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Main Forums => Parenting Issues => Topic started by: Sunshine on Jan 24, 2005, 06:59:14 PM

Title: child safety in auto
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 24, 2005, 06:59:14 PM
Is it ok that my Ex drives our 4yr. old in his junky work truck without carseat/booster?  I was the opinion it is law to have this safety meassurement until child reaches certain age/height/weight - am I wrong? Thanks.
Title: RE: child safety in auto
Post by: joni on Jan 24, 2005, 08:59:15 PM

I think most states have guidelines.  What state are you in?
Title: RE: child safety in auto
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 24, 2005, 09:31:30 PM
I am in Canada and the government regulations say:
Use a booster seat from 18 kg (40 lb.), generally from about age 4 1/2 to 8 years.  Children are ready to use a booster seat when they are over the maximum weight or height for their child seat — but no sooner than this!  

Use the vehicle rear seat and seat belt (ideally with a shoulder belt) from the time your child has outgrown the booster seat, from about age 8.

So can I understand that it is against the law and unresponsible by the driver to have the child in the front seat without a booster seat (this truck does not have rear seats) ?
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 24, 2005, 10:15:43 PM
bad news - all provinces of Canada, except the province of Quebec, do not require booster seats by law for children age 4-8.

That means my Ex can put our child at safety risk and I  have to accept this? I have sole custody and guardianship. Can't I forbid him to do so?
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: janM on Jan 25, 2005, 09:15:27 AM
Where in Canada? I was born and raised in Ontario but have lived in Ohio for 10 years.

Call your local licensing bureau and ask what the law is.

Here in the states I'm not sure if it's law, or just a recommendation.

I always use a booster for my grandson who is 6 because the seatbelt goes across his shoulder nicely and his legs hang down properly. Plus he can see out better. They say they can slip down from under the belt in a collision without one.

I know that they recommend using one till age 7 or so. Last time he was at the doctor they asked if he used a booster.
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 25, 2005, 09:36:17 AM
We are in BC. Unfortunately there is currently no law for the so called 'forgotten children' age 4-8 that requires to bukkle them up in a booster. It is only a recommendation.
It probably needs some more children to die first until they change/make the law.
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: jilly on Jan 25, 2005, 10:57:49 AM
I think most U.S. States have child safety laws in which children of a certain age/weight are required to be in a child safety seat.  Here in NC where I live they recently changed that law to read that children 8 years of age AND 80 lbs. have to be in a booster seat.  Doesn't matter if they're 7 and 80 lbs...they have to also be 8 years old.
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: joni on Jan 25, 2005, 11:35:56 AM

I'm stunned that Canada wouldn't have a law to require a booster.

Have you spoken with your Ex about it?  Have you told him how much it means to you?

Sure you could take him to court and get the court order but would he follow it?  Since it's not law, he wouldn't get a driving ticket.

Is he at least buckling the child up?
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 25, 2005, 09:36:17 AM
We are in BC. Unfortunately there is currently no law for the so called 'forgotten children' age 4-8 that requires to bukkle them up in a booster. It is only a recommendation.
It probably needs some more children to die first until they change/make the law.
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: jilly on Jan 25, 2005, 10:57:49 AM
I think most U.S. States have child safety laws in which children of a certain age/weight are required to be in a child safety seat.  Here in NC where I live they recently changed that law to read that children 8 years of age AND 80 lbs. have to be in a booster seat.  Doesn't matter if they're 7 and 80 lbs...they have to also be 8 years old.
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: joni on Jan 25, 2005, 11:35:56 AM

I'm stunned that Canada wouldn't have a law to require a booster.

Have you spoken with your Ex about it?  Have you told him how much it means to you?

Sure you could take him to court and get the court order but would he follow it?  Since it's not law, he wouldn't get a driving ticket.

Is he at least buckling the child up?
Title: RE: bad news
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 25, 2005, 06:31:40 PM
I find it nonsens and waste of money to take him to court because of that. I just feel not comfortable since I know how unsave his truck is. Unfortunately he is not communicative and never listens to what a woman has to say. Women are second class.
At least he is buckling up with an unsave lap belt.  

Thanks for your coments.
Title: RE: does the truck have an air bag?
Post by: janM on Jan 25, 2005, 07:21:29 PM
I would find out about that because most newer vehicles that have them, have safety decals which say DO NOT PUT CHILD IN FRONT SEAT in case of airbag deployment, which has proven to be fatal to young children. If it does and it cannot be turned off, a child should not be travelling in that truck.

Actually a lap belt alone can be very dangerous to a child too, not only because of the back injuries it can cause, but because the child's upper body would possibly hit the dashboard.

Sounds like it could be an unsafe situation all around.
Title: RE: does the truck have an air bag?
Post by: SadStepMom on Jan 25, 2005, 11:01:51 PM
If the truck is new enough to have airbags, and it is a regular cab or an extended cab, then it should have a switch to turn off the airbag.  Does the truck have shoulder belts?  If not, I know you aren't supposed to use a lap belt with the booster (Check the NHTSA website about car seats)

Are you sure your ex is aware of these issues?  It took me quite a bit of digging to find out what the car seat laws are in my state, in some of the US states the law is only 3 years, a lot of states have moved to 60 lbs and 6 years but this is fairly recent.  And from reading the above post, I guess there are states that go up higher than that.  I have a neighbor whose is a deputy and he wasn't even sure if our state had gone to 60lbs and 6 years old  

If you want to see the laws by state, you can go to //www.hwysafety.org

While I think safety is extremely important, I also think you need to keep things a little in perspective, it wasn't that long ago that mother's brought babies home in their arms in the car.  Of course today that would never happen.

10 years ago, you would probably never even thought twice about a 4 year old not being in a booster seat - probably even just 5 years ago.

In 5 more years people are going to probably think horrible things about people that have their child in a car that isn't equiped with the LATCH system.
Title: Three things right
Post by: Davy on Jan 26, 2005, 04:50:56 PM


"Unfortunately he is not communicative and never listens to what a woman has to say. Women are second class."

At least he has 3 things rights !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How does that sound to ya ?  

What is the point of your sarcastic male bashing remarks is the midst of a discussion on child car seats ??
Title: RE: Three things right
Post by: Sunshine on Jan 26, 2005, 11:12:04 PM
I didn't want to point anything in particular. Issue was the car seat. And as I said I do not feel comfortable to have the child sitting in the front without booster. All he needed to do is tell that he goes for a ride with the child and needed our booster. Is that to difficult?

'he is not communicative' was actually my reply in regards to the previous post from JONI where it was asked: Have you spoken with your Ex about it?
 As for the communication, what would you do if your ex doesn't respond, speak, write, or communicate somehow with you, not even about any child related issues? He can hear what I say, but ignores everything.  He picks up the child without saying anything and drops off the same way. He does not keep the visitation schedule, also I told him x-times when his visitation is.  Do you think it is ok that Dad drops of the 4 yr old without even looking if someone is at home, leaving the child alone and unsupervised. Is it to difficult if he just would yell in 'Hello-anybody home' (Communication!)? Can you imagine what the child went through being left alone in the house even if it was just for a few minutes until I ran over from the neighbours because of the screaming?
   
Well and in regards to women and second class, that is exactly what my Ex yelled again and again during our marriage 'Women are second class and have nothing to say, so shut up you fucking bitch' (infront of the child).  So why should he suddently listen?
Here is a real bash: Big Penis - Little Brain!

Good luck!
Title: RE: Three things right
Post by: Davy on Jan 27, 2005, 12:35:05 PM
Ok !  You post concerning a child saftey issue then turn around and immediately answer your own question while belittling the father and at the same time acknowledging that your government provided sole custody of a child to someone unable to handle some of the most elementary of child care matters.  From what you described and as a child focused, nuturing, loving parent this is some of the things I would do for the child.

1.  Provide the child a safety seat
2.  Deliver and pick up the child during visitation exchanges
3.  Tell your government to respect fatherhood providing 50/50 parenting time because it is by far the best for the child
4.  Tell your government to respect motherhood providing 50/50 parenting time because you no longer want to be a low life second class ranting and raving manipulating feminazi bitch with penis envy

This is true sunshine not the sunshine piped up everybody ass !!

Oh ... and good luck .. really !!
Title: RE: Three things right
Post by: formykids on Jan 30, 2005, 09:00:59 PM
id like to say something eloquint about your big peni&=little brain comment,but i cant seem to remember what i was gonna say,so ill just wish you good luck