That must drive you nucking futs.
Seriously, there are some days where when i'm wheeling them out i mutter a little prayer under my breath b/c it takes a team of angels to safely transport that baby home.
My favorite girl was like 17 and on her 3rd kid (i can say that b/c i started gestating... *cough*.. umm... 15
) Anywhoo after listening to her just screaming and quite literally abusing her older children down the hallway about how "horrible" they were acting. She proceeded to get into this car and put her 1 and 2 year old (and i know their ages, we were talking on the way down) in lap belt only seats with backless boosters. I seriously had a little vomit in my mouth after discharging them. I wish I had something to tell her or someplace free to go to that handed out free car seats that would last you into toddlerhood but we have NOTHING like that here. You get a 3 point almost expired evenflo infant seat (which is sooo better than nothing) and after that, there is nothing for older kids. Of course this mom had the 3 point free seat which is great, but she put it in the front seat so she could see the baby and her older 2 wouldn't "mess" with the baby.
I wish I could say that's a rare scenario, but it's not. It's just something that happens everyday at my hospital.
Half of the moms I can't talk to because we have a HEAVY population of immigrant mothers who can't speak a word of english. I can't speak a word of Spanish so I can't even communicate with them. I've honestly given up. I know everyone on this board is so pro car seat education and whatnot. I've done my share of "on the side" education with parents who seem interested (i can't talk about car seats on my floor b/c the legal department wouldn't approve it) but for the most part, the parents I take care of don't care. It's so sad. I wish I could do something, but no one seems to care.