Friend Keeps Driving Around with Her Son Not in a Car Seat.
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My friend has a 5 year-old-son and I keep seeing her driving around with him in the front passenger or the back seat with just a seat belt and no car seat. She does have a high back booster seat for him but doesn't use it as far as I can tell. I've told her it's illegal and not safe but she thinks it's not an issue and I'm overreacting.
Is this non of my business and am I worrying too much about this?
You all know by now I work in this field, transporting young children. Every vehicle we have carries each size of seat and we are really conscientious about using them. Can you imagine the consequences/repercussions if we had any type of accident and a child was hurt?
Your friend, I am sorry to say, is the worst kind of parent and I have steam coming out of my ears. I would actually report her if she were my friend. I am really sorry if this offends but no you are not worrying too much! Everyone thinks it will never happen to them.
Report her and then she will see how serious it is! You have to have a car seat by law for safety! Heaven forbid she gets into an accident and something happens to her son because he wasn't in a car seat.
I am actually angry just reading this post. To me this is neglectful as it is putting her child at risk and is bad parenting. That is just my opinion and sorry if it offends but she is putting her son in a dangerous situation. I don't think you are over reacting at all.
Thanks for the input, I will show her this post today and see what her reaction is. It does make me so angry too and worried for her child's safety.
Personally i would show her some videos of what happens to a child loose in a car. How irresponsible of your friend !!! If she continues to drive with her child not belted in then i would report her to the police. I would rather loose her as a friend than have to attend her childs funeral.
I’ve actually seen a child on an adults lap in a car before and it made me so angry. Your willingness to address this with her rather than ignoring it should show to her what a good friend you are and help her understand how serious the issue is
I definitely things it's your business because if anything went wrong, you will wish you had done something. I really think the best thing to do is to say something to them or to someone else who will.
Well she had put him in his car seat when I met her but I don't know if that was because of my "judgey" comments last time I saw her. I did remind her that it was illegal to not use it since she didn't think much of the safety argument for short journies and she also used the argument that we weren't in car seats at that age and we're fine. I don't even see how much time she can save strapping him into a high back booster compared to no seat as it still just uses the seat belt. Anyway, she seemed to take it on board.
Thanks for the advice
It doesn't matter the length of the journey, an accident can happen driving round the corner to the shops. You might not have been in car seats but they know much more now than when even I was young. My grandad had a car without seatbelts in the back way back when, but we know its safer to wear seatbelts. It will maybe save her 30 seconds. She is just making up excuses. Glad she listened to you though.
Yes, but back then I expect the preventable death toll was masses higher, people being thrown through windscreen or breaking their necks/backs banging into front passenger seats etc. Saying we were fine is the most stupid thing I have heard because many more weren't fine.
Lynibis I agree, it's a stupid argument. I'm hoping she'll think before doing it again.
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