To be really fed up with parents who don't bother with car seats/let their children sit in the front of the car?

[BananaSkin]

There seem to be loads around here. I think they justify it by assuming that because we live in a city, traffic doesn't move that fast. Some wear it as some sort of badge of honour though, as though being a risk-taker with your children is something to be proud of and something that we neurotic types should consider.

It doesn't normally affect me directly, but it did a couple of weeks ago when a Father turned up to pick up my DC and was about to drive off without DC in a childseat.

a woman and her friend came in the same car to pick up 2 dc's aged 3.already had 2 babies in the back in car seats.the 2 dc's got in 1 in the back between 2 babies no seat belt on or car seat.the other sat on friends knee in the front.i was gobsmacked that they could be so irresponsible.it's not the 1st time they've done it either.

Bananaskin, as I said, dd is always restrained correctly when travelling any distance in the car, but I still see no reason why I should not allow her to travel in the front with me.

As for not talking whilst driving, I think that is wildly unrealistic.

bananaskin they are properly restrained in the front, my car does not have air bags, i think that covers it.

This is such a bugbear of mine, and it makes me angry that people hold their children's safety in such low regard. Here in Cyprus you frequently see toddlers, unrestrained, on their grandparents lap whilst on the motorway. And the locals here are reckless drivers at the best of times.
I just want to pull them over and tell them the horrific story of my cousin's friend who could only recognise her ds by the clothes he had on, after she had to identify his body when it went through the windscreen of her, now ex, husband's car. That was 15 years ago and I still shudder.
Wrong, wrong, wrong!

frankbestfriend on Mon 03-Nov-08 16:39:13

DD always sits in the front in her booster with the airbag on but the seat pulled back as far as it will go, as per the car seat instructions.

if you MUST / NEED to have you child in the front then TURN off the airbag - if you are in an accident the thing that can save an adult can kill a child

My car booster is forward facing and the manufacturers instructions state that the airbag should be switched on and the seat pulled back.

Dd is 8 and already tall enough to travel legally without a booster, btw.

Bananaskin, you said a while back that you really don't have to be a genius to organise car seats for a family and visiting friend. I must be really stupid then and need it explained to me. If someone with kids says "can you give us a lift" do I go out then (I assume the shops are open 24/7) and buy several kinds of car seat or do I buy them anyway and carry them with me everywhere in case I am asked for a lift one day?

And if I get them in advance just in case someone small gets in my car then how do I know what to buy? It might be three small children, 3 medium or 3 larger or any combination of those. Presumably then I need to buy and carry with me 3 of each size just in case. I guess a trailer is in order then with 9 seats piled on it.

The government must be stupid too as it has recognised that it's not always possible and allows reasonable exceptions in the law when it's just not practical.

I have two booster seats, one in my car and one in my sister's car plus my dd has yet another child seat in my Dad's car. The boosters were only about £10 for two in Halfords and have paid for themselves many a time when I've given another child of the same age/height a lift. I think a lot of dd's friends are out of boosters though.

It's not bloody rocket science. No seat no ride.

we have a spare booster for school frirnds etc

i always check if a school mum has a spare seat, would be very pissed off if they took my charge in car without booster seat from school

I'm actually in favour of car seats for children. I expect they are more comfortable too. It's just that every few days we get a "AIBU to want to beat someone to death because they didn't have enough car seats for all the kids" kind of thing and it's daft since as I have pointed out it's not always practical.

Then don't do it.

When it was dd's 7th birthday we took 6 of her friends into town for lunch. I stated this clearly on the invites and asked on the invites for kids to bring booster seats with them.

Out of 5 kids only 2 did!

Both of mine are in high backed boosters which go up to 12 or whatever it is. I also carry a spare booster or two in the car as got some in Aldi when they were £5. Mine are 5 & 10 and I quite often have an extra one in the car when I'm picking one of them up. With the combination I have available I can always strap each of their friends into something appropriate, but couldn't with a younger child. I won't take any child that I can't strap in on something suitable.

To me the correct seat is non-negotiable. I'm a 70s child (well technically a 60s, just) and was always strapped in. My Mum had a very basic one for us when we were tiny where the straps bolted onto the chasis somehow.