep, you'll find tons of responses, or you can just ask for help. Lots of the girls on that board have Jeeps. You *can* fit an infant seat in there just fine, but more importantly, you can get a large rear-facing seat (like the Britax Marathon) in there just fine, and since the AAP recommends that children rear-face to 30-35 lbs, regardless of age, this is where it gets important, LOL.

Answer 5

Isn't is a Jeep CJ not a TJ? Sounds like you already know that it may not be safe for a baby to ride in as a passenger. Usually when families are expecting a baby, part of the plan is to make sure you have a safe vehicle. I would contact my local highway patrol station and ask them. In California, the CHP has offices that will inspect your child safety seats, and help you install them properly in your vehicle. I would also visit http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration for lots of information on vehicle safety and child safety seats. Also visit this website for child passenger safety inspection stations for a location in your state: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/CPSFittingStations/CPSinspection.htm. Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 6

The CJs ended in 1994 i think and then in 1995 they became TJ. I have a 1995 TJ

Answer 7

no