guilty or not guilty..watch a video of boris johnson driving on the motorway

[zippitippitoes]

on his mobile with his two boys in the front seat next to him..nice lamborghini..have to say looks irresponsible to me

I am pretty sure my car is not insured to carry more occupants than there are seat belts. Certainly when we had our two seater it was only insured for two occupants. Therefore the chances are Johnson is is driving with an invalidated insurance as well.

I don't care if someone on MN thinks I am being precious because I insist my 4yo wears a set belt in a car. At least I know she is much more likely to be safe and alive if we have an accident.

mimitwo

FFON my ex used to take amazing risks too, driving on M-Ways at 120 (he was a trained race driver btw), that's why he is my Ex.

Indeed my Dh took many risks that on the carnival circuits-one of his friends died, one sustained serious brain injury and a colleague lost use of his legs doing the same things. If he did that now we have children he would be thrown out on his ear!

We have to modify our behaviours with risk taking when our children are young. And certainly regardinge xposing them to any risk. I am constantly amazed at the number sof parents who shovel organic food into their kids then neglect car safety rules. beyong belief IMO!

I think the debate about personal risk is an interesting one and I would agree we are generally too hung up on safety at the expense of all else. But I can't honestly see any point to not using correct seat belts in a car. They are there, it is not hard to do, there is no point not to do it. If people want to pursue extreme sports or dangerous hobbies I believe that is their business - but you should not be driving a car along the motorway with your children not properly secured, for the sake of thrills.

In an RTC, wearing an appropriate restraint can make the difference between injury and fatality.

If people choose to ignore that fact then that is their choice, but it's not just them that is affected, someone has also stated that it is their family and friends too that grieve.

It's not just them though either. My DH and his colleagues also suffer when they have to clear up the mess following an RTC involving injuries/fatalities, and the frustration/sadness when a child (or adult) loses their life for want of a proper restraint just adds to their misery, therefore in an indirect way myself and my children suffer too.

This is one area where I won't compromise on safety with my three, or anyone else who gets in my car.

Kelly, this would make what BJ did illegal if he did it on or after 18th September 2006.

This is what is said currently;

More Passengers than Seat Belts
If there are not enough seat belts or child restraints in the car for all the passengers, then some may legally travel in the rear of the vehicle without wearing a seat belt. This may be legal, but it is not safe. Between 8 and 15 front seat occupants are killed every year by unbelted rear seat passengers flying forward in an accident.

The safest option is to only carry the same number of passengers as there are seat belts. If necessary, use two cars or make two journeys for the trip.

If you must carry a passenger for whom there is no seat belt, it is better for the heaviest passengers to wear a seat belt, because they would cause more severe injuries to other people in the car if they are thrown about in a crash.

Because the vast number of car passengers do use appropriate restraints in this country then the number of serious injuries/fatalities is reduced, but of those not properly restrained many many are seriously injured/killed.

I wonder if ffon is looking at the statistics and judging risk as though she is is in group a when in fact she is clearly some of the time in group b.

People who firmly believe they are good drivers and so won't ever have an accident are unfortunately mistaken.

If nothing else this thread shows that there are still despite all the efforts of raod safety experts to demonstrate the dangers people who will take your child and put them in a car without an appropriate restraint because there are more passengers than seats. The moral of that is always ask what arrangements other parents have if taking yiur child somewhere in a vehicle.

I agree that if it was the driver of the other car then he shouldn't have been making the video either but two wrongs hardly make a right and if this discussion makes anyone a bit safer then it's a good thing.

As for taking risks with children in general I don't know what sports or activities ffon is talking about, but neglecting car safety or road safety is absolutely never worth it.