MomToEliEm
Moderator
I am having some issues with my current daycare in terms of their transportation methods. They currently have 2 passenger vans (the big ones that hold 15 people I think). They use these vans to transport 4 year olds on up to field trips and to and from school. The vans do not have shoulder belts in all seating positions and they have no headrests. Some kids have to sit in seats with lap belts only.
On all the occasions that I have seen these vans in use, I have never seen booster seats used. My oldest DD's class had a field trip recently to the zoo (4 and 5 year olds) and in all the pre-field trip paperwork, there was no mention of parents dropping off booster seats for their kids to use. I thought surely they would say something. Well the day of the field trip arrived, and they just lined all the kids up and loaded them on the van with no booster seats and some kids having to sit in lap belts.
I was not allowing my child to ride on the van (even though she begged) so I drove her myself (she has a britax regant in my car). I mentioned the reason why I was driving my child to the daycare director and she didn't seem phased at all that they might be doing anything wrong. They don't seem to concerned about changing their policy.
Even if the daycare did change the policy and ask parents to supply boosters for their under 8 year old kids, the parents would probably provide backless boosters. Wouldn't backless boosters not be sufficient for the van because there are no headrests on the van seats?
We are in Texas and as long as a child is over 36 inches (my 2 year old is over 36 inches) or 5 years old (whichever comes first), a child does not have to be in a carseat or booster. The daycare is legally able to transport these children with no boosters, but I just feel it isn't safe.
Does anyone here have suggestions on what to do in this situation. Should I push harder to see if the daycare might change their policy. Even if they at least mention to the parents that they can supply booster seats for thier children to use would be better then now where they don't even ask the parents to bring in booster seats.
Thanks,
Katy
On all the occasions that I have seen these vans in use, I have never seen booster seats used. My oldest DD's class had a field trip recently to the zoo (4 and 5 year olds) and in all the pre-field trip paperwork, there was no mention of parents dropping off booster seats for their kids to use. I thought surely they would say something. Well the day of the field trip arrived, and they just lined all the kids up and loaded them on the van with no booster seats and some kids having to sit in lap belts.
I was not allowing my child to ride on the van (even though she begged) so I drove her myself (she has a britax regant in my car). I mentioned the reason why I was driving my child to the daycare director and she didn't seem phased at all that they might be doing anything wrong. They don't seem to concerned about changing their policy.
Even if the daycare did change the policy and ask parents to supply boosters for their under 8 year old kids, the parents would probably provide backless boosters. Wouldn't backless boosters not be sufficient for the van because there are no headrests on the van seats?
We are in Texas and as long as a child is over 36 inches (my 2 year old is over 36 inches) or 5 years old (whichever comes first), a child does not have to be in a carseat or booster. The daycare is legally able to transport these children with no boosters, but I just feel it isn't safe.
Does anyone here have suggestions on what to do in this situation. Should I push harder to see if the daycare might change their policy. Even if they at least mention to the parents that they can supply booster seats for thier children to use would be better then now where they don't even ask the parents to bring in booster seats.
Thanks,
Katy