Ex putting 5 year old in front seat with no car seat

[Kevintheelf80]

I am absolutely fuming that my ex husband continues to put our 5 year old in the front seat of his car with no child car seat whatsoever. Am I just being picky or is it actually more dangerous to do that? I oy found out once she came back and told me even though I have said to him on more than one occasion that it is not safe! Aibu to be angry at this or am I over reacting?

It’s illegal and a huge safeguarding issue. Children need to be in a seat or high back booster until they are 12.

Can you report him to social services and stop contact until he resolved this? I would not allow my child to continuously travel in an unsafe way.

No car seat in the back wouldn’t be ideal but to sit in the front- hell no!!!!

I’d be absolutely fuming. There’s no need for it. Even just putting the high back booster in the front would be better than nothing, but it takes no effort to put your kid in the back.

No - till 12 or 135cm y’all, whichever comes first.

booster cushion legal from 22kg.

This is really unsafe and I’d be urgently investigating your legal position RE contact in these circumstances.

Put it this way... If your ex had a slight bump with another car, the airbag could go off, and it could kill your dc. So no, yanbu, but you would be very unreasonable not to follow this up with social services.

And op you anbu, too young to go without seat, especially in the front

Thank you, I didn't think I was bu but wanted to make sure of my facts and couldn't find statistics etc on the Internet before I jumped in with both feet. I am furious and will be telling him it absolutely cannot happen again. He is usually a very good dad and we do coparent well I just think he doesn't realise the seriousness of this at all!

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat

Do not trust him with your child

Unless your 5 year old is 135cm or above this is not legal.

i would't let someone take my child in the car unless they could prove there was a car seat in situ.

Yeah my kid wouldn't be allowed in the car until I'd seen a proper carseat. No ifs or buts with that one

You are under-reacting!
what makes you think he will listen to you? Why doesn't he already have a car seat for his own dc?

Notify police immediately next time....he needs to learn asap

Am I the only one thinking that normal people know the law?? Your ex dh is a dick. You are embarrassing for saying you can't find stats online!

I would also worry what other unsafe practices are happening when child is in his care!

You say you have already told him more than once, but are going to tell him again?

I would call the police to report him.

I can't find any stats to say what the mortality rate is for passengers/children in the front compared to the back as I wanted to show him that the dangers are real. Of course I know the law myself and can find those rules also!! Absolutely no need to be so rude. If you can find the stats I mentioned please feel free to share!

OP why do you need stats to show him? It's illegal, why's that not enough?

Children need to be in a seat or high back booster until they are 12

Not necessarily. They can be in until they are 135cm tall. Most kids reach that well before aged 12

I literally assumed you meant stats as in what the law expects and research.

I can't honestly believe you need anything more. You're risking your children to pander ex partners needs for actual stats on child safety?? I dont mean to be rude. Its a natural reaction to a stupid question I guess.

Don't know why people are nitpicking about the 135cm, I have yet to meet a 5yo of that height.

Just show him one of the sites explaining the law - rospa, which, gov uk, or several of the newspapers ran a story on it this year. You can be fined £500 for not using a car seat. He might be stuck in a time warp from the 90s when it was fine not to but that's not an excuse.

As for being in the front it's not a good idea without booster seat, but the airbag is the main issue - he should check his car manual as some recommend to have it off for forward facing seats as well. Others say it's OK as long as booster is used and seat all the way back.

TBH I can understand why he would want her in the front when it's just them in the car, and the chance of being in an accident is fairly low. Assume ignorance of the law, rather than malice. The main problem IMO is the lack of a booster seat, not the position in the car.

I agree OP, the fact that it is illegal is enough. Report hi to the police if he takes no notice. Does he havea car seat, ?