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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or am i over reacting? - carseats.

40 replies

SlothAttack · 13/11/2011 18:09

I have never, ever let my kids get in a car without the correct carseat.

Seeing as though we don't drive this has meant waiting in the rain / cold / hail quite a few times for a bus as I won't accept a lift if we don't have carseats.

DH and I have always been togtther on this.

We've had quite a few comments from our parents about it but always stood by it.

His sister has just visited with her fiancee and when he was going the kids got in the car and he drove round the block with them a couple of times, the had seatbelts on.

I was ghaving a lie down as im not well and didn't realise till the drove back

DH is saying 'o big deal'

whereas I am kivid he let them as he always gets on his high horse over carseat safety and our little ave always has nobbers speeding at 60mph round the tight corners.

I a pised off because i fee he's being 'chilled' because its his side of the family.

if my mum did it they would never be alowed in the car again.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
SlothAttack · 13/11/2011 18:10

Sorry it was BIL t be who took kids, not DH.

OP posts:
Mum1369 · 13/11/2011 18:14

I have always been absolutely the same over this. No question. Never take the risk. It only takes one time to slip. Two of my friends have lost babies/ children to no seat belts, wrongly applied child seats. Yanbu. No question. Never. Ever.

BikeRunSki · 13/11/2011 18:14

YANBU. I feel the same way about car seats. DH and I drive, but I usually walk locally. If I am offered a lift I only ever accept it if the driver has the right car seat.

Your BIL might be the best driver in the world, but there is no accounting for the other numpties in the world.

UserNameNotAvailable · 13/11/2011 18:14

While I agree about being in car seats surely they were at least a bit safer since they had belts on rather than being on a bus unrestrained?

auntiepicklebottom2 · 13/11/2011 18:15

how old are the DC

BumWiper · 13/11/2011 18:16

An accident can happen in a matter of seconds.
DH was a few yards from our house when some idiot came around the cornor on the wrong side of the road and hit him head on.

YANBU

Original poster
SlothAttack · 13/11/2011 18:17

Thats what I mean bike run,

DH said it was just a bit of fun, but tey have been in a car a million times, its not like he gave them a ride n a camel.

I feel there was no point and it WAS dangerous.

OP posts:
Original poster
SlothAttack · 13/11/2011 18:17

kids are 5 and 6.

OP posts:
BumWiper · 13/11/2011 18:19

A seatbelt would not protect them in the event of an accident.They are too small.

RitaMorgan · 13/11/2011 18:19

How old are they?

Toddlers, YANBU

6 year olds, YABabitU

1Catherine1 · 13/11/2011 18:20

The age of the DC are important. If your children have nearly grown out of the car seats anyway (so around 12) then although i wouldn't be happy about it, it is not a massive deal.

If they are very young I would be very annoyed if I were you. YANBU

RitaMorgan · 13/11/2011 18:21

You are right that it was pointless though, and an accident can still happen going just round the block.

TidyDancer · 13/11/2011 18:23

I agree, the age of the DCs will matter a lot in this situation.

YANBU anyway though, I wouldn't be happy in your shoes.

TidyDancer · 13/11/2011 18:24

Hmmm. X post. I think it's not quite as bad as if they were very young, but it's still not acceptable.

barnowl · 13/11/2011 18:24

whether yabu/not depends on where you live if in the UK Uanbu as it's illegal to transport children in the car without the appropriate child restraint which would at least be a booster cushion for children of that age.

TheOriginalFAB · 13/11/2011 18:26

How was it a treat?

Your BIL is a twat and your H is a wimp for allowing his brother to do this.

Bossybritches22 · 13/11/2011 18:28

Thing is it's not BIL who is the problem it's the other silly buggers on the road, that's what they don't get the "don't fuss " brigade

YANBU

squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 18:28

I will be honest, it really would not worry me on a short local journey.

It is only in recent years that car seats for children (not babies) have been compulsory, and the vast majority of incidents that resulted in serious injury or death, were on motorways or dual carriageways, in cars travelling at high speed.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/11/2011 18:29

I think they are probably a little safer in a car with seat belts than a bus without. Buses have accidents too. According to Superfreakonomics after they have grown out of rear facing, there is actually very little to separate seat belts and car seats (in terms of fatalities during accidents). The authors tried to do some further research and were basically told no one would let them. Probably not a coincidence that the car seat manufacturers pay the crash test places a vast quantity of money.

It is possible that we have been sold a bit of a lie WRT car seats. I'm not saying that they aren't a good idea for small children, just that the research may not exactly be impartial.

So, YABU if the research bears it out.

cheesesarnie · 13/11/2011 18:29

i remember hearing on a first aid thand that most rca happen within 5 miles of your house.
not over reacting in the slightest.

squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 18:32

Most accidents maybe, but that is a very vague generalisation, as an accident can involve nothing more than reversing out of your drive into the vehicle parked opposite.... a regular occurance on narrow roads.

whoopeecushion · 13/11/2011 18:32

I presume that both your children are under 135cm. Your BIL has broken the law and your DH has been a moron letting BIL do it. You should tell them that they are lucky they haven't been reported to the police.

lelainapierce · 13/11/2011 18:34

For a 5 and 6 year old, who only use booster seats not full on car seats anyway yadbu, you realise these only came in a few years ago?

mumto2andnomore · 13/11/2011 18:35

At 5 and 6 for a short journey wouldnt bother me at all, think its allowed if the journey is unexpected anyway isnt it as long as they have a seatbelt on.

scotsgirl23 · 13/11/2011 18:36

YANBU. My DH and 18 month old DD were in a car crash this morning - some arse drove straight across a mini roundabout, ignoring a give way sign, and crashed in to the side of them. They were probably less than 300 yards from our house. An accident can happen anywhere and I simply would not take the chance

They are both "ok" although DH's back is in a lot of pain - probably whiplash etc - DD, safely strapped in car seat, is absolutely fine.