Children riding in front seat of car!

amother

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 11:41 am

Tell me if I'm being overprotective...here's the situation
We started a camp carpool yesterday with a few other families. Yesterday, the person driving had a car that she put 6 kids in. When my kids came home, they said the mother told them that it was OK for kids to ride in the front b/c there is no airbag. I asked them if they were in the front and they said no, but they had to share a belt in the back. Today, the mother driving came with a kid riding in the front. I have told my kids that they are not allowed to ever ride in the front seat of a van or car. It is such an unsafe practice. My 8 year old is very bold and very into safety, so I trust that she would make sure she and her sister are not in the front.
Should I tell the camp counselor about my rule (which is just a matter of safety)? This front-seat riding is a very common practice in my city, so the other parents will think I'm being nuts. (I've also seen carseats being put in the passenger front seat as well) Am I being overprotective? I just feel that this is not safe and I'm going to worry about my kids travelling back and forth to camp except on the day we drive (we have enough seats for everyone to sit in back))!!!

mimsy7420

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 11:50 am

amother wrote:

You are not being overprotective.
There are reasons why these things are ILLEGAL.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 12:09 pm

The front seat without an airbag is not the safest seat in the car for a child or adult. It doesn't really matter the age so much, as the size of the child -- how well the seat belt fits, etc. You can have an 8 year old who is 80 lbs. otr a small 12 year old who is 70 lbs. and still should be in a booster seat according to the federal recommendations. But I think the biggest child, as long as he/she is over 8 and can fit in the seat belt well, with the shoulder and lap components fit snugly in the right position should be the one in the front as opposed to double buckling, which I don't think is as safe as a proper seat belt in the front seat with no airbag.

red sea

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 12:46 pm

You are being responsible, if you can trust the mother not to put your kids in the front, you're fine

now I'll edit, -

but you cud always just say you dont like anyones kids to be in the front so you'll just take your own kids.

Last edited by red sea on Tue, Jul 04 2006, 2:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

Raisin

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 1:33 pm

I don't understand why you are putting your kids in a car pool if there are not enough safe seats for all the kids. So...you expect someone else's child to sit in the front - even if they are maybe smaller and lighter than your own child?

Why don't you just drive your own kids there and back yourself, or make a carpool with just one other family, so there will be enough safe seats for everyone, not just your own kids.

amother

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 2:38 pm

original amother her...I did not realize when the carpool was arranged that there were not enough safe seats. I was out of town over the weekend when it was arrannged (my kids are in a small camp with 6 kids, 5 families). Someone left a message that each family would take a day to drive. I just figured that everyone had enough seats. This is the 1st carpool we have been a part of. I bcame aware of the problem yesterday afternoon (the 1st carpool day) that this was not the case. This morning I noticed the same thing happening. My dh and I have been discussing what to do as both of us are nervous about it. I certainly don't want anyone's child to be put an a spot that is not safe! I'm not sure why people where I live put their kids in the front, but it is done a lot. If I had been in town when the arrangements were made I would have made sure there was room for everyone to be safe. Now I just have to figure out what to do and do it in a way as not to offend anyone.

ChavieK

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 5:24 pm

You don't say how old the other kids are.But if there are no airbags older kids can sit in front,although I personaly don't allow it. Nor do I ever allow double buckling.An expert once told me that if you are ever in a bind,b'dieved you can buckle 3 kids in 2 seat belts. the middle child being buckled 2x.The children should be of similar weights & heights.
You are not being overprotective at all. I was once so proud of my son when his principle had to drive himhome b/c he refused to get in the car with a father who told him "rarely does anyone get hurt infront of an aribag if they are buckled".& he also wouldn't double buckle in back.

yrs1025

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 5:27 pm

I don't allow my kids (12 and almost 9) to ride in the front seat or be double buckled. I would rather take them both ways and have them safe. Also, my almost 9 year old is not tall enough (and only weighs about 50 lbs) to sit without a booster seat, and I make sure that when she is in a car/van that she is in a booster seat.

granolamom

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 8:32 pm

I'm sorry you ended up in this carpool situation. I was new to the carpool scene once too and almost ended up in a carpool like that. now I am very picky about fellow carpoolers, ALL kids must have boosters - in their car and in mine. I will not tolerate "I have a booster for your son" but the other kids are double buckled nor will I tolerate "Its ok, my child doesn't need a booster in your car, she doesn't like it". Its sometimes hard to find other like minded parents, but I am resigned to driving every day if need be.
I think your best bet is to speak to the other drivers, see where they stand and if necessary pull out.

ChavieK

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 8:40 pm

granolamom is 100% right. We owe our children our best at keeping them safe.That includes seatbelts,one per person, boosters, bike helmets....These are givens.
Sometimes people will make comments about going overboard, or that it's "only around the corner".It is hard if all the others aren't as "obsessed" as you.Be firm. It's your child.

Inspired

Tue, Jul 04 2006, 8:43 pm

You are not being overprotective. It is illegal and unsafe to do what is being done. I would also advise you not to allow "double buckling". Amother, I would pull the kids out of that carpool and drive them yourself.
Granola- I am with you totally.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 10:00 am

Inspired wrote:

No, a child sitting in the front who is big enough without a booster (which is also not the law in most states at a certain age) and does not have an airbag is not illegal!!! Safety wise, most minivans have the same seatbelt in side seats, and no one is concerned about that safety belt not fitting properly. Confused

I think if you know there are 6 kids in a car pool, it's safe to assume, most people (especially with minvans) will need to put one child in the front, and I don't think it's that unsafe for an older child to sit there because of the conditions I mentioned above. It's definitely a lot safer than double buckling.

mimsy7420

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 10:17 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Inspired wrote:

Most auto collisions are front collisions- for that reason alone, the front seats are the least safe and children should not sit there. No IF or BUTS or WHYS about it.