people who don't buckle their children in

[27Summers]

OR PUT THEM IN CARSEATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I usually never come in here, but I have had it!

I even put a sign on back window on my van that said "if you loved your children, you'd buckle them up"

and I don't care what anyone says, it's true!!!

I watched an episode of COPS a few years ago and these 2 women were driving and and the passenger was holding onto her 2 month old baby girl when they got into a minor, very minor fender bender, and the baby died from being slammed into the dashboard.

what does it take for people especially nowadays to simply put a child into his or her carseat??
and don't tell me that they scream when you do it so you don't, thats a bunch of BS, none of my 4 children ever minded you know why??

BECAUSE THEY WERE IN ONE SINCE BIRTH!!!!

and don't tell me you have no money, we're the king and queen of broke, and yet we have 3 carseats in our van, out oldest is 12 so he doesn't need one, but our 6 year old son, our 4 year old daughter and our 1 1/2 year old son are in them even if I go around the block, I will take no chances...


Ok, so what got this started??

yesterday as I drove to pick up my husband from work, a car pulled up in the next lane at a stop light, and I looked over, saw a man, was about to look away when I saw a tiny head full of curls that belonged to a girl about 2 years old, she was crying and I did a double take, the windows were rolled all the way down, so she could have climbed out just as easily too but when he noticed that I was staring at him, he reached over and put a seatbelt on her...yeah that will keep her from flying out in a car accident!!!!

he passed me up in the next street and slowed way down, why???
there was a cop waiting for the light, I tried to get the cops attention and pointed to car, but the cop wasn't even looking!!!!

It made me sick to my stomach, and was half in tears by the time I got my husband all because this poor girl might not make it home because of a careless, ignorant fool!!

sorry if I sound so angry, it's because I am, I am so tired of seeing this crap!
PLEASE for the love and safety of your children, strap them IN!!!

[zitra]

I totally agree with you, but I do know some people who have kids that scream when put into their car seats, even though they have been in them since birth. When they do it they are ignored, and NOT let out. If your children scream when in their car seat you just have to deal with it. I think it's more of a problem for the parents, tryign ot make their lives easier, so they won't hear the kids cry, than for the kids.

[Denise1972]

My parents never put my little sister in a car seat and I was too young to say anything. She was 3 or 4 and I was 9 or 10. She would stand up in the front seat of the car. This was over 20 years ago. I dont know what kind of laws they had, but they should have been the same as they are today. EVERY single time I put my DD in the car, I buckle her in the car seat. I dont care if I am going 2 blocks. My little sister now 25 feels the same way. She puts her little ones age 3 and 1 in a car seat and makes sure they are buckled in before they go. She also has an extra in the garage just in case something happens to one of them. In Illinois now the law is Children up to 6 years old I believe have to be in a booster seat. ITA with that. It just takes a few seconds. Yes, the child may scream and cry, but its better than having a hurt or dead child.

[buttrfli]

If you don't have your child in a carseat or in a seat belt and I see you, I will roll my window down and scream at you, get your tag number and call the police... plain and simple. I won't tolerate irresponsible people who do not buckle their kids up... I don't care if they are screaming, pulling their hair out, hungry, or throwing up... if your car is moving, your kids will be restrained. If I have to I will get out of my car and knock on your window (in stopped traffic) and make sure you understand me. I can't tell you how many times I have actually gotten out of my car for that. I also can't tell you how many times parents will try to tell me to mind my own business.

Your child my cure cancer in the future, and if you cause your child to die in an accident because you did not buckle them up, thats MY business.

Women get mad at me.. who cares? Men try to ignore me.. it doesn't work. I actually had a woman get out of her car and want to fight me... bring it on baby!! She had 6 kids in her car all under 7 or 8 and NONE of them were in belts... I have very little patience for stupid people....

And don't get me started about parents who leave their kids in their cars... :mad:

[shellayne]

Yup--it just ticks me off when I drive right up next 2 another car where there are NO children buckled up--let alone not in a car seat. They always seem to be jumping around the car.

My mother in law had one instance when she was at a stop light one day and a car drove up next to her. Kids were not buckled in. My mom in law grabbed her seat belt and pointed it out to the car next to her--that lady flipped her the bird!! How rude are people.

Yes, I can say I do not have any children at the moment, but needless to say when the day comes that I do--THEY WILL ALWAYS BE BUCKLED IN!!

[27Summers]

I am glad to see everyone see's this the same as I do, we used to have a program where if you saw kids without a seatbelt or in a carseat, you could call in to this toll free line, report it, and the offender would get a letter in the mail.

sadly, there was no funding or so I believe, because the program ceased a few years ago.

I would like to know how to set up my own program to do just that, and yes, if I manage to get plate numbers and such, I will report too.
in fact, I think I am going to add that to my sign, and maybe people will get the hint (or avoid driving past me)

thanks for backing me up here :)

it's like a deadly disease thats totally preventable, all you have to do is strap them IN!!

[ezmoney163]

I totally agree with you on this. It makes me sick to think these people are not smart enough to bukle them in. My DS learned how to unbukle last week, yso now as I am driving I have to pull over alot to buckle him back in but hey it is worth it to me. My childs life is more important than 2 seconds to me. :)

[texasgander]

and what about the ones driving with them in their LAPS????? :rolleyes:

[DivineMsDi]

If you love your kids you buckle them up. And the same for everyone else in the car..wear your seatbelts.

I HATE sometimes going on trips (in the backseat) with my parents, and husband and son because I am usually the one jammed on the "hump" and don't get a seatbelt! It really upset me...

[schsa]

We had a woman die in a car accident here recently. The child survived because he was buckled in. She died because she wasn't.

What does it take to make sure that you and your children are safe?

[nosamiam]

When I was a little fart I caused my Mother to drive into a tree. There weren't any laws then and might not have had seat belts in the car either. It's funny (being sarcastic here) my Mom says it was all my fault! go figure.

[momfromTN]

Well, my 15 yr old neice is a survivor of an accident like that. Her babysitter didn't put her in a car seat and they went out for a drive with the sitter's sister. They got hit head-on and my neice's head slammed into a dashboard. She died 3 times and was brought back. She has had YEARS of physical therapy and special ed. Her mentality is that of an 8 yr old and she may never mentally be past the age of 13. She will always have to have someone look out for her. She did get a huge settlement, and financially, we will have the money to care for her, but we would send it all back to have her normal again. My mom raises her (long story) and I am to get her if Mom were to die. People who do not do all they can to protect their children do NOT love them. Flat out. I don't care who flames me. If you get caught with your kid not buckled in, as is the law in every state nowadays, you should not be able to have your kids until you take a child safety course, or should have your license taken away for awhile. It is disgusting.

[justme23]

I totally agree w/ all of you... there's no excuse for not putting a seatbelt on a child... but to those of you who are brave enough to point it out or get out of the car... PLS be careful doing that... we hear about ppl being shot driving down the road almost weekly here due to roadrage and I would hate to hear something like that about a member of our BBS family!

[27Summers]

oh yeah, the people who drive with kids on their laps....

this is an all too common thing around here as well....

I just do not understand it, I saw somebody in my neighborhood who I thought was an upstanding respectable person, take their grandchild and put them right on their lap in the car, and then drove off.
I also just saw it again a few minutes ago when I looked out my front door!!!

I think I am going to start beeping if there is an officer nearby to alert them to this, I would hate to see something happen, and for me to not say something, that would be horrible to live with.

I can't believe that with all the public service messages out there, this one is not at the top of the list... :confused:

[zitra]

I agree all kids should be buckled in.. In pa they have to be in car seat until 80-90 pounds then in the back seat with a seatbelt on.. I never used to wear my seat belt but now I do for the past 5 years I started wearing plus if you get here it's a 25.00 fine.. for each person who does not have it on.. When people ride with me who don't like to wear seatbelts I always tell them to put it on and if not and I get a ticket your the one paying for it not me..

Here it is 60 some punds or 9 years old..whichever comes first..My oldest is 10 and only weighs 65, and I know my youngest is almost 9 and is 67 pounds, and is over the weight requirement. My neice who is 7, still has to ride in a booster, becuase she doesn't weigh enough yet.

The fines are also high here. If somone wants a ride somewhere (MIL, BIL whoever) won't put their seat belts on, they get to get out, and walk whereever they are going, or not go.

[justme23]

I agree all kids should be buckled in.. In pa they have to be in car seat until 80-90 pounds then in the back seat with a seatbelt on.. I never used to wear my seat belt but now I do for the past 5 years I started wearing plus if you get here it's a 25.00 fine.. for each person who does not have it on.. When people ride with me who don't like to wear seatbelts I always tell them to put it on and if not and I get a ticket your the one paying for it not me..

Wow... just 25 dollars? That's cheap... they're almost 400 dollars here... or so we've been told... and any passengers who are old enough to drive (even if they aren't driving) get their own tickets for not wearing their belt... if that's not incentive to get buckled up, I don't know what is!

I guess I'm a hypocrite of sorts... it is a big deal for kids not to be buckled in in my book... but at the same time, I had a babysitter and a cousin who both would have died if they'd been wearing their seatbelts... we have the electronic shoulder belts on our car but I rarely and hubby never puts the lap belt on... I've asked hubby to and I try to put mine on if we're getting off the surface streets and getting on the interstate... I should start wearing it regardless, I know, but every time I reach for it I think of the two ppl who would have died if they had 'em on... I know those accidents are rare tho.

[Katt]

and what about the ones driving with them in their LAPS????? :rolleyes:

My husband worked a head on collision a few years back. 7 people in the car, 2 adults, 1 5 year old, a 2 year old, a 12 year old, and 2 teenagers. The man in the oncoming car had a massive coronary and hit the other car head on. The lady had her 2 year old in her lap. NO seatbelts were in use. It was a very horrible death for that little boy. Took my husband years to get over seeing that little baby like that. (It didn't help that he looked like our son who was the exact same age at the time, but still) Only 2 made it out. The 5 year old, and one of teenagers. They were both in the back seat. It took many MANY months in ICU for these two to even live.

I have NO problem calling the pd on my cell and giving them a license plate number. It's a crock to not have seatbelts in use. My children ALWAYS come first, and my vehicle does not start until everyone has theirs on. When my daughter was 1 month old, I had to leave her with my MIL so I could work. I was on my lunch break, driving down the road, and saw my MIL's truck, with her, my SIL HOLDING my child's car seat in her lap, her 3 kids, all in the middle and unbuckled. I did a U'ey in the middle of the road, chased them down, took my child and told them if they did NOT have enough respect for me, or love for my child to buckle her in..and LEAVE some at home if there was not enough room, then they would not see her again. Hasn't been a problem since ;)

[captorquewrench]

... we have the electronic shoulder belts on our car but I rarely and hubby never puts the lap belt on... I've asked hubby to and I try to put mine on if we're getting off the surface streets and getting on the interstate... I should start wearing it regardless, I know, but every time I reach for it I think of the two ppl who would have died if they had 'em on... I know those accidents are rare tho.

my stepdad doesn't like wearing his either for those reasons. before cars and seatbelts were as safe as the ones we have now, he had to respond to a call and they had to cut the seatbelts to remove casualties from an accident.

If you have passive shoulder restraints, PLEASE do not think they replace your lap belt. In accidents, if a person is wearing the shoulder restraint only without the lap belt, they can "dive bomb" into the floorboards, feet first, and get severely injured or crushed this way. This is straight out of the auto safety literature given by most major ins companies and included many stats to back it up. Please wear your lap belt with the shoulder belt.

ETA: And like everyone else says, if you love your kids, buckle them!

[bell_peaches]

As a mother I would rather hear my child scream in the car. I would hate to hear silence in the emergency room.

[freeby4me]

In Michigan we have a "Click it or ticket" Law! I believe the ticket is for $500.00 and its actually helped quite a bit! There have been less and less tickets for seatbelt violations. Same for the carseats, If you dont have your child in a carseat, TICKET!!! Thats what I love about my state, We're pretty quick about instituting laws for safety!!
I cant stand people who dont put their kids in a carseat, I mean Sheesh, How hard is it really??

[JKATHERINE]

ITA with everyone. I think EVERYONE should wear seatbelts (it's a law here in Maine punishible by a $50 fine per person unrestrained), but especially children. In Maine children must be in a car or booster seat until 8 years of age or 80 pounds. We just had (last Sunday) the worse car accident/fatality since 1956. All SEVEN passengers including the driver died. The driver was going 90 mph in the breakdown lane (must have thought she was in Mass...) and only 2 of the 7 people were buckled. FOUR CHILDREN died as a result of this crash. So sad...

http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=422345

Oh, and I, too, am one of those vigilantes that will either tell people to buckle their kids or just call the police (I have all the area police #'s programmed in my phone). :)

[sahmsfreeb]

btw ITA with everyone here...
in ny children 8 years ofr 80lbs in a booster seat. not many of my sons friends do that..... sad really...

back seat for my kids in booster seats and proud of it!!!!! so proud that my kids actually brag to me and others that they are the only ones on the bus (well not the only ones wink wink lol) that wear their belts!!!!

[texasgander]

The chances of surviving while WEARING a seatbelt FAR outweigh the chances of being killed with one on.......

[KeliMom]

I should start wearing it regardless, I know, but every time I reach for it I think of the two ppl who would have died if they had 'em on... I know those accidents are rare tho.

True, there are many more accidents where seatbelt use SAVES lives, rather than takes them.

[Blackberry]

My son is 11 and sits in a booster seat. He is small for his age. The back seat of my car has shoulder straps and when he is sitting in his seat the harness goes across his neck and not his chest. When he can sit on the seat without the strap going across his neck then the can get rid of the booster seat. I don't care if he is 15 before he gives up the booster, he is going to use it.

As far as wearing the shoulder harness but not the lap belt, I share the story of my cousin. She was in an accident where she lost control of her car on a windy road and hit a tree. As she was thrown through the windshield (because she did not have a lap belt to hold her in place) the shoulder harness broke her neck as she flew out. She is a quadrapeligec (sp?) now for the past 10 years & can do almost nothing for herself.

[llbriteyes]

If you don't have your child in a carseat or in a seat belt and I see you, I will roll my window down and scream at you, get your tag number and call the police... plain and simple. I won't tolerate irresponsible people who do not buckle their kids up... I don't care if they are screaming, pulling their hair out, hungry, or throwing up... if your car is moving, your kids will be restrained. If I have to I will get out of my car and knock on your window (in stopped traffic) and make sure you understand me. I can't tell you how many times I have actually gotten out of my car for that. I also can't tell you how many times parents will try to tell me to mind my own business.

Your child my cure cancer in the future, and if you cause your child to die in an accident because you did not buckle them up, thats MY business.

Women get mad at me.. who cares? Men try to ignore me.. it doesn't work. I actually had a woman get out of her car and want to fight me... bring it on baby!! She had 6 kids in her car all under 7 or 8 and NONE of them were in belts... I have very little patience for stupid people....

And don't get me started about parents who leave their kids in their cars... :mad:

You are WONDERFUL! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm soooooooooo with you. ESPECIALLY with the ones who leave their kids in the cars.... even if they're "just running in." Whats even worse is when they leave their kids with the engine running. NOT BRIGHT! I call the police EVERY time I see a child alone in a car. Running or not. Some people just should NOT be allowed to procreate!

Linda

[llbriteyes]

If you love your kids you buckle them up. And the same for everyone else in the car..wear your seatbelts.

I HATE sometimes going on trips (in the backseat) with my parents, and husband and son because I am usually the one jammed on the "hump" and don't get a seatbelt! It really upset me...

Unless its my kids in the car with me, I insist on having a shoulder belt.

L

[queenangie]

DS#2 just handed in an English paper yesterday on the importance of seatbelts for children. I read it and it had conclusive facts about seatbelts.

From the day we left the hospital, both sons wore seatbelts or were in carseats.
Maybe my constant, "put your seatbelt on!" has made an impression. (lightbulb on)

[twinkiesmom]

I was taking my kids to school yesterday and a car pulled up along side of me and there was a kid about 5 bouncin around going from the front to back seat. I said w/my kids in the car . . . 'what kinda stupid parent would let their kid jump around w/o being buckled up? That poor kid will be dead at an early age cuz his mom wasn't responsible.'

[Lora_1994]

all my kids wear seatbelts and my 2 y/o is put in a car seat. He's in and out of it quicker than I can recite the alphabet. I've honestly thought of buying a 5 point harness to keep him in it. lol

A 2 hr drive to St.Louis took me almost 3 hours the other day because I had to stop every few miles and put him back in his seat.

But I totally agree with all of ya. Kids should be in a seat belt,booster seat or car seat. Your children need to be safe.

[PrincessArky]

We had a woman die in a car accident here recently. The child survived because he was buckled in. She died because she wasn't.

What does it take to make sure that you and your children are safe?

We had something like this as well. A friend of mine was taking her child and a friend's child to school. They got to the highway and she told her daughter to put her seatbelt on or they wouldn't be going. What she didn't realize was she was actually letting off the brake a bit and going into the highway. The mother and daughter BOTH not wearing seat belts died and the other little girl wearing her's lived. We don't even start the car until the kids are seat belted in.

[kriskay]

I can't imagine not buckling my kids in. In fact, in Minnesota it is 4 years old or 40 pounds for carseats and my almost 5 year old and my almost 8 year old are still in car seats. The adjustable type though, so they are just buckled in like us, but are still in full seats. My almost 8 year old is small, so she is staying in one until she gets to the size she needs to be, I don't care how old she is. Well, that goes for both of them! I would rather have them safe then care what other people think.

[27Summers]

ITA with everyone. I think EVERYONE should wear seatbelts (it's a law here in Maine punishible by a $50 fine per person unrestrained), but especially children. In Maine children must be in a car or booster seat until 8 years of age or 80 pounds. We just had (last Sunday) the worse car accident/fatality since 1956. All SEVEN passengers including the driver died. The driver was going 90 mph in the breakdown lane (must have thought she was in Mass...) and only 2 of the 7 people were buckled. FOUR CHILDREN died as a result of this crash. So sad...

http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=422345

Oh, and I, too, am one of those vigilantes that will either tell people to buckle their kids or just call the police (I have all the area police #'s programmed in my phone). :)

I heard about that accident, how horrible, what were they thinking???
there is no reason to go 90 MPH with children in the car in the breakdown lane, or anywhere period!! with anyone!

I feel so bad for the children who lost their lives as a result of complete stupidity...

[danikay]

If you don't have your child in a carseat or in a seat belt and I see you, I will roll my window down and scream at you, get your tag number and call the police... plain and simple. I won't tolerate irresponsible people who do not buckle their kids up... I don't care if they are screaming, pulling their hair out, hungry, or throwing up... if your car is moving, your kids will be restrained. If I have to I will get out of my car and knock on your window (in stopped traffic) and make sure you understand me. I can't tell you how many times I have actually gotten out of my car for that. I also can't tell you how many times parents will try to tell me to mind my own business.

Your child my cure cancer in the future, and if you cause your child to die in an accident because you did not buckle them up, thats MY business.

Women get mad at me.. who cares? Men try to ignore me.. it doesn't work. I actually had a woman get out of her car and want to fight me... bring it on baby!! She had 6 kids in her car all under 7 or 8 and NONE of them were in belts... I have very little patience for stupid people....

And don't get me started about parents who leave their kids in their cars...
__________________


wow.......i thought this was me saying the above at first! i agree totally!
children are supposed to be our most valued treasure, yet i see some people keep other things more safe ..my soon to be 8 year old..shes small for her age though..still like to be in her booster seat..the seatbelt fits better with it as well on her.

deborah:)

[Tasha405]

I totally agree with everyone else! My kids are always in their car seats & seat belts. It only takes a minute to strap a child in.

My kids never cry about being in a car seat or seat belt either but like someone else said... if they did cry I would much rather hear that than silence in the ER.

[Shann]

speaking of this yesterday I passed a car that was no bigger than mine... i'm unsure what kind of car it was but it was a two door hatch back, pretty small that had 10 passangers in it!!! I almost flipped out! A girl had a youngerst on her lap in the passanger seat and there were four kids in the back seat with three kids on top of their laps! I hope a cop saw it and pulled them over, I don't care how far you are going, if not everyone can fit in a seatbelt (even adults in my opinion) then no one should have gone!