About children not travelling safely in car?

[TheHouseofMirth]

DS, who is 5, had one of his classmates over for tea the other day. His mum picked him up, after having picked his 2 year old brother up from nursery on the way, and I was quite surprised to see her open the door to a minute vintage (80s?) sports car and put them both in the passenger seat.

I'm very pro car safety, to the extent of having DS2 in an extended RF car seat and if something bothers me then I'm usually able and confident enough to tactfully voice my concern but I found myself pretty much standing there smiling and saying what a great car.

Should I have said something to her? Or called the Police? If someone else had posted this I'm sure I would have felt that their moral obligation towards the children should override everything else but I'm really unsure now. She's a really nice lady, she's always struck me as an engaged and loving mother and she's a doctor, so she's presumably intelligent and well-informed.

Of course everyone parents differently and that there are things I do (like leaving my 18 mo unattended downstairs for short periods and not vaccinating) which would leave other parents feeling how I do about this situation.

I am very confused! WWYD?

[TanteRoseFromTheDead]

the only thing you can do, is make sure she NEVER lets your child in her car.

if she is intelligent and well-informed, then she knows the risks, and she is just being stupid and endangering her kids' lives...

maybe next time you go over to pick your DC up from her house, make a BIG deal of putting him his car seat and buckling up etc.

[alfabetty]

If she's simply popping round the corner at slow speeds and they are strapped in using the adult belt, I think the overall health/safety risk is lower than not vaccinating.

Everyone makes their own choices and judgments - my personal view is that your decision about vaccinations exposes your (and other) children to greater risk than not using a car seat for occasional short journeys. Each to their own.

[phipps]

What I would do is never let her pick my child up or drive him anywhere.

[northerngirl41]

Her choice, but wouldn't be driving my child anywhere!

Reporting them? No.

[sonnyday]

That's a really hard one, I also feel strongly about road safety after my broither almost died in a car crash.. Never let your child go in her car! I would prob bring up the subject of car safety in conversation and see what she says, it might have been a one off or she might just not realise how dangerous it could potentially be. If she has a really blaise attitude to her kids safety you could say you are really shocked/surprised, it might make her think, there's not really much else you can do short of reporting her.