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!

You can report it anonymously at Crimestoppers because it is a crime. Don't say you are a neighbour, just give them the make, model and reg. say you have witnessed it elsewhere and are concerned for the safety of the children. There was a case a few years ago when a child who was sitting in the footwell was crushed to death in an accident. Any unsecured item be it people, shopping or parcels etc will catapult forward in a collision. Front seat passengers have been seriously injured and even killed like this. Anyone without their own seatbelt runs the very real risk of being thrown from the vehicle, possibly through the windscreen causing neck lacerations and bleeding to death and there have been cases where passengers have been thrown out into ditches on country roads and not found for days. If the car is only for 5 people but is carrying 6, why would emergency services be looking for anyone else?

It is worth reporting, if only for your own peace of mind. If something were to happen and you have said nothing you might feel responsible in some way.