Who can you call to report... (ticket, kids, illegal)

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I think it would be a waste of time to call it in. The authorities don't have time to try and chase down a moving automobile over something like this. I seriously doubt that they would bother.

I also have my doubts that it should be a crime. I grew up in a family with 7 kids and most cars did not even have seat belts. Does that make my parents criminals? If so then most of our parents would be.

That's because our parents didn't know any better and they were just not available. And if your parents (or mine) were to do it now, then yes, that would make them criminals.

And I don't mean for cops to come and chase them down. But I figured if they had a license plate they could send them info or a warning or something.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by pbnj07

Some states' car seat laws are really ridiculous. Can you imagine telling your 7-year-old, 79lb kid he/she needs to sit in a child car seat so you can drop him/her off at school in front of their friends?

On the other hand, there's absolutely no reason why anyone shouldn't wear a seatbelt.

A car seat is not required at that age - a booster is. And yes, I absolutely can imagine telling my 7 year-old that she has to be in one. Sorry if she doesn't think it's "cool." What if wearing a seatbelt wasn't "cool." Would you be OK with not letting him/her not wear one when s/he starts driving?

[Trainwreck20]

Just talked to my cop buddy. He says that, if anything, call 911. They are unlikely to send out a car to track down the vehicle, but if there is a car in the area, they might keep an eye out for them. He says that there are several officers that make it a point to look for these vehicle, since they have had to deal with the after effects (unharmed adult, mangled and/or dead child) too many times.

[ATX Homeboy]

I think that is totally unfair.

What about large families that have no choice but put all their kids in a small car? Sometimes those car seats take up too much space. Also, many kids may have to sit on their brother/sisters lap.

I don't think it's my resposibility to report anyone for that.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by mm57553

A car seat is not required at that age - a booster is. And yes, I absolutely can imagine telling my 7 year-old that she has to be in one. Sorry if she doesn't think it's "cool." What if wearing a seatbelt wasn't "cool." Would you be OK with not letting him/her not wear one when s/he starts driving?

I have a seven year old, he is in a booster, he doesn't like it, but that's the breaks.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by ATX Homeboy

I think that is totally unfair.

What about large families that have no choice but put all their kids in a small car? Sometimes those car seats take up too much space. Also, many kids may have to sit on their brother/sisters lap.

I don't think it's my resposibility to report anyone for that.

Can we assume that you haven't had young kids in your life recently?

All children under the age of five must ride in a car in a car seat, children under the age must ride in a rear-facing car seat. Currently, there is no law in Texas about kids over the age of five or about booster seats but generally kids need some sort of booster seat so that lap belts will properly restrain them.

This is the law. And it is necessary for safety. After drowning, the most common cause of death for young children is accidents, auto accidents are a component of that. I have friends with as many as twelve children, they either take two cars or drive their extended van (like a hotel shuttle) with every child in a car seat, booster, or lap belt.

Forget worrying about crime rates or how many sex offenders live in your neighborhood, seat belts, booster seats, and car seats keep kids safe period!

I know, it wasn't always like that, my little brother used to ride around in the back of our station wagon, but the laws are there for a reason -- to protect children from needless death. Talk to a highway patrol officer, EMS or ER doctor if you think that they aren't needed. They can set you straight.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by ATX Homeboy

I think that is totally unfair.

What about large families that have no choice but put all their kids in a small car? Sometimes those car seats take up too much space. Also, many kids may have to sit on their brother/sisters lap.

I don't think it's my resposibility to report anyone for that.

And I think it's horribly irresponsible to jeapardize your children's life. Get a bigger car, or skip the trip or get a babysitter.

[texastrigirl]

Actually there is a reason for the 8 years/ 80 lbs rules in WA. The National Transportation Safety Board recommends those standards because most cars are built with seat belts to properly protect a person who weighs that much and is at least 4 ft 9 inches tall. Any shorter and the seat belts will not properly protect a child and actually hit in the wrong part of the body in an accident, potentially damaging internal organs and causing death. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in children ages 2 to 14 according to the NTSB. So not really that stupid and definitely supported by research. And since it's the law, kids don't feel stupid because they have absolutely zero choice in the matter.

[pbnj07]

Originally Posted by mm57553

A car seat is not required at that age - a booster is. And yes, I absolutely can imagine telling my 7 year-old that she has to be in one. Sorry if she doesn't think it's "cool." What if wearing a seatbelt wasn't "cool." Would you be OK with not letting him/her not wear one when s/he starts driving?

Sorry, I'd never even heard of a booster seat before. I became a stepfather to my wife's 9-yr-old boy, so I never had to deal with this issue. I was envisioning a large kid squeezing into some kind of little child car seat.

Thanks for the enlightenment.

[ATX Homeboy]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Can we assume that you haven't had young kids in your life recently?

All children under the age of five must ride in a car in a car seat, children under the age must ride in a rear-facing car seat. Currently, there is no law in Texas about kids over the age of five or about booster seats but generally kids need some sort of booster seat so that lap belts will properly restrain them.

This is the law. And it is necessary for safety. After drowning, the most common cause of death for young children is accidents, auto accidents are a component of that. I have friends with as many as twelve children, they either take two cars or drive their extended van (like a hotel shuttle) with every child in a car seat, booster, or lap belt.

Forget worrying about crime rates or how many sex offenders live in your neighborhood, seat belts, booster seats, and car seats keep kids safe period!

I know, it wasn't always like that, my little brother used to ride around in the back of our station wagon, but the laws are there for a reason -- to protect children from needless death. Talk to a highway patrol officer, EMS or ER doctor if you think that they aren't needed. They can set you straight.

Thanks. Just for the record, I am STRAIGHT.

Seriously though, I was just making the argument for those people with large families. I know it is a choice to have a large family. It is also their choice to drive around with their children or dogs loose in the backseat.

I have children also. I have two cars and enough car seats for my kids but I'm not going to worry about other peoples' kids if they don't seem to care about their childrens' safety. JMO.