Thread: Leaving children in cars.

(A) "CHILD" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL LESS THAN 6 YEARS OF AGE.
(B) "SERIOUS INJURY" MEANS BODILY INJURY THAT INVOLVES UNCONSCIOUSNESS, EXTREME PHYSICAL PAIN, PROTRACTED AND OBVIOUS
DISFIGUREMENT, PROTRACTED LOSS OR IMPAIRMENT OF THE FUNCTION OF A BODILY MEMBER, ORGAN, OR MENTAL FACULTY, OR A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF
DEATH.
(C) "UNATTENDED" MEANS ALONE OR WITHOUT THE SUPERVISION OF AN INDIVIDUAL 13 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER WHO IS NOT LEGALLY INCAPACITATED.
(D) "VEHICLE" MEANS THAT TERM AS DEFINED IN SECTION 79 OF THE MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.79.

mine says less than 6 yrs unless supervised by 13 or older!

if you don't want to bring your kids in the store, then don't bring them with you. period. i use to be left in the car all the time as a young child and i hated it. whenever i see kids left in the car i go straight to the phone booth and call the police.

Originally Posted by Eyore

http://www.kidsincars.org/statelawsandinformation.html

Scroll down to your state to see what the law is in your state on leaving children in a car.

Thanks for posting this Eyore. I find it interesting how much difference the ages range from one state to another. Our state is 7, but I just don't know if I could leave a 7 year old in a car alone. I seen in Conneticut, the age is 12. I think I could be a little more comfortable with that age, but I think a lot of it depends on how safe a child feels they are. If my child at age 12 wanted to go iin a store with me, I sure wouldn't make them stay in the car.

My state is the age of 8 unless supervised by a responsible 13 year old...

I would NEVER leave my child in the car alone. (he's nearly 7). It is just not safe. JMO...

Originally Posted by faygokraze

Yes I must admit to the gas station thing. But when I leave I make sure my eyes are on the car and I have the keys. My daughter is almost 5 and she knows if something is wrong in the 2 minutes im gone to come and get me. (she can see me the whole time) Just running in a gas station! Half the time my daughter doesnt want to get out because she wont get any candy if she goes in anyway.

All i got to say about running into a gas station for 5 minutes is ok in my book!! Why hassle with a car seat , carry the kid into and around the store with you then try to pay then try putting them back into a car seat. which would be a 15-20 minute ordeal

My DD is 5 - the thought of leaving her alone in a car while I ran into a store has never even crossed my mind. If I need gas - either she comes in with me or I pay the extra $.01 & go to a full serve station or I get it when she is not with me (like on my way to/from work).

Originally Posted by mistressB

if you don't want to bring your kids in the store, then don't bring them with you. period.

i agree 100%.

my parents wouldn't let me stay alone in the car until i was 11 or 12. even then i had to lock the doors. we didn't have cell phones then, but they told me if anyone tried to get in, etc, honk the horn non-stop.

i have great parents, they've always looked out for me. i'm 20 now and they still fuss at me for going out at night alone, and they call if i they haven't heard from me in a long while when i'm out.

Originally Posted by irrelevant0

i agree 100%.

my parents wouldn't let me stay alone in the car until i was 11 or 12. even then i had to lock the doors. we didn't have cell phones then, but they told me if anyone tried to get in, etc, honk the horn non-stop.

i have great parents, they've always looked out for me. i'm 20 now and they still fuss at me for going out at night alone, and they call if i they haven't heard from me in a long while when i'm out.

funny, my parents seemed over protective in a way. i wasn't allowed to go to other people's houses or do a lot of things that normal kids got to do, but then they would do crap like leave me in the car, let me babysit all night when i was 8 ect. now i was taught at a very young age to be responsible, but still. they weren't very good parents. i don't care how much i taught my son to do what i tell him, don't answer the phone, don't open the door when someone knocks ect. i could never do any of the things my parents did.

Originally Posted by mistressB

if you don't want to bring your kids in the store, then don't bring them with you. period. i use to be left in the car all the time as a young child and i hated it. whenever i see kids left in the car i go straight to the phone booth and call the police.

ITA. Our children are our most valuable asset. No amount of unbuckling or screaming for candy is worth leaving a child where they may be abducted or assaulted by a predator. I bet every mother/father that has ever had a child abducted because they left them alone *for just a second* wishes to god that they hadn't...

Why risk it?

I would say not until they are 16 or old enough to drive could they be in the car alone. With the crazies running around these days it wouldnt be safe for them in my opinion