About car safety?

[Sapphire387]

I try to always follow the letter of the law. Both DS (8) and DD (6) ride in high-backed boosters.

DD was due to go on a day trip (an hour’s drive along A-roads) with a couple of friends, travelling in one of the other parents’ cars. So it would have been DD plus two friends in the back, parents in the front. At the last minute, they invited another child and proposed squeezing the four of them into the back seat.

They already seemed to think I was a bit odd for asking if they had a spare booster for DD or if I should bring hers. Apparently the parents of the other two kids are fine with the arrangements, as ‘they don’t need boosters’. They’re all six years old.

I’ve pulled DD out of the trip. Tbh I’m a bit annoyed because she’s really disappointed but what can you do?

Am I being precious / unreasonable? Would you have sent your child?

No way would I have allowed my DD to be squeezed in the back with 3 more children and not enough seat belts. I wouldn't allow this now, when she's a teen, let alone when she was 6y.

Re the booster - I used to be pretty strict on this but know many people aren't. Id normally send a seat for dd when she was smaller for long journeys, though was more relaxed for short school run type ones, especially as she got taller.

My 11 year old is still in a booster (high back). Many parents seem to think their child doesn’t need one or is tall enough not to. They are wrong (smaller than my child). I sigh internally when they imply that I’m over careful (as if the law - or even the laws of physics- does not apply to them). 🤦🏽‍♀️

4 children in the back?!! What do they propose to do about seat belts even without a booster?! Stupid.

Car seat safety is something I do not fuck about with. There’s is no room for compromise. Children who aren’t properly restrained in the corrects car seats/boosters/seatbelts die in crashes. Simple as that.
I’d have done the same as you.

4 in the back? What about seat belts?

I wouldn't be happy with my 7 year old traveling without a car seat.

Nope, I would have done the same.
My sister broke her leg terribly as a child not being restrained properly in a car accident (before current laws) and I postponed learning to drive for many years because a friend died in a horrific accident.
Cars are dangerous, we overlook this because they are also very convenient parts of modern life but no matter how careful a driver you are you are not in control of that idiot who comes round the corner and in that situation I want to do everything I can to keep my family safe.