To not want to take DD out in DPs van with only a lap belt on - she is three

[MadCreamLady]

I don't really think its safe, not sure regarding legality of it.

We have free tickets to fireworks, should be a good night, i really dont care if i go or not but DP really wants to take DD. I don't think its a good idea

Am i being a killjoy? We did bring her home from the town the other day in the van, but it was a two minute journey, very slowly driven and we had no choice really. Our car isn't taxed or insured atm. But this trip involves dual carriageway.

He thinks im being PFB, but i don't see how it would be safe, the lap belt would do nothing but cause injury surely?

It is illegal - apart from that it is simply not safe. You are not being PFB.

depends on size of van and if front seat as actually illegal to have child under 5 i think in front of van

my neighbour has big van and had his son in car seat on front seat as no back seats and he got stopped and fined

its not legal see if anyone has a booster seat you can borrow if not dont chance it its not about not trusting your dh but its others on the road and a risk not worth taking

if you get stopped or i mainly see police at these events if they see no car seat you'll regret it and if someone goes into you and seat belt injures dd its just not worth it

no yanbu

i'm really scaredy cat about things like that because I'd hate to have to deal with the consequences no matter how unlikely

my dh thinks I'm being mental because we never had to when growing up etc etc but my heart doesn't lie with it

We are not going - we went to fireworks the other night - he is sulking because he wants to go (fuck knows why!") i thnk its because his friends are going - ive told him, he can go on his own, but he can't take DD as im not happy about her being out in van anyway and as someone said, its a front seat so illegal.

Quite surprised he is being like this actually.

YANBU and I think if your partner drives your child, ever in just a lap belt he is an idiot.

It just is not safe.

Good result.

Tell him to get the car sorted and he can go to fireworks on his own if he wants to go that much.

It is not illegal in the front seat as long as no airbag and an appropriate child restraint.

I wouldnt let anyone use a lap belt, more dangerous than none at all imo. Snap your back clean in half.

ni idea if it is legal or not. but lap belts are shit. so I wouldn't let a 3 year old use one.

I didn't mean with teh lap belt. I meant with the 3point harness in teh outer seat ...

Why don't you get a car seat that can be secured with the lap belt?

Lap belts are designed for full grown adults so basically a solid bloke an that's about it.

"It is not illegal in the front seat as long as no airbag and an appropriate child restraint."

But a lap belt IS NOT an appropriate restraint for a 3 year old.

my friend has large van and had his ds in front in car seat and was pulled over by police who fined him as was illegal for his son to be sitting in front of the van even in car seat whether it being a large an makes a difference he has the fine to prove it

No I know that.....it has not been clear through thisthread if there is a car seat. Some car seats are perfectly safe when fitted with a lap-belt only - if specified by the manufacturer

There was no way that i was going to let her go in the lap seat. So, we didn't go - I really just wanted to prove to myself that i hadn't missed something really. Am still that he wanted to do this - he is usually very sensible and DD is his precious little princess and no mistake. I think thats it really, he didn't want her to "miss out" and also, his friend gave him the spare tickets and i suppose he felt guilty as they didn't get used. We honestly thought we could put the car seat in the normal seat, that has a three way belt - in fact, he did take her up to tesco in that today, but there was no room for my fat arse in the lap belt seat, well there would have been no room for a skinny arse either as my legs were in the way of the gear stick.

Its fine, she saw fireworks the other night, they were really full on and loud etc, there were a few wobbly moments but other than that she really loved it - was laughing her head off, me personall, im quite scared of them.

I didn't think about attaching the car seat to the lap belt but im pretty sure it wouldnt have worked as it has attachments all round it for the seat belt to thread through. I just really wanted validation that i wasn't being precious as i am quite neurotic generally.

Cargirl, we don't need to, the car being off the road is temporary until next week

By law, you are required to have a car seat for your child at 3 years old. And you need a proper seat, not just a booster seat. When the child has reached 18 kg, you can use a booster seat. The booster seat needs to have "horns" that lead the seat belt away from the soft internal organs. Prepubertal children don't have hip bones so if they have a seat belt intended for adults over their tummy, their soft internal organs can get seriously damaged in a collision, hence the horns on the booster seat acting as hip bones for the child. A 3 year old need to be in a group 1 car seat with a 5 point harness. IMO, preferrably a rear facing group 1 car seat for best protection of the vulnerable head and neck. You are actually required to keep the child in a car seat / booster seat until they are 135 cm tall.