When I got our car seat I phoned the manufacturer to find out the safest place. They said the middle because most accidents are side impact, and there are no airbags on the sides. So I put ours in the centre... and I have a new commodore which is pretty big. I have a "bad back" - but it hasn't bothered me to lean over to put DS in and out. And I am also able to have little mirrors to see his face all the time in my rear vision mirror.

He's over 8kg now (nearly 7 months old)... and I could turn him around to face forward. Although there was an article on television recently saying that Australians turn there kids far too soon, and they are safest in the rear position. So I might hold off for a little while longer.

Most people I know put the car seat behind the passenger seat - but I think it's more for convenience than anything else. I don't think it really matters.

The car seat company said that you have to move the seat to a side position if you have a 2nd child anyway.