I can't believe how unsafe this looked to me!

I was driving this morning, and while stopped at a red light, a jeep pulled up next to me.
It's hot out, so he had the top off, so it was completely open except for the roll bar and the front windshield. In it, was a child, harnessed,FF in a car seat, kind of looked like the Schwinn Deluxe Cruiser sold at canadian tire......
Anyhow, I was thinking to myself, if that vechile was in an accident or a rollover, I can't even imagine what would happen to that child. The seat was right behind the passenger seat, but maybe jeeps don't have belts in the center position, I don't know. Then I noticed that there was no tether strap either......................plus, the jeep was towing a utility trailer with a HUGE plastic container (like industrial size) with liquid that was sloshing around, and it had a label on it, it was pesticide for canker worm spraying!!!!! Everything about this scenerio was just so wrong!
It's amazing how observant we become as parents/techs etc. Then they drove off, dad puffing away on his cigarette.........

Well, at least he wasn't smoking in an enclosed space...

Yeah, you see the most amazing things once you are sensitized and start noticing the stuff people do.

Most Jeeps don't have center seatbelts, as they are typically four seater vehicles. I think(?) the Unlimiteds might have three in the backseat.
I had a 2003 Wrangler which had full LATCH with tether anchors in both back seat positions.
I grew up riding in the backseat of my aunt's Wrangler, which was old enough to not even have the full roll cage, but only a 45* bar for rear passengers. It also only had lapbelts back there. We never had the top on either. I loved it! That was why I needed my Wrangler!
I personally felt safer in my Wrangler, which is designed to be launched and rolled down a hill while keeping teh passengers safe. I've seen my grandpa's Wrangler after he rolled it down a hillside. He replaced the windows and it is still roadworthy. Try that with any other SUV and it's not going to be drivable!
I personally have a bigger issue with the smoking with the child in the vehicle than with the child being in a Wrangler.

All that said, I did trade my Wrangler in for a more "appropriate" family vehicle. But that was mostly because Wranglers just don't fit two large dogs plus two adults and two car seats well.

I agree with rodentranger. I had a Wrangler for a few years. Really, having the cover on is not going to provide any protection in a crash anyway. Maybe some protection from dirt and bugs flying up, but that's about it.

Well, I suppose it just looked more unsafe than it really is then!
I've learned something new today about Jeeps!

I guess there's a false sense of security being surrounded by steel.........thanks for clarifying!

On hot hot days, I'd love a jeep myself........

dragonfly8 said:

I guess there's a false sense of security being surrounded by steel...

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LOL, if you drive something newer than the early 90s, there's a lot less steel in the body than you think. Remember when Kia first came out and their big marketing tool was how their body panels popped in and out like a pop bottle or milk jug when hit? That's how most cars are made! They have steel (or aluminum) inside to absorb impacts, but the majority of the body (pretty much everything you see) is plastic. It has cut down the rust problem and the overall weight of vehicles though.

I personally would be concerned about the lack of top tether and smoking, though. Especially smoking near chemicals!! Yikes!

Melissa

dogmelissa said:

LOL, if you drive something newer than the early 90s, there's a lot less steel in the body than you think. Remember when Kia first came out and their big marketing tool was how their body panels popped in and out like a pop bottle or milk jug when hit? That's how most cars are made! They have steel (or aluminum) inside to absorb impacts, but the majority of the body (pretty much everything you see) is plastic. It has cut down the rust problem and the overall weight of vehicles though.

I personally would be concerned about the lack of top tether and smoking, though. Especially smoking near chemicals!! Yikes!

Melissa

Click to expand...

Wasn't it Saturn?

Yeah, I realized that after I went to bed last night. Oops!

DS came home in a Celica convertible. Roof on, but we had the roof off a lot. There was not a middle seat.