Carseats on city busses?

robbertbobbert · Oct 30, 2010

My mom is an OBGYN and asked me to post a question here for her.

She said that her hospital requires an appropriate car seat before leaving the hospital (duh).

The part she was wondering about is why they also require a car seat if the mother doesn't own a car and is taking the baby home on the city bus. I could understand the rationale that they will probably ride in a car at some point, but it doesn't seem to me like it's their place to require one if the mother isn't leaving their premises in a car.

Having an uninstalled car seat on a city bus seems like it would do exactly nothing in the event of a collision.

wendytthomas · Oct 30, 2010

You're absolutely right. They cannot actually stop a parent from leaving the hospital without a seat, legally. It's their policy, not law (as long as the parent isn't driving away in a car with the child unrestrained, anyway). Even if a parent got into a car with an unrestrained child, the best they could legally do would be to call the police.

Wendy

robbertbobbert · Oct 30, 2010

hmm, maybe they just tell parents that to bully them into doing it, even if they have no legal authority to require it?

There's always that crazy power dynamic in hospitals.

Pixels · Oct 30, 2010

robbertbobbert said:
Having an uninstalled car seat on a city bus seems like it would do exactly nothing in the event of a collision.

It may do a bit better than nothing. With the child properly strapped in, the child's fragile spine is still supported by the shell. The shell around the sides also acts a little bit like a bubble, protecting the child from injury that way to a certain extent.

I've ridden with DD on a bus. There were no seatbelts or LATCH points, but I placed her in her bucket seat, RFing. Wedged her in between the seats as best I could. If nothing else, it kept her restrained in her familiar seat (I think she was 10ish months then).

I think there is one state that requires hospital staff to check that there is a carseat before discharge. I'm not sure if there are any provisions in that law for further consequences, but I doubt it. They can't hold someone against their will without a court order or a threat (ie 72-hour psychiatric hold).

Carseats on city busses?

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