How Can a Parent These Days Put Their Child(ren) in a Car Without a Carseat?!?

**cab54** · 07-14-2010, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Nana2two

I have called police many of times for people driving all over the road, without a good reason. I have called the cops for seeing kids around 1 or 2 jumping around in the back seat of a car.I would rather call the police or say somthing to a person that is not thinking when they put there kids in the car like that,then to wake up the next morning and find out that person killed someone and that parent was in a accident and there child lay lifeless in the hospital.. We all make not so wise choices and just maybe you saying something to him made a bell go off.

I call, too. Get the license plate number, and call. They will do more about their kids if they actually get into some kind of trouble for it.

I also call when I see child abuse. I don't mean a spanking.....I spanked my kids. I mean like I saw a woman in the grocery store with a 2 yr old in her cart and she repeatedly smacked and slapped this little girl, in the face, legs and torso. HARD. Over and over and over, while the poor thing screamed.

I waited in the lot till she came out to her car--got the plate # and called the cops.

**Thevail** · 07-14-2010, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by QM

I just witnessed a dad driving his kids around the city with his kids in a car...a 6 year old girl in the front seat without a carseat and a 4 year old boy in the backseat without a carseat.

How can parents do this? I just don't understand?! Not only is it illegal to put children in a vehicle without a carseat, it's 100% unsafe!

Just to pop in and play devil's advocate for a minute...

My parents drove 4 kids between the ages of 3 and 10 down the highway in the back of a truck... and we all lived.

We NEVER wore seatbelts.. I mean EVER.. and the smallest was occasionally sleeping lying across the other three kids laps... and we're all fine.

We gleefully drove down gravel roads clinging to the cattle racks in the back of a deuce-and-a-half hay truck.. and we're all fine.

My mom carried each baby in turn on her lap in the front seat.. she was buckled in, but not the baby.. and we all lived.

Does the chance of injury increase without a carseat.. possibly, but it is not 100% dangerous.. or my siblings and I would all be 100% dead.

**craftypam** · 07-14-2010, 04:40 PM

QM

Good for you for trying to protect the children. If the parents won't do it; good for you for trying. What about the idiots that leave their children in the car with the windows up on an 88 degree day. I just read an article in the paper about a mother who did this; NOT FOR AN EMERGENCY; she was watching her other child play a sport.

The Vail;
That is why they are called accidents because you never know when they will happen. Your family and lots of others were very lucky. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not rely on luck when it comes to my children's safety.

QM · 07-14-2010, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Thevail

Just to pop in and play devil's advocate for a minute...

My parents drove 4 kids between the ages of 3 and 10 down the highway in the back of a truck... and we all lived.

We NEVER wore seatbelts.. I mean EVER.. and the smallest was occasionally sleeping lying across the other three kids laps... and we're all fine.

We gleefully drove down gravel roads clinging to the cattle racks in the back of a deuce-and-a-half hay truck.. and we're all fine.

My mom carried each baby in turn on her lap in the front seat.. she was buckled in, but not the baby.. and we all lived.

Does the chance of injury increase without a carseat.. possibly, but it is not 100% dangerous.. or my siblings and I would all be 100% dead.

Your family is lucky that they were never in a accident with you all in the back. Ever seen those test drivers with dummies in the vehicle?...Try that with child-sized dummies in the back of a pick up truck, crash into a wall at the speed of a vehicle going down a highway and tell me where those 'dummy-kids' land. There would be next to no hope of survival if they were real children. *There is a reason for carseats and seatbelts.*

QM · 07-14-2010, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by craftypam

QM

Good for you for trying to protect the children. If the parents won't do it; good for you for trying. What about the idiots that leave their children in the car with the windows up on an 88 degree day. I just read an article in the paper about a mother who did this; NOT FOR AN EMERGENCY; she was watching her other child play a sport.

Those stores are so sad. I'd like to see the mother put in an 88 degree vehicle with the windows up for the length of a child playing a sport and have her tell us how she feels by the end of the game.

...Stupid!...Stupid!...Stupid!

**imagine** · 07-14-2010, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by ncarr

The laws must be more strict in Canada. Where I grew up it was until a child was 4 years or 40 lbs whichever came first.

Here is the Florida child (car seat laws)
"Child Car Seat Requirements

Florida law requires children under 5 years of age to be properly restrained no matter where they are seated in the vehicle. Children through age 3 must be secured in a separate carrier (child safety seat) or in a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child safety seat. For children ages 4 - 5, a separate carrier, an integrated child safety seat, or a safety belt may be used. If a safety belt does not fit the child correctly, a booster set should be used to correctly position the lap and shoulder belts once they outgrow forward facing child safety seats (generally at about 40 pounds and 4 years old). Children from approximately 40-80 pounds and under 4'9" in height should ride in a booster seat.

Infants must ride rear-facing until they are at least one year old and weigh 20 pounds or more. Rear-facing, the infant should be semi-upright at an angle or no more than 45 degrees. A forward-facing older child should ride sitting upright.

Never place a child in a child safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger air bag. Always use the back seat.

Violation of the child restraint law carries a fine of $60 and 3 points on the driving record."
Child Car Seat Requirements

Florida law seems less strict then some state

Here is the list for each state
State Car Seat Laws - Baby Car Seat Laws - Child Safety Seat and Seatbelt Laws By State

Side note for everyone, you are technically required to follow the car seat law of the state you are in even if you are just passing through. reality the officer might me lenient if you are just passing through and didn't know the rules.

**militlady** · 07-15-2010, 01:42 AM

Here is the flip side so don't yell at me.

Maybe the car seats were in the mother's car and the father had to pick them up because of some emergency and wasn't able to get the car seats.

That being said. My 2 year old son is so well trained (lucky us) that he won't even get in the car unless it is to get in his car seat and he demands that the straps be put on correctly.

**annymoll** · 07-15-2010, 08:39 PM

My parents never belted us in as children..... we grew up in the 1970's.Until we came upon an accident where a 10 year old child was thrown through the windshield in a wreck. The glass slit his throat, and he laid in the ditch and bled to death in front of my parents before help could arrive. They buckled us in after that, and the parents paid the price for that stupidity.Sadly,the child did also.Next time, just call the cops. Don't waste your breath on ignorant parents.A big hug to you. You want the world to be a better and safer place, but you have to stay safe too.

**alotofgooddeals** · 07-15-2010, 08:44 PM

You didn't tell them anything that they didn't already know...next time get the license plate number and call the police and let them remind the people that it is illegal to drive around without the kids in car seats... much safer for you to....and coming from the police it would sink in a whole lot more...than from someone like yourself telling them....

Originally Posted by annymoll

My parents never belted us in as children..... we grew up in the 1970's.Until we came upon an accident where a 10 year old child was thrown through the windshield in a wreck. The glass slit his throat, and he laid in the ditch and bled to death in front of my parents before help could arrive. They buckled us in after that, and the parents paid the price for that stupidity.Next time, just call the cops. Don't waste your breath on ignorant parents.A big hug to you. You want the world to be a better and safer place, but you have to stay safe too.

**jennordhavn** · 07-16-2010, 12:33 PM

California law requires a booster until 6 years old OR 60 pounds. Technically my 4 yo no longer LEGALLY needs a booster since she's 67 pounds, but I will continue to use it until she grows out of it.

**imagine** · 07-16-2010, 04:55 PM

I just had a scary thought about what other mother's thought of me!

When Buddy was an infant (born premature) the NICU told us that he needed to be constantly monitored while in a rear facing carseat by an adult to make sure he was continuing to breath. We had to have an adult next to him at all times while he was in a rear facing infant seat, even if that meant that when one adult was in the car and driving, he was in the front passenger seat. We didn't have an air bag but if we did they would have given us a medial note to have the mechanic disable the passenger air bag.

I wonder how many other mommies wanted to tell me what a big no no I was making when in fact I was doing it to keep him safe, alive, and was following neonatal doctor's orders. They would have been judging without knowing the whole story.