To think that parents who don't strap their toddlers into car seats properly should be hung drawn and quartered.

[PinkyMe]

On my way home today, I saw a little boy about my dds age (2yrs old) with both arms and head out the rear window.

Obviously not strapped into his car seat properly despite him being in one.

I know I've judgey pants on, but this really pisses me off.

spiritmum why didn't you call the police?!

Dd2 has this seat

You can see how the shoulder harness pads have poppers. I have taken them off, clipped them together & I slide them under the straps & pop them together again. So they 'hug' the straps together, and can be pulled off easily. Dd1 (7) can do it, dd2 can't!

If you know someone who can fashion one, it seems to work for dd. Even something with velcro on.

YANBU. All children should be strapped in properly. One of my mums close friends had a child fly through the front window of the car as he wasn't strapped in (family didn't realise he wasn't strapped in) he didn't survive as he was too badly hurt. He didn't die instantly and was on a life support machine for a week before they had to turn it off. I still remember how awful it was. I know some toddlers can get themselves out of car-seats but I would stop immediately and tell them we were going no further til they stayed strapped in if they ever did this.

sanielle, I was going to when they pulled off - to be fair I think they'd gone a very short distance as I recognised the driver (as someone who runs a local nursery!) and I think she'd gone from one relations' house to another.

Had they not pulled off I would have done.

definitely not BU. I hate to see this. An easyish solution to the arms-coming-out-of-car-seat-mid-journey (well, sort of) is to get a car seat mirror so you can see what the little angels are up to. And then give them a good telling off when they do, and threaten to withdraw all chocolate buttons for a month.

I've frequently seen kids hanging out of car windows locally. It's horrible to see. I can't believe people are so wet that they don't do the straps up because their kids say it 'hurts' them. God!

I know avrilh, I was only kidding about that. Wouldn't work with my 2.4 year old either. It would just plant the chocolate button idea firmly in her mind, and then the pestering would start....

to all of you with small escape artists, i know a new seat is a costly answer to the problem but incase you have further ones or tiny ones ready for the next seat.

the britax evolva 1-2-3 is fantastic,

my son could escape his eclipse, and dd was escaping her maxi cosi cabriofix, she when she got to tall for it we visited kiddicare. and re-seated them both, dd is extremely tall, but tiny, very slim and light, at 20mnths she weights 12kg but is tall as most almost 3yr olds at toddlers.

and seriously, they cannot escape the evolva, the chest pads, when tightened correctly touch in the middle, and have special padding all down the back that compresses to fit each child, meaning wiggling a hand let alone an arm behind is pretty tricky. and also the large head rest means arms above head wiggling is impossible, you can also make it narrower or wider to fit each child.

it truly has been the best buy neither monster can defeat this seat, weve had the since ds was 2 and dd 10mnths. and no escapes since.

gush over, i hope this helps someone.

now has anyone got any tips for when they reach 18kg and need to leave a 5point harness???

JJ I've been looking at that one for ages thinking it looks nice - that's such a helpful post, I might actually buy it now! I wonder if the 2-3 is as good, we don't really need a stage 1 any more.

I will try to find out - thanks again

no problem flight, dont know anything about the 2-3 but if i hear anything (im on alot of forums) ill report back.

id 100% recomend the 123 though fantastic seat, deffinatly wont buy any other kind for future dcs

I bought this car seat and in my version you can take off the 5 point harness and use the car belt when you're ready. I haven't done it yet as dd is still little but check your seat as I think this is the case with all 1-2-3s.

Should go up to age 11.

saw something dreadful today - child in (moving) car in infant carrier - which was forward facing and not secured...

YANBU, I once saw a very old and battered split screen camper with a woman in the front passenger seat with a baby who looked about 6 months old on her knee She was bouncing him up and down too, made me shudder and even DD who's 4 shouted out "that baby isn't wearing his magic belt! He's very naughty!"

I shudder to think if they were in any sort of front impact, that poor baby would have been thrown straight out of the front window with such force and probably killed instantly.

Ironically she had her seat belt on

Thank you whoever posted that Houdini Strap link. I had been meaning to post something about what to do about a mini Houdini.

My 14 month old DD can get completely out of her pram's 5 point harness and her arms out of her car seat. I'll take my chances on it being illegal over here if it means she'll stay strapped in.

I keep thinking she's only 1, what is she going to be like when she's 2 or 3?

Also YANBU.

YANBU. But it will take something v high profile to make stupid people realise.

And then give them a good telling off when they do, and threaten to withdraw all chocolate buttons for a month

Sorry, but pmsl! My 2yr old won't understand that as a consequence & I would love to find one who does! Neither would she understand not going any further in the journey...which is why I, as the adult who does understand consequence, takes steps to assure she can't do it again!

Someone I know lets her 2 year old DD ride in a simple, backless booster cushion recently. The child is too small for this, I know because I have one the same age and he is still in his baby seat as it were.

It's just so irresponsible.

cupcake75 My dd escapes her stroller frequently. Now I use the harness part of her reins (detachable strap & hooks on either side) and put that on her & clip the hooks to the d rings on the straps of the stroller. She can't get out!

I also use it on trolleys as she can also climb out of the bloody useless single strap belt.

Does that make sense?