Moral dilemma - using car seats

alwaysonthego_2

I remember when my girls were young and I hadn't past my driving test, I used to walk miles pushing them in their tandem pushchair and it was uphill all the way home. I used to get offers from kind people to give me a lift home but I always refused because I didn't have car seats and I would rather walk miles than have an accident and risk my children's lives, just like my friend who I mentioned earlier in this thread.

jellyhead

Imp wrote: »

If it was me, I'd mind my own business.

If you have a large family, you can afford some wastage

Would you feel that way if their car crashed into yours, and their unrestrained children flying through the windscreen was what made the difference between the people in the front of your car being dead or not?

bylromarha

I appreciate the old days have passed, but no dilemma here.

Too many kids for the seats. I don't think I'd even bother confronting them about it, they know it's illegal and the kids are at risk on every journey they take in the car. Report them ASAP.

A Reception child I used to teach died in a car crash on the way home from a trip to the seaside...Mum regularly used to come into school to reminisce and her guilt was very visible and vocal. "Why didn't I do ****'s seatbelt up Mrs B?" What do you say?

cat04

If I couldn't afford the proper car seats, or fit all the kids in the car (I only have 2 by the way!) I just wouldn't use the car. It really isn't worth it at all. I'm very strict on carseats, my 2 have always had the correct seat for their age/weight etc - I won't let my 6 year old have just a booster seat yet, she still has the back on hers and will do until, well, until I stop babying her at 10 (maybe) lol. I would have to report the family as the children, and adults, are being put at risk with every journey

My stupid ex got me raving mad with me one time he had the DDs. He lives with his partner with 2 girls aged about 10 and 12. Partner, youngest daughter and ex picked up the DDs, took them to his parents house, then on the day he was bringing them back they went and picked up her eldest daughter and took her back to his parents so he then had to bring 2 adults and 4 children back in a 5 seater car. He'd unpacked the kids and their stuff from the car by the time I'd got to the front door. He seemed a bit edgey and rushed off home without me even seeing the car/passengers. DD1 proceeded to tell me that she hadn't used her carseat, and that as a 'treat' she got to sit on the evil partners knee in the front of the car!! Nanny had let them drive off like this, and the journey included a motorway and a road that is notorious for accidents :mad:. DD1 (4 at the time) was upset as she knew she should be in her own carseat (and she doesn't like her dad's partner much anyway). I was livid with him, and not that I'd want 'her' children to be injured in a car accident, but why wasn't it one of her children who was unrestrained?? It was her bloody kid they went to pick up before the journey home. Not surprised he rushed off as as he knew he'd done wrong and I would have floored the idiot

edgex

mishkanorman wrote: »

In some ways yes, if i remember rightly you have 10 children ? This family have just had baby number 7 BUT they are aged between 6 weeks and 9 years old. (i think i read yours are a little older ? not that it matters ) they all travel in a 5 seater car, last trip baby was on mums lap. 1 toddler in a booster with a back, the rest were god knows where.

if theyre onto 7 children, they must be able to afford the required seats
surely one of the children is now old enough to not need one, so they could all shuffle up a seat?


or are they just popping out a never ending stream of children for the benefits?

go_cat

Imp wrote: »

If it was me, I'd mind my own business.

If you have a large family, you can afford some wastage

Sorry but I think that comment was sick and completely uncalled for.

Yes they are breaking the law but its the child who suffers who could be seriously ill / handicapped / dead not the parents - no child deserves that

Op make sure your child ( if you have any ) never has cause to go in their vehicle

Dorastar

Is there a council road safety team who you could contact and explain the situation and that you are concerned for the safety of the children? They would then be able to take appropriate action - advise you what to do, ours even hires out car seats or they could inform police.

If not then I would be making a call to local police station to tell them - ignorance or lack of money is no excuse for endangering lives.

missmontana

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/

zoesmummy_2006

This grates on me BIG time, i dont drive (yet!) but when i do i will be ensuring both my kids have appropriate car seats. In fact im looking for one at the min for my son, hes 2.5yrs and ive found one that changes according to age for £35 in argos, its got pretty decent reviews and i had the same make baby stage one for my daughter. My cousin has offered to take me and my son out during the day when dd is at school, shopping and such, so im going to buy one for that. To me £35 isnt expensive for something that will keep my child safe. My dd is almost 5 and quite big for her age, shes either gonna have same seat without harness or disney princess booster seat, not decided yet.
Theres a woman nr me who is late to school everyday, once passed her taking kids to school at 9.20am, i was almost home from dropping dd off. she now has a car and everytime ive seen her little boy (think around same age as my son) in the front seat with from what i could see no seatbelt on never mind any form of carseat! But shes not the sort of woman you can talk to/voice concerns to, so ive had to make do with informing our local PCSO who regularly visits school and shes keeping an eye out for them.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Imp wrote: »

If it was me, I'd mind my own business.

If you have a large family, you can afford some wastage

picnic wrote: »

wastage?? like a dead child?? get them a car seat somehow!! for the sake of a childs life....

jellyhead wrote: »

Would you feel that way if their car crashed into yours, and their unrestrained children flying through the windscreen was what made the difference between the people in the front of your car being dead or not?

I think that this was intended as a sarcastic, ironic reply, as they obviously don't care enough about their children to get them all seats. So the risk of losing some of the children must be acceptable to them.