Mumsnet Talk

in fact, my DH would never have considered the lift. Ever. He's even more strict with the law than I am - and my kids are 9y and 4y - he'd STILL have taken the bus.

But it's not illegal mcpants - as a one off, which this is, you can drive without car seats, it doesn't have to be an emergency.

<IIRC, unless the law has changed recently>

As an aside - I only have one child but Dd often had a friend in the car so I bought another booster seat. Your OH's friend might find the need to do that as well.

BTW - you could point out if they got stopped, the friend could have been in a lot of trouble.

Maybe my kids are odd, but they love being on the bus, even if it does take longer. Buses are generally very warm too!

The law permits this kind of one of journey' so let's pack in the ill-informed judgypants, shall we?

I was wondering that too LadyM - what on earth was he thinking staying out till this time in the cold and dark - of course the are tired and hungry they are babies!

I know phantomnamechanger, now that I would be a bit annoyed about.

For me it isn't about breaking the law or not. Even if there wasn't a law about car seats my children would be in one. My eldest has only just stopped using his and DD is technically tall enough to not use one but I am keeping her in it as she is safer in it imo.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat

This say differently

my 9 year old is still in a (until recently, backed) booster fgs.

What hissy says, it's not illegal as a one off journey.

I'm amazed by the responses on this thread, knowing how MN usually is about car seats!!

TBH, if I were your DH, I'd have seen if I could make your DD a booster seat out of bags etc. Because I would NEVER let a child travel in a car without a seatbelt, and at your DDs age, a seatbelt would strangle her/cause serious neck damage in an accident, so she would need to be lifted higher up. If a booster couldn't be fashioned in some way, I would have taken the bus.

Because despite lack of child seats/seatbelts, buses are far safer for passengers.

And others have already said how horrifically dangerous it is to put a child on your lap and double the seatbelt. The child would be crushed to death in an accident.

Would so many of you really get a lift home with no safe was to restrain the 3.4 yo on dangerous icy roads? Really? I'm horrified. Cold and extra time outside are inconvenient but no direct danger to your child's life. Whereas an unrestrained or unsafely restrained child in a car would be very likely to suffer serious injury. And the odds of an accident are vastly increased in this weather.

I'm with you, OP.

I feel sorry for them all if they are stuck on a bus in this freezing cold weather - your DH must be a saint if he has done as he was told. I would have taken the lift. Sorry.

I think you are being U, assuming your DD had an adult seatbelt on.

However I would not be happy with a 3 year old on lap.

Put elder child on bulky coats then seatbelt as normal

Fucking hell. This is incredibly dangerous. Do NOT put kids on cushions, coats or anything else other than an approved car seat or booster - all you are doing is creating 'slack' inside the seatbelt and putting them at more risk.

Erm, read on down on your link....

It clearly does....

Not sure why anyone is particularly bothered what the law says either. So what?!??! This is about the safety of children on dangerous icy roads. "Oh, sorry your DC was horribly injured, but what we did wasn't illegal so it's all okay".

Mcnew did you even read the link you posted?

* Unexpected but necessary journeys over a short distance

If the correct child seat isn’t available, a child over 3 years old can use the adult belt for an unexpected but necessary journey over a short distance. This doesn’t apply to a regular school run or planned journey.*

Oh fucking boo hoo having to catch a bus! I bus everywhere with my 4. He should have started home before they were hungry. And despite it being cold outside, it will be warm on the bus! They won't be sat on the bus shivering like the little match girl.

I had ABSOLUTELY no idea about the child on lap, one seatbelt thing and how dangerous that was. Neither did DH. We have done that twice.... for short taxi trips. Never again.

Thank you for teaching me something so critically important, munsmet.

TBH, if I were your DH, I'd have seen if I could make your DD a booster seat out of bags etc. Because I would NEVER let a child travel in a car without a seatbelt, and at your DDs age, a seatbelt would strangle her/cause serious neck damage in an accident, so she would need to be lifted higher up. If a booster couldn't be fashioned in some way, I would have taken the bus

I despair. 'Fashioning a booster' is FAR more dangerous than simply putting a child in a seat belt.

Bolding fail.

Good call on the hot chocolate OP - sure they will be delighted to see you! Take care out there.

Sorry that was in response to all those saying oh poor them having to catch the bus of all things.