What would YOU do?

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Here's the scenario:  

You are driving down the road and the car in front of you has small children (carseat age) that are either NOT restrained in their carseats or there ARE no carseats.  What would you do?

[JoyRenee]

Sounds like you need to contact your local authority that is over the police station (mayor?) and tell them about this incident.

I call the police when I see children unrestrained as well.

[DoulaSummer]

I have been called a "carseat nazi" on MANY occasions.  (Warning:  information overload to follow)

I would have called the 911 right away.  If that cop ignored the law, I would demand to have his superior sent to the scene.  What that cop did was NOT good.

Children should be rearfacing as long as possible.  I HATE when people turn around their infants because they are over 20 lbs.  There are car seats that rear face to 45 lbs, so there is NO reason not to rear face children as long as possible.  There is a car seat at Walmart that rear faces to 35 and forward faces to 45 lbs for around $32.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be rearfaced until AT LEAST the age of 2 and 30 lbs, but longer when possible.  Children are more 7x more likely to die when turned forward facing.  There has never been a documented case of broken legs or leg problems in children who are rear facing for extended durations.  Remember state laws a MINIMUM requirements.  Since when is the minimum something parents should strive for?  It seriously bugs me.  Car accidents are the leading cause of death to children under 12, and 90% of car seats are misused.  I think its a serious problem!!  Children should also be harnessed as long as possible as well.  You can get car seats that harness to 65lbs and booster to 100lb for about $139 through WalMart.

It bugs me SO much that parents do not follow instructions in manuals.  Car seats are NOT supposed to have anything under them (towels, mats, blankets, etc).  Car seats are not supposed to move more than 1 inch in any direction at the belt path (this is one of the most common problems).  Straps are supposed to be "snug as a hug" and you should not be able to pinch the strap or its too loose.  The chest clip is just that - a CHEST clip, therefore the top of the clip should be even with the arm pits not the belly button.

Also, different state have different laws.   In some states, a child must be in a car seat until 8 or 80lbs.  There are awesome sites that will break it down for you.

Side note:  Children should not be eating in the car anyway, especially taken out of seats to eat.  It is also not safe to hover over a car seat to nurse a child.  In the case of a car accident, a mother can fall on her baby and smoother the baby.  Find a place to pull over and keep everyone safe.

[SaylornPipersmommy]

last year I saw a man driving down the FREEWAY with his daughter in his lap (I am guessing she was about 5). I got his plate # and called the police, I hope they got him.

[mom2ariana]

ahh i missed all this but yes im from alabama and i was p i s s e d off about this. idk whether or not the car was on, but even if it had been that was equally as dangerous. i stayed until the mom came out which was only a few minutes..but who knows how long she'd been in the grocery store because she had quite a few groceries. i gave her a dirty look..im not very brave when it comes to things like this..but anywhoo i hope she got the message and felt guilty. i would have.

[Cassandrajane]

my 10 yr old sister plays with my brother in the field across the road but we can see them at ALL times, they also play with my sisters best friend and her older brother and sister (they're about 16 and 17) but they are always where we can see them if me and my mum are unable to go out side with them, Either doing work or cooking dinner and cant go out with the cooker on, but we can see them and most times hear them laughing away and trust me if anything happened we'd hear them scream too.... But they are ALWAYS in view. ALWAYS! my boyfriends sister Im sorry should NOT have a child and another one on the way, she goes out EVERYNIGHT and dumps her son on whoevers available! I'm sorry but NO! and on weekends again going out drinking (Even now when she is pregnant) and OMG on weekends her son goes to her parents, and say whilst she is still there her son needs a clean nappy, she will say 'oh mum can do it, he aint my responsibility' Im like you sodding what love? You created that life Bloody take care of it or one day it wont be there you selfish cow... ( I didnt tell her to her face yet, but EVERYONE wants to, just waiting for the right time) ANYWAYS.... Evenings she just goes out... gets pissed and then yeah, In the mornings when your child gets up or if they're in a routine and they wake up the same time everyday get up about half an hour before? nope she dont, she stays asleep on the sofa and doesnt bother, when her son is in her care he has the worst diet in the world I feel so sorry for him. she is attempting to potty train him and she lets him run around naked, at her mums house on the weekends he wears pants, when he needs the loo, he knows what to do on it he just doesnt know that he needs to pull down his pants because his mum never taught him. i dont think he really knows who is mum actually is. His Speech for a 2 1/2 yr old. Is NON existant... he has SO many people around him and all he can say is nanny, grandad and no. is all, whereas my 3yr old brother at that age, my gosh you can have a full on convo with him and he had less people around him. But it was the encouragement my brother had that my nephew is never going to have from his mum....
Its so sad. and she has one on the way!!!!
about this baby... (The new one)
she basically concieved this child through jealousy.... because her brother was having a baby and she wasnt getting any attention (The wrong reason to have a child)...
and now her brother is having a girl she wants a girl, but if she has a girl her son would be totally forgotten!!

Oh and she refuses to get a job even after this baby is born because she cant be bothered!!!! but she can be bother to get rat arsed everynight with 'NO money' and the only reason her son will be going school is because of my Boyfriend other wise he wouldnt be going to pre school, and would start school when he was 5 if she could be bothered to take him!! Freaking annoys me, she is so crap!!

I have so much more, but i'd actually be here forever, and probs run out of space!!!

Thats not a good mum

Another incident:
In this country Sunday or Monday a little boy of 5 months was taken to Hospital due to 40 degree burns FROM THE SUN! because the mum was Sunbathing and forgot she had her son with her!!!

OMG! Some people are just so ARGH! If you have children you guard them for your life!! Not give birth then think awh other people can do it, ive done the hard part of giving birth and carrying it around for nine months!

Its so ridiculous.


Ahh I feel better.

x

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Something else that bugs me...is seeing kids under the age of 6 and as young as 1 out walking the streets by themselves or with a sibling that is also under 6.  Do you REALLY think a 4,5 or 6 year old is gonna know how to properly supervise a 1, 2 or 3 yo?  

I don't have a fenced in yard and i won't let my Ds5 and DD6 outside unless they are with me, DH or DD13.  They are NOT allowed to leave the yard without DH or I and DS1 does not go out unless DH or I are outside.  

We had an incident here a couple of years ago where a women (who lived in government housing) left her kids home along while she was doing I don't know what.  They were 10 mos, 3 or 4 and around 6.  Well the christmas tree caught on fire.  The 10 month old girl was killed and the 2 boys had such severe burns that they were sent to the burn center in augusa.  One stayed there for several months, the other was there over a year and still had numerous appts to go to.  Fortunately the mother WAS arrested and charged and the 2 boys had a sweet grandmother who got custody of them.  It's sad, just sad.  I'm not a perfect parent but if anything I think I'm a little OVER protective of my kids...of where they go, what they do and who they are with.