Kid Driver

[lovemykidstoo]

I live in a 4 street neighborhood. Three streets go north and south and 1 street goes east and west. One of my dcb's lives on the street that goes east and west. His house basically is at the end of my street on the east and west street. So, he's about 6 houses away. When dad drops him off or picks him up, he lets dcb (4 yrs old) sit on his lap and drive. I have made comments about it before and this morning he came in driving. I know it's only 6 houses, but it doesn't take a high speed impact for the airbag to go off. What do you do if anything in this case?

[Blackcat31]

I live in a 4 street neighborhood. Three streets go north and south and 1 street goes east and west. One of my dcb's lives on the street that goes east and west. His house basically is at the end of my street on the east and west street. So, he's about 6 houses away. When dad drops him off or picks him up, he lets dcb (4 yrs old) sit on his lap and drive. I have made comments about it before and this morning he came in driving. I know it's only 6 houses, but it doesn't take a high speed impact for the airbag to go off. What do you do if anything in this case?

I'd let dad know I am a mandated reporter.

Whether he stops or not, it up to him.

[LysesKids]

I live in a 4 street neighborhood. Three streets go north and south and 1 street goes east and west. One of my dcb's lives on the street that goes east and west. His house basically is at the end of my street on the east and west street. So, he's about 6 houses away. When dad drops him off or picks him up, he lets dcb (4 yrs old) sit on his lap and drive. I have made comments about it before and this morning he came in driving. I know it's only 6 houses, but it doesn't take a high speed impact for the airbag to go off. What do you do if anything in this case?

As a mandated reporter I would call it in; if you don't and something happens and the state finds out you knew, it could hurt your business if not get you shut down or worse.

[Cat Herder]

It may also be an HOA issue if no tax dollars went into the road construction in your neighborhood.

You could try to push "reckless/negligent".

That can be enforced on any roadway.

[Josiegirl]

Ugh, why do people do these kinds of things?? Sit on ride-on mowers, ride on ATVs, drive a car....I had a wife(an R.N.) of a pediatrician who used to allow her little boy, around 3 yo at the time, to ride in the back of their car up by the rear windshield, on their road. Their road is very curvy, not even 1/2 mile but just why?? I'm always of the what if mentality. Then I had another dcm who was a doctor. She and her dh took a trip a few states away and their baby screamed in the car. So what's dcm do? Well, the only sensible smart thing to do held her baby in her lap instead of strapped safely in the carseat. :confused: I remember when my eyes popped out of my head hearing that, she reassured me 'oh don't worry, if something had happened I would've lived with the guilt the rest of my life.' And that made it all okay how?? Some people are so far down the denial road they don't think twice about their stupid actions.

[daycarediva]

Ugh. I hate when I see safety issues because I MUST speak up. Even if you place blame elsewhere- hey dcd many of the parents have mentioned seeing Jr in the drivers seat after pick ups. You might rethink that before you get into trouble.

Sadly trouble trumps serious injury, but whatever.

[Mike]

Ugh. I hate when I see safety issues because I MUST speak up. Even if you place blame elsewhere- hey dcd many of the parents have mentioned seeing Jr in the drivers seat after pick ups. You might rethink that before you get into trouble.

Sadly trouble trumps serious injury, but whatever.

That's true. Tell em child could get hurt and they would say they know what they're doing. Tell em they could get in trouble and at least they will think.

[lovemykidstoo]

That's true. Tell em child could get hurt and they would say they know what they're doing. Tell em they could get in trouble and at least they will think.

I've told him multiple times all it's going to take is someone backing out of their driveway and hitting them and that airbag is going to do very serious damage. They're not real bright.

[storybookending]

I would tell him I’m a mandated reporter and if I saw it again report it.

Growing up we did this and also drove around on the lawnmowers (blades up) and 4 wheelers alone WAYY to young. We would ride in the back of the truck too. I would never allow my own kids to do the things I grew up with as normal.

[Country Kids]

Ugh, why do people do these kinds of things?? Sit on ride-on mowers, ride on ATVs, drive a car....I had a wife(an R.N.) of a pediatrician who used to allow her little boy, around 3 yo at the time, to ride in the back of their car up by the rear windshield, on their road. Their road is very curvy, not even 1/2 mile but just why?? I'm always of the what if mentality. Then I had another dcm who was a doctor. She and her dh took a trip a few states away and their baby screamed in the car. So what's dcm do? Well, the only sensible smart thing to do held her baby in her lap instead of strapped safely in the carseat. :confused: I remember when my eyes popped out of my head hearing that, she reassured me 'oh don't worry, if something had happened I would've lived with the guilt the rest of my life.' And that made it all okay how?? Some people are so far down the denial road they don't think twice about their stupid actions.

I loved riding in the rear window of the car growing up!! Also my friends parents had a VW bug and rode a lot in the little back area of it on the way to and back from California as a teenager.

Always sat on my dads lap driving and it wasn't thought of any different.

Good Times!!!

When my daughter was born and we were going home, we couldn't get the car seat figured out and my daughter was screaming. My mom asked if I could just hold her so she would calm down on the ride home.

You have to remember-some generations grew up without all the safety features and some parents still figure it is fine.

[hwichlaz]

I loved riding in the rear window of the car growing up!! Also my friends parents had a VW bug and rode a lot in the little back area of it on the way to and back from California as a teenager.

Always sat on my dads lap driving and it wasn't thought of any different.

Good Times!!!

When my daughter was born and we were going home, we couldn't get the car seat figured out and my daughter was screaming. My mom asked if I could just hold her so she would calm down on the ride home.

You have to remember-some generations grew up without all the safety features and some parents still figure it is fine.

While true, we live in the Information Age now, and know better.

[lovemykidstoo]

I loved riding in the rear window of the car growing up!! Also my friends parents had a VW bug and rode a lot in the little back area of it on the way to and back from California as a teenager.

Always sat on my dads lap driving and it wasn't thought of any different.

Good Times!!!

When my daughter was born and we were going home, we couldn't get the car seat figured out and my daughter was screaming. My mom asked if I could just hold her so she would calm down on the ride home.

You have to remember-some generations grew up without all the safety features and some parents still figure it is fine.

The problem now is that there are air bags that come out at least at 185 mph when you get in an accident. That alone would do serious if not fatal damage to a 4 year old that is sitting 6 inches away from the steering wheel.

[Josiegirl]

The problem now is that there are air bags that come out at least at 185 mph when you get in an accident. That alone would do serious if not fatal damage to a 4 year old that is sitting 6 inches away from the steering wheel.

It's recommended safer for under 12 yo to sit in the back seat for this reason. What so many of us did growing up was so different than nowadays. When did they install seat belts in cars? Or make car seats mandatory?
Yes, we were damn lucky to survive. But many didn't. And it seems like with progress comes speed, knowledge, and more risks=stupidity(cell phone usage during driving, more distractions, speeding, DUI, road rage).

[Annalee]

This should be reported definitely simply because of being a mandated reporter! I reported a dcd for picking up his dcb4 on a motorcycle once and was told as long as the child had a helmet this was legal

[LysesKids]

Maybe not legal Annalee... I just found this in the TN motorcycle manual

IMPORTANT NEW LAW ON CARRYING MOTORCYCLE PASSENGERS: Effective July 1, 2012, it is a Class C misdemeanor to carry a child as a passenger on a motorcycle whose feet are not on footpegs. This law does not apply to persons riding in a motorcycle sidecar. (2012 Public Chapter 907).