Should a 5 year old be in a car seat?

[treesflowersandbreathe]

Car seats and 5 year olds. If a child is regularly going in a car with a parent, three times a week for two 40 minute journeys each way, do they have to be in a car seat or a booster? To add he also has him for weeks in the holidays and drives longer journeys with no car seat. My ex is refusing to put my son in one. My son is 121.5cms and weighs 23kgs. I'm struggling to understand the Government guidance. I've offered a high back for him to use, and a booster to have, but he's completely refusing. The added issue is that my son also refuses to wear a selt belt and so his dad has disabled the automatic alarm. So he's just sitting in the backseat 70s style. Is there anything I can do about this? Am I being unreasonable? I'm so worried about my son. Is there somewhere where I can report to?

Anyone know how you actually report to the police these days, and it gets taken seriously? I got hit by a car that didn’t stop 6 months ago and they still haven’t been back in touch. I had the reg too. 🤷

101

Hardly the same. Nothing can be done about the collision now as there would be a six month limitation of proceedings. Regarding reporting the lack of seatbelts If you go on your forces website you can report online. I suggest that you give them the dates and times that he picks up and drops off and if nothing has happened in 2-4 weeks chase it up.

Maybe your ex might pay more attention if you point out that he’s also putting himself at more risk:

In a crash an unrestrained back seat passenger can be thrown forward with enough force to kill the driver or front seat passenger if they hit them.

https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/seat-belt-advice#:~:text=It%20is%20also%20essential%20that,passenger%20if%20they%20hit%20them.

Seeing your post reminded me of this public service commercial

Yes, by law he needs to wear a seatbelt (with a booster, high back or not) or be restrained in a car seat with straps. It has to be a proper car seat conforming to the right safety regulation (you can't just rig up your own straps for example)

Your 11yo also must wear a seatbelt, and use a booster if he's under 135cm tall. As he's under 14, it's the driver's responsibility.

Technically it's a police matter, whether they will actually do anything is a totally different question. You could phone 999 every time he drives off with the DC, arguably not the best use of the 999 system but it's technically a crime in progress. You could also take it to family court but I'm not sure if they need some kind of evidence. I know if the police stop at a random check they take it quite seriously if such a young child is totally unrestrained.

You need to report when it's happening. The back log of crime reports at the moment is eye watering. (Think 10-40 per officer depending on where you are) so you can see why they close some without following up as much as you would like. However my sister is in the police and has told me if a crime is being committed, you can phone 999. Ultimately, they won't blue light it to the scene if someone is getting attacked by a gang of youths somewhere else, but if someone is available, it will get dealt with. There is no evidence if he isn't caught doing it so there's no point logging a report. It is so so stupidly dangerous, even a light bump could kill.

Thanks. @AmandasFleckerl i know it’s not the same, I’m trying to understand how and where do you report something like this as it’s not happening in real time as I’d be an idiot to now let the children go with him. Even just after an accident happened, I was hit by a car, they didn’t do anything about it as I didn’t end up in A&E, my local doctor sorted my elbow and shoulder out because there was an ambulance strike and it happened outside the surgery.

Thanks for the advice and support. Going to try and speak to police today at the one stop shop couldn’t get through last night.

It's terrifying to see what state the police are in at the moment. The resources are so scarce they are having to pick and choose what to investigate. Hopefully you sort this out. X

Report to police - yes he should be in one (and if it were me an extended rear facing one). But at least a high back booster. And I would be seriously considering whether to be allowing his dad to take him in the car when he clearly has no regard for his safety and the law.