What do you do if someone is not using carseats (or inappropriate carseat) and clearly has children that should be riding in them? I don't know this person, but her kids are in the same soccer camp as mine.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 08:18 am:

Frustrating, isn't it?! This can be tricky. I see similiar situations daily and usually don't say or do anything because people typically don't take well to unsolicited advice. I wouldn't have any friends in town if I did! LOL! However, if I have a golden opportunity, I will bring up the topic of child passenger safety and use my own kids as examples. If someone is blatantly breaking child restraint laws I would consider calling the police. They may not do anything but at least you know you tried. Perhaps the family is new to the area or are not aware of Maine's new laws. ??

Maine:
Less than 40 lbs. in a child safety seat; 40-80 lbs. and less than 8 yrs. in a safety system that elevates the child so that an adult seatbelt fits properly. 11 yrs. and younger and less than 100 lbs. must be in rear seat if available.


**Child Passenger Safety and Car Seat Resources**

Trina

(Just had to try out this new gif I found! )

By Fraggle on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 09:19 am:

This was blatant breaking of the child restraint laws-she had a two year old in a shield booster, probably a 4 yr. old in just a regular seatbelt-no booster and a 6 yr. old sitting in the front seat. I was thinking about calling the police today but wasn't sure if they could do anything. I really don't want to confront this person since I have to see her for 3 hrs. at a time for the next 3 days. She is not new to Maine, I have seen her different places in town for at least the past yr. since our kids are around the same ages. Thanks Trina.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 09:50 am:

Yikes! Lots of CPS No-nos! I understand why you're concerned. Every child is improperly restrained and at high risk for injury/death in the event of a crash. Do you ever get a chance to chat with her? You know, normal small talk? Do you park near her? I would be looking for an opportunity to say something. I *might* even print out info and anonymously slip it under a windshield wiper. Do you have any CPS Techs in your area?
Find a CPS Tech

By Kay on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 07:16 pm:

I have, in the past, called the police (non-911 number)to report blatant offenses. One was a about a group of small children riding in the back of a pickup. Another was due to a driver who simply had an infant in a car seat in the backseat, but the carseat was not buckled in, nor was the 3-4 year old next to the baby buckled in at all...simply climbing all over the seat.

Our state also has a reporting system - the Texas Department of Transportation can give you a stack of cards which you can fill out anonymously with information including the license plate, date and time of offense, location, etc. We send these to our local TXDOT office and they send informational material about the laws and child passenger safety to the owner of the licensed vehicle (and it has to be licensed in Texas for them to do anything).

By Heckelmom on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 08:13 pm:

I do not understand people. I watch my neighbor get in and out of her car. She has twin 4 year olds and they don't have any type of car seat. The other day when we were pulling out of our driveway, she was pulling up with one of her kids jumping around in the passenger seat. And this is a newer mini van with air bags!

I see it a lot, don't any of these people see the news.

By Fraggle on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 05:08 pm:

I have seen her at the camp, but I haven't seen her car in the past few days so I haven't done anything about it yet. I'm hoping maybe she was just borrowing a vehicle or something and didn't have their carseats.

By Babysitbarb on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 03:08 pm:

I babysit for a family who has a 8 year old, twin soon to be 4 year olds and a 5 month old. She has booster seats in her van for the 3 year olds and the only time they are buckeled in is if the weather is bad or she happens to pass a cop. The older one and baby is buckeled in. It just upsets me so bad and I have made many comments and even taped a thing on Oprah one time about parents who didn't seat belt their kids in right and they got hurt or killed. I played it one time right before she walked in the door and kept making comments about it but, she usually just says " I know Im a bad mom" and laughs about it. I have been tempted to report her but, Im afraaid she would find out it was me. I just wish she would get puled over some time and get a ticket and maybe she will wake up. I pray that's all that ever happens.

By Vicki on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 09:26 am:

Trina, I just have another question about how you handle something. When your kids go someplace with a friend, do you send your car seat with the friends parents?? Dd still rides in a booster in our cars, but she would be mortified if I made her take it with her when she went someplace with friends. She is really asking ALLOT for us to take it out of our cars. She is 10 and tall, but I worry about her weight and if the belt would actually hold her in well enough. She is only about 63 pounds!! She will be entering middle school in the fall (5th grade) and she is really getting upset about being in middle school and still in a car seat. I must say that I see her point in that aspect, but is it safe?? And do you send a seat with friends when they go away with them??