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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think its not that hard to strap your child in correrctly!!!!!

56 replies

JjandtheBean · 12/12/2009 19:45

i think im going to burst!

maybe im clucky or paranoid, who knows?

But in this past week i have seen a photo on fb and met up with several people who have there children sooo poorly restrained in the car i feel quite sick!

2 in infant carriers without the straps tightened at all, one in an adult belt on a graco type highback booster that was under 1 and last of all a 18mnth old in a carseat that barely reaches his neck level and the straps loose coming over his body near his elbows!!!

WHY PEOPLE WHY?

My two are tightened over and over until im satisfied they cant go anywhere! every weekend dp re fits the seats so theyre tight, are we over the top?

Am i correct in thinking that the belts being across elbows are a bit useless? that completely slack infant carrier belts are pointless? or am i a clucky over protective carseat freak?

OP posts:

Original poster

JjandtheBean · 12/12/2009 19:50

gah bad spelling in title, should say CORRECTLY of course!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 12/12/2009 19:52

It is essential that car seat belt on child seats are fasten correctly, and that the seats are fixed properly.

Ease of installation is so important in car seats. It is why I favour isofix seats TBH - so much easier to get it right.

Poor installation is a real prooblem.

Original poster

JjandtheBean · 12/12/2009 19:54

sil offered me a lift somewhere last week, i had to make an excuse to leave dd with someone, as i placed her in my nephews seat whos the same age, it lent right to the side, i worry so much, these are all children i care about alot and there parents dont seem to understand the importance!

OP posts:

Meglet · 12/12/2009 19:56

Yanbu. I'm as obsessive as you about it. Tighten until they are secure and i don't even let my dc's wear winter coats in their car seats as the straps don't fit as close, I put them in fleeces for car journeys. And I am totally shameless in double checking the straps when they go out with my parents .

I am a huge worrier.

Original poster

JjandtheBean · 12/12/2009 19:59

meglet, im the same coats live in the boot and its a jumper or jacket in the car, i want them straps as tight as possible!

I wont allow anyone else to transport my two now, unless i KNOW my carseat fits and i fitted it and strapped them in, No one seems to take as much time over it as me and cant see the issue, thank god dp is as obsessive!

OP posts:

Original poster

JjandtheBean · 13/12/2009 00:59

maybe its just a three of us then! lol

OP posts:

juneybean · 13/12/2009 01:18

I was following a car the other day where the child was looking at me ........surely that's not possibly if they're wearing seatbelts

juneybean · 13/12/2009 01:19

Possible*

Original poster

JjandtheBean · 13/12/2009 01:27

No juneybean, i cant see how they could see you if restrained!

dp just came in after packing the car (early start to see family)

A car had drove past with a toddler stood on the front seat lent onto the dash board, he said he feels sick!

It terrifies me, i have been in a slight crash, just a dent to the car, and the pain from smacking my head as my seat was far forward stupid infant carier behind-- me and the bruises from the seatbelt, it doesnt bear thinking what would happen to a child,

I may sound ott but this is something that bothers me daily!

OP posts:

helpYOUiWILL · 13/12/2009 08:29

i am obsessive too. I had to fix a carry car seat into my car for a friend as she didnt know how to do it as "she doesnt drive". I then pulled the extremily loose straps tighter and her baby started crying. She was NOT happy that i had made her PFB cry by doing up the straps as "he doesnt like them". I said he'd like it even less if he was catapolted out of the seat in an accident.

Another time i had put a different friends children in their seats and asked her to check the strappings and she said that if i am happy then she is as she knows i am as obsessive as her.

borderslass · 13/12/2009 10:28

my sil was like that her precious daughter didn't like it unless she could wriggle out of the straps and sit leaning forward so she had them loose we had to borrow her car once as ours was off the road and she told us not to move the straps for our daughter she was a year older and would of been able to climb out her daughter is nearly 13 now and still treated with kid gloves.

LeQueen · 13/12/2009 10:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ebb · 13/12/2009 11:18

here Is a great website about carseat safety.

I am very careful about fitting Ds's carseat safely and he is always dne up snuggly. I work as a nanny and am amazed at how many parents don't tighten the straps enough or the actual carseat properly. I refit carseats if they're not tight enough and am very happy to be vocal about the straps needing to be tight. So you are definately not being unreasonable!

Mishy1234 · 13/12/2009 15:20

Totally agree OP.

I think the winter coat issue is really important too. I've heard to children coming out of car seats during accidents due to being strapped in whilst wearing snowsuits/winter coats. It's not really something you think about until you properly think about it, IYKWIM.

GoldenSnitch · 13/12/2009 15:35

I take it even further!

Straps tight and car seats always in the back of the car!!

I saw a car today where there was a toddler was strapped into a forward facing car seat in the front of the car - while the adults sat in the back.

It was a relatively new Audi so I'm guessing it could have had the airbags switched off but still, children are much safer off in the back, why would you risk it?

My DS has no idea that children are even allowed in the front of cars and he therefore never asks or complains about it. Not that I would move him even if he did! I am the adult and am making the best decision for his safety IMO.

shivster1980 · 13/12/2009 15:37

YANBU It is bonkers to leave a child vulnerable in an accident.

BackUpYourPhotosNow · 13/12/2009 15:38

Count me in. I'm fanatical about car seat safety too, makes me feel sick when I see babies held on laps and unrestrained kids.
lequeen, I think you've hit the nail on the head. These parents would freak out if you gave their dc a fruit shoot and yet don't bother to strap them in.

tbh I really wish that the schools would organise someone to come in and advise the parents about the dangers, perhaps show the Which? magazine crash test video.

Locally they have spoken to the children which is a start, but they need to get to the adults....

nannynobnobs · 13/12/2009 15:47

We were driving through the Fens a few months ago behind a car which had a lad of around eight in the boot! Sitting up obviously, but in the bloody boot!

EdgarAleNPie · 13/12/2009 15:53

erm...
DS is very wiggly and the fastening isn't very definite - i have twice found him unfastened, even after giving the thing a good tug.

it can be very difficult - YABU!

especially as i am generally standing in the middle of the road to fiddle with the straps whilst the bus waits patiently for me to move.

and placing DD in her forward facing seat in the front passenger side is my plan on how to get three car seats in a Honda Jazz. (i would not put a rear facing seat in the front though..)

BackUpYourPhotosNow · 13/12/2009 15:58

Edgaralenpie, If you have problems with the fastening on your sons carseat check the cleaning section of your manual, if this doesn't help replace the seat. If an entire bus load of people have to wait so that you can ensure your sons safety thats fine, what is one minute of their time compared with your child being put in danger?

EdgarAleNPie · 13/12/2009 16:07

ah well, it is clean, and adjusted correctly.

the wiggliness is the other part of it - fully tightened if dd really tries she can escape hers. have actually stopped once on the motorway to correct this...Ds looks like he's going to be more difficult about this.

i think the main safety thing to obey is to drive carefully so that you don't crash - and be more cautious than perhaps you would have been in your free single days.

old woman emoticon

BackUpYourPhotosNow · 13/12/2009 16:12

only trouble with your theory is that accidents do happen and the rest of the drivers on the road haven't suddenly become more careful just because we have los in the car.

On the britax website there is a computer generated video that shows what happens to a child in a seat when the straps aren't tight enough. scary to watch but v informative....

MsDoctor · 13/12/2009 16:15

I agree, although my dd could wriggle out of the tightest car seat...just her shoulders and arms....I might have to invent an additional front strap for ds3!

MsDoctor · 13/12/2009 16:16

I have heard that a child is not any safer in the back from numerous driving instructors, still mine are always in the back.

PrincessToadstool · 13/12/2009 16:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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