I once worked in a baby equipment hire shop and as part of my training I had to watch a video on in car safety.
I think they should put these sort of things on TV, like the girl mangled up under the tree in the speeding adds.
In the video I watched they simulated a crash at 30 miles an hour. The babies head was represented by a watermelon, because the effects would be the same....
I don't think I need to eplain further!
I would NEVER have an unrestrained child in my car and would never let my kids in anyone elses car without proper restraints. (even before my childminding days).
At the end of the day, yes, car seats can be expensive....
What price do you put on a childs life?
A badly fitted carseat can actually cause more harm, so for a little time spent reading the insructions or nipping to Halfords or Mothercare etc, where they have trained carseat fitters, you are effectively saving your childs life.
And the argument that they drive carefully, or they are only going down the road makes me sooo angry!
It only takes a moment of lapse in concentration or another vehicle to cause an accident.
Yet, like you, I still see lo's standing between the two front seats or travelling on the lap of a front seat passenger, I have even seen one in the bootspace!
So, in answer to your question Am I being unreasonable to expect a young baby to be driven in a car in a car seat?
Most definately not!!!