[N0help4u]

Even with the seat belt laws and the children in the back and in car seats or booster seats up to the age of 7 or 60 pounds I still occasionally see kids in the front and on adults laps.
Well today as I was leaving the flea market I see a Nissan versa with guy driving and holding a baby that could not have even been a week old . (looked about 6 pounds)

I am the most lenient when it comes to annoying laws but I wanted to slap him and I guess it was his wife in the passenger seat.
Is it just me?

Oh and from what I could tell there wasn't any car seat in the back seat or anywhere.

[Alty]

It's not just you NH.

These laws are in place for a reason. Parents still believe that they can hold on to their infant and prevent any damage if there is an accident. They don't realize what can and will happen, especially if the air bag goes off. Bye bye baby.

A lot of people also think that since they're good drivers they shouldn't have to worry, they won't get into an accident. What they seem to forget is that there are other people on the road with them, and no driver can prevent an accident if one is about to occur, even the best drivers in the world.

It's stupid and sad. A car seat can be purchased for under $40 here in Canada, it meets all safety regulations. Is saving $40 really a reason to risk you child's life?

My son is 10 years old, weighs around 80 pounds (last time I weighed him was a few months ago, he probably weighs more now) and he's a little over 5 feet tall. I've just started letting him ride up front, as a treat once in a while.

My daughter Sydney is 6, very thin for her age, but tall. She's still in a booster seat in the back where she belongs. It's a constant battle because she wants to be like her big brother, but safety first.

It makes me mad that people really think they're immune to tragedy. You'd do anything in your power to save your child from a fatal disease, why not do everything in your power to prevent a fatality in your vehicle?

[N0help4u]

Yep just the adults body pressing the baby into the steering wheel or dash board is lethal.
It scares me to even think of my 20+ yr old daughters out driving because you never know when idiot could plow into you out of no where.

[Alty]

Yep just the adults body pressing the baby into the steering wheel or dash board is lethal.
It scares me to even think of my 20+ yr old daughters out driving because you never know when idiot could plow into you out of no where.

Exactly.

My mother was in a horrible car accident when I was 18. She was driving down the highway when the car driving in the other direction hit some black ice, slammed on the breaks, spun her car over the meridian and 3 lanes and slammed into my mother.

The driver that was at fault walked away with a bruise. My mother spent 6 months in the hospital, 4 of those in a rehab hospital. She had two surgeries on her busted leg and knee cap and had pain and a limp for the rest of her life.

Two seconds either way and her car wouldn't have been in the path of the other vehicle.

In other words $hit happens. ;)

[twinkiedooter]

I see that sort of scenerio all the time here in Ohio. A lot of folks think it's "cute" to let their baby drive. I've seen it all, believe me. A father holding a child barely old enough to stand let hold the steering wheel going 25MPH is definitely NOT cute. I have no idea how the driver was able to see the road, let alone keep the vehicle on the road. And yes, I've seen women do the same thing with a very young child helping them "drive" the car.

Too bad they don't have a gory video for these folks to watch - you know, the one where the kid is crushed beyond recognition by their "loving" parent into the steering wheel.

[Alty]

Here's a video Twink;

YouTube - Crash test:Child in mothers hands/Ребенок на руках у матери

[twinkiedooter]

OMG Alty - I never knew they actually made such a video! Too bad I can't just make a DVD and hand it out to morons who think it's cute to let little Jimmy drive their car.

[earl237]

Unfortunately, you can make all the laws you want, but you can't legislate commond sense and good judgment.

[shazamataz]

Not long ago I was at the airport and saw a woman with her 5 year old daughter on her lap letting her steer the car!

I have had a 5 year old in the front seat of my car before... I have a 2 seater convertible though so I have no choice :o

[N0help4u]

I really don't have a problem with a five year old in the front seat as long as they are buckled in and NOT on anybody's lap especially the drivers side. I am still in the pre airbag mentality though. I think the main problem with kids 5 and up nowadays is the airbag.
The lap part is what really gets me.