to think the new childrens car seat law is a waste of time.........

[2shoes]

I have lost caount of the ammout of children I have seen using an adult seat belt.

[Upwind]

I have a sis who is disabled and as a result can't drive - she also a single parent to a 3yr old ds.

She has always been grateful for lifts when possible and is not physically capable of carrying a car seat with her everywhere she goes with her ds. This new law has been a massive inconvenience to her.

Surely someone can show that it is worthwhile after all, that the link I quoted from was wrong about car seats not making a difference for the 2+

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

upwind - surely it would be even more on an inconvnience to her if her DS was severaely injured and possibly even became disabled himself due to not using a suitable seat?

As has been mentioned a "poor" carseat/booster seat/cushion is better than none at all. So even a small, light booster cushion (while not ideal) would be better than nothing, and easily portable.

[madamez]

Is this really the end result of the f*8cking Blair government - that people think it's perfectly OK to make all sorts of things that should be a matter of informed choice, the subject of legal compulsion? Or are most people just as generally stupid as I have alwas hoped they weren't?

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

oh, so now you are going to insult people?

Seriously, if you dont think its worth it - by all means break the law.

I hope you never fall foul of it.

I tend to think that the stupid people are the ones who hold politics over and above common sense and community safety.

[Leati]

f?OpenDocument

Besides this several children hospitals have verified that carseats have made a significant difference in saving childrens lives and reducing injuries. The government is not asking you to put your child in a restraint just because they can.

[mamazon]

i don't think that taking the safety of my children seriously makes me stupid.
i really am gratefull that if that is honestly your opinion you do not drive

[Leati]

emed.wustl.edu/emed/emed.nsf/bc156fab5bfc4e0386256ad40066ce82/bde37aa82cdc3ae786256e7e00517f1 f?OpenDocument

Try that link again

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

I'm sure i'd be justified in using fuckwit here, wouldnt i?

[Leati]

Look I agree that adults should have the right to make all the informed choices they want. However, children need to be protected because adults don't always do what is in the best interest of a child. (I am not referring to anyone here)

[macmama73]

@squatchette
Sorry, I didn't express myself very well there.
We have this carseat

I meant the loop things at the top of the seat that the belt gets threaded through to stop it slipping off the child's shoulder. When you use a booster seat for a small child then the belt is often too high and imo doesn't offer enough protection.

[Leati]

Upwind,

Carseats and boosters are often used incorrectly, however, they do save lives. Read the article I gave you. I do feel for your sisters situation, and I think there should be some accomodation or adaption that allows her to provide her child with the same saftey as every other child.

Just so you know, I promise, nothing personal here. Just different perspectives .

[Leati]

macmama73,

That looks nice. Sounds nice too.

[macmama73]

@Leati
We love these carseats. It has a reclining headrest so that DCs head falls back when they go to sleep. We often travel on long journeys and they used to be all scrunched up with their heads lolling to the side. Now their heads are supported. The best car seats we have had (and we have tried loads!)

[Leati]

Here is what the World Health Organization says about car seats. It supports the data I supplied earlier about reducing infant deaths by 71% and toddler deaths by 54 %.


www.who.int/world-health-day/2004/infomaterials/world_report/en/safety_restraints_en.pdf

[Budababe]

The new law is definitely a waste of time in so far as it was brought in with not enough information supplied and even the police had no clue what was going on.

However, aside from that factor - then no, it is not a waste of time. mamazon - there are lots of supposedly intelligent people who don't think that restraining a child in a car is necessary. But it is. I have lost count of the amount of children I have seen here in Hungary perched on the edge of the back seat leaning towards the front. If that car stops suddenly the child will at best slam into gearstick and and worse fly straight through windscreen. So yes there needs to be a law to protect children from idiots.

My DS is nearly 6 and is the only one of his friends who is still in a car seat. Lots of others are in boosters which are better than nothing but not as safe.

And to answer your point about in a "serious crash" - where the LO one still be seriously hurt but without a seat that child would probably be dead.

[SleeplessInTheStaceym11House]

why woudl a law put in place to protect our children be stupid and pointless???

i dont get it, even if its about common sense then you wont need the law coz you'll be doing it anyway!

i cant believe people still think its ok to travel without children in a car seat?!?!

[Leati]

SleeplessInTheStaceym11House,

If I have interpreted this right, most people with the exception of a couple think carseats are a good idea. I think more people have an issue with how the law was rolled out and the lack of enforcability.

[SleeplessInTheStaceym11House]

i too am not impressed with it not being enforced, and even the fact the police have no tools to enforce.

but somewhere somebody said it was stupid and pointless and made very little difference to how children were affected in an accident......i mean wtf?!

[LIZS]

To answer macmama73

The UK Law is for a child under the height of 135cm must use a suitable child restraint except in very limtied circumstances (ie on a one-off unplanned journey where none is available, in a taxi or if you cannot get a third seat across the back of the car safely and front passenger seat is in use). suitable is defined largely by the child's weight. For up to 9kg min(but designed for up to 10 or 12kg usually) it is an infant seat , rearwards facing and never in the front with an active airbag, from 9kg(minimum) to 18kg (maximum)this is a forward facig usually with 5 point harness(ones usuign an adult belt in this range do pporly safety wise), from 15 to 22 kg a highback booster is recommended although a booster cushion can be used and may be labelled as from 15kg, but only recoememdned after the age of 6.

So to answer you unless your dd is over 15kg she should still have a harness seat or a highback booster if over (our dd is almost 6 and still not yet in a highback !)

and Mamanez the law here was changed as part of an EU wide policy which is variously being adopted in the different countries.

[speedymama]

The worst thing I have seen is little boy (about 5yo) standing up in a moving car with his head through the sun roof. Can you imagine what would happen if the car braked suddenly? Some parents are just too stupid and irresponsible for words.

[edam]

Speedy, I used to do that in my dad's sports car. I was about 10 and things were different back in pre-history, though!

[portonovo]

The law is a watered-down version anyway. Most leading national and international safety bodies (including the UK) agree that children should be both 11 AND 150 cm tall before adult safety belts are suitable or appropriate. However, the EU offered member states the choice of going for a lower limit of 135 cm - many opted for this in order to get the law passed more easily.

We stuck rigidly to the 11 year plus 150 cm rule for our first 2 children, and will do so for the 3rd, despite the watered-down legislation.

[preggersagain]

in some parts of the country ie. Wales there are massive stop and check campaigns- if the child is not in the correct seat an £80 fine is issued! Lots of holidaymakers been very this week to have to part with £80 and buy a car seat for the child!!

I cannot see why parents would not want to follow the law- ffs its your kids lives!!! I don't think that using car seats is stupid- its those who procrastinate who are the ones to be worried about!

[Callisto]

If any of you are concerned that your carseat may not be fitted correctly give your local firestation/council a call. There is a designated road safety officer who will happily make sure that your seat is fitted properly.

I saw a child of around 1-2 sitting on the lap of a 12 year old in a double cab pick-up the other day. There were four other people in the car at the time. Total madness and I would have got the reg number and reported them if I could have.

[preggersagain]

callisto- they cannot check the safety of a particular seat/ check that its fitted correctly (they do not recieve training for seat manufacturers), they can advise on the best place to have the seat and whether it is suitable for your child but they aren't qualified car seat fitters.

You can get seats checked at halfords or nursery shops fpr free. Sometimes safety days are held as well.