Would you let your 2 & 4yr old in a car without carseats?

Bit of background first - DD's & I are on holidays with family interstate, and Ive mainly been driven around by Mum (as my parents only have one car) and they have proper seats for my girls.

Anyway, today we were visiting with IL's and DH's extended family (even though DH didn't travel with us) and Mum dropped us off. We all decided to go out for coffee - there was a cafe just down the road - about 10-15mins walk away, so I said great - my girls & I will walk.

Now everyone made a big deal - because I wouldn't accept a lift with anyone - because no-one had carseats! They were insisting it was "just down the road" and "we have seatbelts, they'll be alright" - but to me, they are only 4 and 2 - and apart from it being illegal, I just refuse to take a chance like that!

It was a lovely day, and I was really happy to walk - so what was the problem?

I guess Im asking for people's opinions here, because I was being made to feel like I was the unreasonable one, when I felt totally justified wanting to walk!

What would you have done?

i would have walked!!

Nope, I would have worked or not went.

Its ILLEGAL for a reason!

you totally did the right thing hun. good on you.

anything could have happened in that short trip.

I would have done exactly the same!!! No way would I risk my child for a coffee, which is what they were asking you to do! Only in the case of an emergency (ie rushing to a hospital, escaping a fire etc) would I ever consider not using a correct restraint.

Same as you- I would have walked.


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No way! I would have walked too.

I would have walked too

Well done SS for sticking to your guns, I would have done the same and it astounds me that some are willing to ignore the restraint laws so easily - especially when its their own flesh and blood, they should be ashamed!!

eeekk! No way would I put my little ones in the car like that, even if it was just to go up the street!

You did the right thing x

I'm with you, don't feel like you were in the wrong - you were in the right - I can't believe they would even try and talk you into something that could have a disastrous ending! The law is there for a very good reason to protect our children! I wouldn't even consider putting my kids in the car without car seats.

definitely would have walked.

Thanks guys. I guess its silly of me to worry about being "too safe" with my girls Lol
It just baffles me how people can be so blase' about stuff like that!

Would definitely have walked - you did the right thing. I can't believe anyone gave you grief for taking the safe option!

Interestingly, I remember reading our RAA (same as RACQ) magazine a few years back and there was an article that a high percentage of accidents happen within a km or so from home (as people relax as they know the roads well and dont pay as much attention as they should)

I would have walked, you did the right thing babe.
Some people have no idea, it's illegal for a reason!


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Yep, definitely did the right thing and NOT unreasonable.. I can't believe they would even try to talk you into it. :(

I prob would have walked too however, when all of us (well most of us) were 2 or 4 we would have travelled every day without a car seat and we have all survived.

FYI

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Wearing car seat belts has only been compulsory in Australia since the 1970s and this is when restraints for children began to come onto the market. Babies were either held in arms or travelled in a traditional bassinet that lay across the back seat, secured by the seatbelt with a protective net over the top. There was no really secure way to protect babies in a smash until the baby capsule was developed in 1984.

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I would have walked as well, there are laws for a reason. Well done on sticking to guns.

Oh my god I have taken my 2yo and 4yo nieces without car seats. My DD is only 15 months, I had no idea of the ages they require seats till. I thought they were old enough! Ohh I feel terrible.
WHen is the law till? SIL doesn't even own a car seat for her 4yo??

I think it is till they are 7 and not allowed in the front seat unless it's a ute. The 4 year old should be in a harness in a raised seat etc.

When DD1 was born we had no special seats but a net over the bassinet held down with the seltbelt. Safety is si much better these days

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It just baffles me how people can be so blase' about stuff like that!

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HotI's point is a good one I guess and I hadn't thought about the history of car seats. Perhaps the family members were bringing up kids before the law was enacted and "did it all the time in their day" and also had that relaxed attitude that another poster mentioned when close to home. I doubt they were viewing the issue as one of safety (even though it is) but of convenience.

On HotI's point, my mum ripped the front passenger seat out of her mini and drove me around in my bassinet when I was a newborn :o

ETA: I still would have walked but regardless you had a strong opinion about what felt right for your kids and you stuck to it. That's the most important thing here.

I'd better tell my SIL to get a seat for her 4yo!

And yes, previous generations just don't understand the safety issues. My mum still harrasses me to hold DD on my lap in her car.

I'd better tell my SIL to get a seat for her 4yo!

And yes, previous generations just don't understand the safety issues. My mum still harrasses me to hold DD on my lap in her car.

Would definitely have walked. You did the right thing and its a shame that you were made to feel bad for making the right decision.

It sounds like exactly what I would have done (and have done in the past). I HATE the reactions I get, but the safety of my child is more important than what they think of me.
Once I got really upset because I was visiting family and I had asked them to provide a car seat for DS, which they were more than happy to do. I gave them his weight and height measurements. He was only 2 and they turned up at the airport with a really dodgy seat with the foam all broken for an old child (just a simple booster seat). I told them I would buy one if they couldn't get one, but they insisted. I was so angry, I went down to the shops and bought a new one and although they never said anything I know exactly what they were thinking, but I didn't care.

not a chance....

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On HotI's point, my mum ripped the front passenger seat out of her mini and drove me around in my bassinet when I was a newborn :o

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My folks a cotton netting thing that went over the cane basket that the baby travelled in -and that was considered safe as! I remember ducking down in the back of the station wagon becasue we had too many kids and not enough seat belts. No boosters or car seats at all. And we were ducking to avoid a fine from the police, not for any reasons of safety. THose were the days....

Gawd, I was just telling my DH today that my Dad used to have a panel van and us three kids would sit on the mattress in the back, totally unsafe - god knows what action that mattress had seen before we came along :ROFL:

In all seriousness though, our parents just weren't educated and obviously the technologies to create safe car seats for children/babies just weren't around. Not that thats an excuse for family to poo-poo your decision not to take the risk, unfortunately the mantra "back in my day we did it and nothing happened to us" is trotted out by the older generation way too often to justify updated guidelines/laws on things, rather than looking at the fact the new information/studies and research has been done to find a better way of doing things.

You did the right thing!

Firstly i havent read any of the other replies so sorry if im repeating anyone :)

But, NOPE, there is no way i would let my chidlren in a car without the proper restraints, I dont care if its 2 secs to the next drive way, something could and may happen in a blink of an eye. no matter where you are.

you know whats best for your girls and yourself, if people cant respect the say over the choices of such issues then im sorry but thats just abit to bad, to think that putting young children in the car for even a short trip with no proper seating, is not only illegal and dangerous, but could end up being the only difference between life and death and i would never allow anyone to put my kids in any such situation.

Sorry i sound very harsh, i do apologise, but this is something im veyr passionate about, as i have seen so many "oh its just down the road" fatalities, (dads a tow truck driver) to know there is no such thing as "just down the rd"..

...And OS they fit child seats in the front passenger seat also...

In answer to the OP, I would have walked, and a 2 yo, no way, but a 4 year old? Not sure - not to anywhere walking distance though.

My 3.5 year old travels now in a Volvo booster, which has no sides etc and is safer than a regular booster apparently...

in the good old days . . . . many more children DIED in car accidents, due to not being restrained safely.

and yes, i'm here to tell the tale, (born before 1970), but that is more good luck (and my mother not having a driving license, we walked everywhere, except rare ocassions on the weekend, when dad took us out in his car).

people do get used to change.
in the good old days, no-one wore bike helmets. Now everyone does. Including people from older generations.

in the good old days, few recycled. Now councils provide everyone with recycle bins and most people use them. Including people from older generations.

so this "being from older gen" excuse does not wash with me.

OP, you did the right thing. No-one will protect your child, like you do. Shame on those people for pressuring you to put your kids at risk.

My friends 3yr died last year going for a trip to the local shop with her granddad ( :( that hurts my heart to type that sentence). My friend didnt even know her dad had taken her out, the crash wasnt his fault,but if she was properly restrained she would have lived. There is no excuse these days for not having kids in proper restraints. Yes as kids we werent, but the world is very different, cars/society/attitude to speed is all so very different. You did the right thing, why people feel the need to put childrens lives at risk for the sake of saving a few minutes is beyond me.

In Singapore DS was in a taxi all the time with no car seat, just seatbelt. He was about 2. There it was OK (well not really...but according to their laws) but there is not a snowballs chance in hell I would do it in Australia! I am in Jersey now, where the speed limit on the entire island does not exceed 60kph and I don't like that DS has only got a booster seat where the normal seat belt holds him in. I would have walked too!

funny, i was wondering if it was just me too. We went to a friends on friday, they live just nearthe river and we were all heading down there for a bbq. we had a heap of stuff so DH said he would drive down with the esky etc and everyone else was going to walk down. DD wanted to go with our friend and i said it was fine. i was going to go in the car with dh casue it was hot and i didnt fancy walking down with the baby. we get down to the river and they arnt there yet, dh rings,the have gone in the car to one of the other girls houses to get something....with DD...with NO car seat...without asking. i was pretty upset, luckily they realised how upset i was and managed to borrow a carseat of the neighbour for the way back, but i wasnt happy.

My dads best friend took his neighbours kid for a ride up and down thier road casue he had a new car and the boy wanted a go. the child was 7 and they had a freak accident, the child was killed and my dads friend went to jail for three years. so sad for all. and it sticks in my head when i think about traveling in cars with kids!!

in reply to your question....i would have walked too.

I would have walked or not gone too.
It's just not a big deal, I don't know why they even made a fuss, you weren't asking them to walk.

Saying that though, I have had my kids in without a car seat in a taxi once. It was an emergency though and our car was being services at the time.


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I would have walked as well. Apart from it being the law to be in carseats it is not safe so why risk it for any amount of time..

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so this "being from older gen" excuse does not wash with me.

OP, you did the right thing. No-one will protect your child, like you do. Shame on those people for pressuring you to put your kids at risk.

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It really annoys me too. So what if they are old? There is no excuse to be ignorant and argue with someone over decisions they make for the safety of their children. I don't drink when pregnant but my FIL can't get his head around the notion of going without ANY alcohol. I hear the excuse that he is from a generation where it was OK, just let it go... but I don't see why I should. He needs to get over it and stop offering me drinks and asking if I am sure about my decision every 5 minutes.

That was a little off the point :lol:, I have taken my children unrestrained in a taxi when it was legal to do so, but I never would if walking was an option. They have changed the taxi laws and you need restraints in them too now. The thing that bugs me is that they made you feel bad about your decision when it was the right decision and it is entirely yours to make. Don't feel bad!

In Victoria it is still legal to travel in taxis with kids without car seats

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http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/...Restraints.htm
Do we need a child restraint in a taxi?
By law, taxi drivers do not have to provide child restraints or booster seats. However, they must ensure there is at least one anchor fi tting ready for passengers who wish to supply their own. If you can, take your child’s restraint with you.

Children under 1 year do not have to use a child restraint, but they must travel in the back seat.
Children over 1 year should be seated in their own seating position in a taxi, with their own properly fastened seatbelt if no suitable child restraint or booster seat is available in the taxi.

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ETA in taxis. oops, sorry about that.