How bad is this? Call the police bad?

SwingMom · Nov 4, 2010

I was driving behind a little Ford pickup earlier and noticed there was something weird with the car seats in the back.

Driver side had a seat installed facing the center of the vehicle and a child apx. 1.5 - 2yrs of age in it. The seat didn't have SIP; his whole head was visible through the rear window, which had to be mere inches from him. I can just imagine what would happen if the car was impacted from front or rear.

Passenger side wasn't better. There was a 4 or 5yo in that seat with her head much lower than the boy in the car seat, so I'm pretty sure she wasn't in a booster, but even if she were, it would have had to be a backless one, because her head was about half visible through the window as well.

I wrote down her license plate, but I don't know who to call about this. Do any of you techs have thoughts on what I should do? My understanding is that car seats must not be installed in side-facing seats like that, so the kids weren't legal to ride in that vehicle, making this a traffic violation. Is that correct? This was in Oregon, if it makes a difference.

ulrich7 · Nov 4, 2010

I don't know what to tell you, but I saw something similar. The one I saw was, I believe, an infant carrier installed towards the center of the truck (so FF) and the baby in it could lean forward a good 6 inches or more.

wvmommy007 · Nov 5, 2010

I have reported things like that before. I called the nonemergency number for the police (which I only knew because it was posted at my work). I gave them the plate number and location and hoped for the best.

mommyfrog · Nov 5, 2010

I was wondering if you were behind my MIL for a minute there. But nope, you said Oregon!! My MIL does the same thing. I've told her many times that it isn't safe to have car seat in those seats, especially not a booster with a lap belt only. She does it anyway with my two nephews who are 2 and 5. I refuse to let my kids ride with her. They wouldn't be safe or legal. I don't know what to do. In WA we have 1-800-BUCKLUP. We can call or go online when we see somehting like that and the owner of the car will get a letter telling them what unsafe thing was seen and how much the ticket would be if they were pulled over. I need to make up a time and place and turn in my MIL!! Or you could call the police, but I'm not sure it would help much. I've called on people with unrestrained kids and then sat there and waited, never seeing a police.

sunnymw · Nov 5, 2010

We don't have a number here, but if the cops who are safe-kids certified are on duty I wouldn't hesitate to call in two kids in jump seats. They'd be after them in a heartbeat (nothing better to do in this town lol)

Baylor · Nov 5, 2010

It is tough isn't it so see such blatantly bad car seat issues.
It saddens me each day. Today I went to pick my son up from school, The cars are all lined up and I watch as my son's classmates one after the other climb into the front seat and their parents leave. 1st graders and even smaller.. I just don't get it.

SwingMom · Nov 5, 2010

Mommyfrog, that's what I'm wondering; do we have something like your 1 800-BUCKLUP here in the Portland Metro area??

How bad is this? Call the police bad?

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