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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in putting my foot down about car seats on nursery trip?

43 replies

2point4kids · 22/05/2008 11:36

I dont know if I am being PFBish here!
I only recently insisted that DS's nursery change their locks as he could open the front door and I dont want to get a bad reputation there as being a mad over protective mother!!

Basically DS is 2.7 years. He goes to nursery 3 afternoons a week. They have a trip coming up in a couple of weeks to a farm park. Its a full day trip. I am more than happy for DS to go and have paid already.

However, chatting to his key worker yesterday I asked in passing if I should bring in DS's car seat that day or if they will have them already on the coach.
She said that she thinks the coach only has lap belts, so to bring his seat in case, but they probably wont be able to use it and have I got a booster seat I could bring instead?

DS is only 2, surely he is too little for a booster seat? I dont have one anyway.
I said this to her and she said that they should have a couple of spares (just the sit on bits, no backs) but if they run out the kids will all just sit on the seats with the lap belts on. Thats what they did last year apparently and no one minded/everything was fine.

I thought that children had to be in a proper full car seat till the age of 4 and even after that they had to have a booster seat with a back on. The nursery manager has said though that booster seats are fine from age 3 and if they are tall/a good weight then 2 year olds can go on them too.

I've asked her to phone the coach company to ask if they have lap belts or proper belts.
If they only have lap belts I am thinking of asking for my money back and not letting DS go.

It seems a shame as he would enjoy the day out so much, plus I get the feeling they will think I am madly over protective if I say he cant go.
Its a 20 min coach trip each way.

Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
hifi · 22/05/2008 11:40

we did the same thing last year, nursery trip. they all had lap belts but was very difficult enforcing it. if you want to take one do, you will probably be the only one though,something for the other mothers to gossip about.

Meeely2 · 22/05/2008 11:41

nope, not being unreasonable - my DT's nursery went on a trip just before xmas and we all left our car seats behind that day - the nursery owner said it was a right faff but they fitted all the car seats properly on the coach and each child had their own seat.

If they don't use boosters and only lap belts how on earth will they stop the kids trying to get up and walk around? I'm thinking my kids on a plane, they worked out pretty quick they could undo the lapbelts and it was a struggle to keep them done up til the seat belt lights went out.

I believe what they are doing is illegal

cupsoftea · 22/05/2008 11:41

could you drive him there yourself?

meemar · 22/05/2008 11:42

I don't think they are required to have full carseats on a bus/coach, but I'm not sure if what the law is on lap belts.

I think you are perfectly reasonable for checking that they are meeting the legal requirements, but if lap belts are considered legal then it would be unreasonable not to let him go.

nickytwotimes · 22/05/2008 11:42

If it were my ds, I'd want him in a decent car seat. Tis very important imho, and I'm quite lax about some safety issues.

Original poster
2point4kids · 22/05/2008 11:43

The prblem is that the stage 1 seat i have doesnt work with a lap belt so its either no seat or not go on the trip!

OP posts:
diplodocus · 22/05/2008 11:44

I'm quite shocked by this. I would certainly want my child in a proper car seat for a nursery trip - coaches are no safer than cars in terms of force of impact during a colision. I certainly don't think you're being unreasonable, and am surprised OFSTED allows it.

themildmanneredjanitor · 22/05/2008 11:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Meeely2 · 22/05/2008 11:46

mmj - but there won't be one 2 one supervision to ensure he sits down like if you travel with your own child on the bus.

vicky1985 · 22/05/2008 11:50

i wouldn't want my dd to go.I go on busses with them but they either sit in their pushchair or on a seat next to me where i can make sure they dont get up.

anniemac · 22/05/2008 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Journey · 22/05/2008 11:51

On day trips my nursery asks us to leave our children's car seats with them. The nursery then labels the car seats with the child's name on it and they then instal them on the bus.

kslatts · 22/05/2008 11:52

Infant school children go on school trips on coaches and only wear the lap belts, in a car they would need to have booster seats by law, so I'm guessing as it is a coach the law is different.

Meeely2 - there may be one 2 one supervision when you travel on a bus which may mean the child is less likely to be able to get up and walk around, but in the event of a crash they still won't be belted in so not really any safer, at least on the coach they will have a lap belt.

Meeely2 · 22/05/2008 11:57

kslatts - just wonder how long the lapbelt will stay on with a 2 year old fiddling with it and in the event of a crash, does a lapbelt really offer much protection against getting thrown forward - there is nothing restraining the top half of the body.

Personally i wouldn't be happy with it, but then I don't travel on buses either.

CombustibleLemon · 22/05/2008 11:57

Most buses don't go on motorways though- coaches often do.

Meeely2 · 22/05/2008 11:59

good point combustible

morningpaper · 22/05/2008 12:01

YABU

I've been on buses and coaches and trains with no proper seat-belts

You don't often get massive crush injuries in coaches, I shouldn't imagine

OverMyDeadBody · 22/05/2008 12:06

I think YABU, it's a coach, not a car.

nailpolish · 22/05/2008 12:07

i go on buses every day with dd's

there are no seatbelts. sometimes they stand up for part of the hjourney if there are no seats.

nailpolish · 22/05/2008 12:08

i cannot remember any school trip where i wore a seatbelt on a bus

YABU

morningpaper · 22/05/2008 12:10

oh yes standing up on a bus naily

that is more fun than Alton Towers

Roobie · 22/05/2008 12:11

I'd just relax, stop worrying and let him go.

haggisaggis · 22/05/2008 12:12

Booster seats don't fit with lap belts. If coaches are fitted with lap belts only the children would be safer with the lap belts only rather than trying to use booster seats.
I remember a thread like this last year where someone who ran a bus company stated that even on coaches with full seatbelts, child seats do not fit properly as the seats are not teh correct size.

themildmanneredjanitor · 22/05/2008 12:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
2point4kids · 22/05/2008 12:25

Ok I am being unreasonable

I hadnt even thought about buses as we dont tend to use them. We always walk locally and drive long distance.

Thanks ladies. I will let him go and enjoy his day out and not worry

OP posts:
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