I’m being a nosey neighbour aren’t I, but..

[wagasallday]

A few times now I’ve seen my neighbours arrive home and get 4 kids out of their 5 seater car. Car is definitely 5 seats. Two under 3s and the other two kids are primary aged. They seem like lovely people but it is obviously horribly unsafe and I would hate for anything to happen to any of them. From what I can see it looks as though one of the older ones sits in the passenger footwell or on mum’s knee. Should I have a word with them or leave it? Also don’t want to bring about trouble but it just scares me!

People are that stupid, someone near me was caught by the child’s nursery driving with a baby in a sling. The nursery staff got social services involved as she kept doing it even after they had a word with her

I've seen people do it - sitting in front seat with a child just lap. Some people really don't seem to care

That's terrifying. One emergency stop or car up her arse and that baby's going through the windscreen 🤯

If this family got into a terrible accident the first responders wouldn't even know how many people may be trapped in the car

By all means report it to the police, but to be honest, unless that vehicle is on the move there is nothing the police can do. ontop of the fact that there are so few police officers on the street already, you would have to be massively lucky to get a police car in the same place as this moving car to stop it. I know its not great.. but its actually very realistic.

in all honesty you would stand a better chance reporting it to social services!

@Weenus I saw it driving past in opposite direction. I saw it clearly but was so shocked I didn't have time to vote number plate before they'd gone round corner. If I'd got their plate I would have 100% reported yes.

Years ago when I was a newly qualified driver I was driving my friend in the front passenger seat. We were pulling away from her house, going about 6miles an hour because narrow road and cars park both sides. Visibility was poor due to cars parking right up to the junction and I had to hit the brakes suddenly. My friend hadn't put her seat belt on yet, and that brake at just over a walking pace was enough to send her forwards into the windscreen and get a nice bruise on her forehead.

At least one of those poor kids is not safe, and accidents happen in a split second with no warning. It's not 'grassing' to report. It's being an adult and doing the right thing, which is what the parents should be doing.

3 kids in the back and one older kid in the passenger seat. What's wrong with that?

well of course every single thing that happens in this universe is the fault of the police.. i'm sure that the police would love to be able to have time to deal with this, but sadly, the police force has been stripped so bare now, you are lucky to get a police officer at all...but thats for a whole differnt thread

@Jk987 op says man and woman in front seats and the 4 kids in the back

Of course they are!

You have been very sheltered from other people's stupidity/negligence then!

If they are not belting the kids up properly it could be a sign of other things not being right

@LeopardPrintIsNeutral I've seen it at school and the parent was parked right outside the main gate with teachers all around. 4 kids into the back of a punto. Absolutely not a care in the world.
We've also had a parent driving round in L plates with her children in the car. Yes she was a learner. driving herself solo around on the school run.

I’d definitely report it to the police.

oh.. i can assure you... yes they are!

report it yes... expect anything to be done about it? not a hope

You’re probably correct.

Report, 100%. Imagine how you would feel if they are in an accident and a child is seriously injured or worse. Who cares what they think about it - they are breaking the law and risking their kids' lives (an additional child squashed in the back could fly around in an accident and injure or kill their siblings as well). So many people just decide to mind their own business and then things go wrong. Don't just stand by and watch - you aren't being a nosy neighbour but someone concerned about children's wellbeing.

The police will do nothing with this info. Think of the resources they have and the things they let go.

If you are worried about a child dying, you have to approach the parents directly. Don't think approaching the police will make any difference whatsoever.

Or stay well away. They know the dreadful.risks they are taking.

FFS just approach them and ask. Reporting could start a chain effect and how is that helpful ?

The police won’t be interested unfortunately. I tried to report someone who frequently drove around with baby on mum's LAP in front passenger seat. The call handler at 101 actually laughed at me for the mere suggestion that they could act upon my "say so" 🙄

When I was a kid, I witnessed a neighbour's child fly through the windscreen of a car and smash his head on the adjacent curb. Killed him instantly. Was one of those really old Volvos with the wipers on the headlights & was so old that it was built with no seatbelts (I'd been in it myself before). He was sat in the middle of the rear. Never forgotten it, poor kid.

they are quite correct... just because you say it happens doesnt mean it actually happens? maybe a video as proof would help.

the police simply do not have the resources to go around looking for family cars without the correct number of child seats.

If u r 100% sure u need to report it.

Or imagine a child flying through a windscreen headfirst, or a child smashing into the person in the front seat and killing them, or a child trapped and crushed in the foot well of a car, or breaking multiple bones while being thrown about smashing into other people in the car. All of these things happen when not using a seat belt.
I really wish they would bring back the graphic information films that were shown when I was growing up. Maybe if they did there would be less of this kind of stupid comment.

Totally understand that you'd feel awful if you didn't say anything..
But...
It's a dead cert that if your assumptions are correct the parents already know what they are doing is wrong, it's not a case of anyone saying "excuse me but did you know" blah blah.

If you're moving soon leave it, once reported unless the authorities are going to have someone follow/keep an eye out everytime they leave the house, unless they either leave one person out or buy a larger car to accommodate all they'll just revert back to what they're doing now.