Is this car situation safe for my child?

My son is 5 1/2 years old. He is my only child, but his father, my ex, has two other children. One is 2 1/2 and the other is just a few days old. When he cam to pick up my son, he was in his 2-door Chevy Cobalt with his wife in the front seat, and his other two children in the back seat. His 2 1/2 was in a booster seat with no back and the newborn was in a pumpkin seat without a base (but strapped in). When my son went to get in the car, it was impossible for him to buckle the seat belt because the seats where too close. "Super Step-Mom" had to climb into the back seat and pry the seats apart in order to buckle him in. I have a few concerns with this, but don't know if I am just being an over-protective mother-
1. A 2 1/2 year old should not be in a booster seat of any kind
2. The safest thing for the newborn is to be strapped in using the base
3. If there were in a car accident and someone hit them from the side, all three car seats would smash together and potentially hurt all children.

Am I being irrational? I am thinking about all the children in this situation and not just mine. It bugs me!!!

What do you think?

ketchupklf

1. You are right on target. A child should not be in a booster seat until at least 4yrs olds & 40 pounds.
Safe use of booster seats:http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/BoosterShop.aspx

2. Most infant seats can safely be installed with or without the base as long as you follow the directions. So that I would have no worry about at all.
Safe use of infant seats: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/infantshop.aspx

3. As long at the belts buckled I wouldn't be worried about the 'close quarters'... however was your child in the middle with a lap belt only? If so... it would have been *much* better to put the infant seat there. A lap only belt will safely install a carseat (not a booster)... but is not nearly as safe as a lap/shoulder combo for a passenger.
Lap belt site: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/lapbelts.aspx

4. Aaaand... a big one you didn't hit at all: Your child should have still been in a booster unless (by some miracle) he passes the '5 step test' that most children do not pass until ages 8-10yrs.
Five step test info: http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

I would not let them transport your child without a booster seat... but when it is on 'his time' that is gonna be tough to 'enforce' without approaching the discussion *very* delicately.

Perhaps the starting point could be the one you didn't catch: "____, I just found out that ____ should really still be in a booster seat so I got him this to take along. Of course those have to be installed with a lap and shoulder belt... would you like to me to help you move the seats around?" (That will be particularly nice if your state law happens to back the 'best practices' and say your son should still be in a booster... if so then you can appeal to the law! Unfortunately not enough of them do.)

Of course it may be best to bring it up before loading the car... and pass on the webpages I gave you. Maybe if they look around the main page (http://www.cpsafety.com/default.aspx ) it will educate them some and solve the problem.

Slim chance maybe... but... it would help so much... as you said... to keep all those kids safer! I wish you well as you work to fix this!

Nathan F

No that doesn't sound safe at all. I don't have kids, but it doesn't sound good to me at all. These products are designed to make the ride safer for the kids, but when you use them the wrong way they can make it even more unsafe than not using them at all. It would be sort of like putting on a bike helmet but not bothering to fasten the straps.

It's probably not the worse violation someone has ever committed, but it's not sensible. If you have kids, you have a responsibility to do what you can to make sure they are safe. They can't use their seats the right way, that's up to the parents.

Sounds like he picked a bad car for someone who has three kids. At least the four-door model would have made it easier to get the kids in and out. Time for someone to get a minivan, I think.

UCANTCME

No you are not and you are correct and this should be mentioned to them for the safety of the children, or either have the "Super Step Mom" not ride with them in such a small vehicle.

alex959er@yahoo.com

I agree with Nathan. A child should be protected while in a vehicle and I would go further and suggest a helmet too. If a child needs one for a bike...

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