Seat belts optional?

syrima

Wed, May 22 2013, 11:19 am

This is just an OMG post - really can't believe it!
We gave a neighbor and her family a ride home from a simcha in our car.
I gave her a booster seat for her dd who is 3. So its late and dd is squirmy and kvetchy in the car seat.
This goes on for like 5 minutes, by then we are turning on to the HIGHWAY and all of a sudden I hear a CLICK and they just took dd out of her seat!
OMG!!!!! Rolling Eyes

I really did not want to make a scene, so I was trying not to notice, but it was very obvious bc she was going from Mommy's lap to daddy's lap and back again, and the whole time I'm thinking what if we crash, are we liable?
Luckily there was heavy traffic on the BQE for most of the way so we were not doing 50 or even 40 mph but STILL I cannot get over what she did...she is such a nice person but OMG!!!
When is she planning on educating dd about staying in a carseat? Next YEAR? Rolling Eyes

m in Israel

Wed, May 22 2013, 11:24 am

You are clearly talking about in NY -- you were on the BQE -- so you should be aware that you can get a major ticket including points on your license for driving with a 3 year old not properly restrained. Additionally, there is likely the Halachic obligation of "lo saamod al dam rayecha", among others. I would not worry about making a scene, but would nicely say "I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable driving when your child is not in the car seat."

Maybe they just felt bad that she was kvetching and thought it was disturbing to you or something, but I would definitely insist on this. BTW even at a "slow" 30 mph a child can be hurt very badly in a crash.

imamiri

Wed, May 22 2013, 11:33 am

syrima wrote:

No I don't think you would be liable in an accident. Likely they'd have a huge CPS mess on their hands though.

And accidents at even very slow speeds of 10-20mph can cause major damage if people are not buckled up.

They are just being absolutely stupid. Who hasn't had to endure the screaming kid in the carseat? part of life.

Ema of 5

Wed, May 22 2013, 11:40 am

imamiri wrote:

syrima wrote:

In NYC you can get a ticket if someone in your car is not wearing a seatbelt or is not properly restrained, so why would you not be liable if chas v'shalom there was an accident? If someone were to be injured while you are driving, they could sue you for medical expenses.

imamiri

Wed, May 22 2013, 12:46 pm

eema of 3 wrote:

imamiri wrote:

syrima wrote:

Right, forgot about the ticket laws for belts. In that case, tell them to put the kid back in the seat and stop being dumb.

spring13

Wed, May 22 2013, 3:07 pm

I've seen a kid fall out of a moving vehicle because he wasnt strapped in. Was less than 3 years old, wasn't restrained in any way, and he opened the door himself and fell out. Lucky for him his idiot parents were just leaving a zoo parking lot and weren't on the actual road or going fast. If he'd been injured, my whole family would have happily told the police what we saw and hopefully gotten the parents in well-deserved trouble. OP, next time have no qualms about refusing to drive with an unbuckled kid!

Its the same thing with not wearing bike helmets, smoking, and more. You'd have to be an utter moron not to know how stupid and dangerous these things are, but people go around doing them anyway. I fail to comprehend.

chocolate chips

Wed, May 22 2013, 8:11 pm

OMG!
I know a couple that were on vacation near my hometown. On the way back from one of their trips they were pulled over by police because they took the kids out of seatbelts/carseats as they were exiting the highway. They managed to get away with a warning but guess what, the next day they got caught again and were fined and iirc the driver got points.

It is a drivers responsibility to make sure all passengers are strapped in. adults you can't actually force but kids? So dangerous!!