Infants can be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger air bags as long as the child restraint system is rear-facing.

Infants should not be placed in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with passenger air bags, even if the child restraint system is rear-facing. The reason for this is primarily focused on safety. In the event of a collision, the deployment of an airbag can pose a significant risk to a rear-facing infant seat. When an airbag deploys, it inflates rapidly, which can cause severe injury or even be fatal to an infant positioned in the front seat, as their fragile bodies are not able to withstand the force of the airbag.

The safest place for an infant, and generally any child, is in the back seat of the vehicle where they are best protected from the impact of an accident and the dangers of airbag deployment. This guideline is supported by safety regulations and recommendations from organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, emphasizing the importance of placing children in the back seat until they reach an appropriate age and size to transition to a front seat safely.