So my kids have been going to the same summer day camp for several years now. DS1 started when he was 7 and I always provided him with a booster to take when they went on their daily field trips in their vans (8 or 10? seater vans with lap shoulder belts). He always used it even though he was the only one (CA law used to be no booster after 6).
So now 6 year old DS2 is going to the same camp for the whole summer (he went last year but for just 2 weeks). CA law since 2012 is now that you must have a booster under the age of 8. Again, I've given him a booster to use daily and the counselors assured me that they kept all the boosters together in one room and pulled them out when it was time for the field trips. I told DS2 he wasn't allowed in any van without a booster and to tell a couselor to get his booster if he doesn't see them with it. Day two I pick him up and he tells me he had gone on TWO separate field trips with NO booster! He didn't speak up and not a single kid in the van had a booster (he's in a group with just K and 1st graders so they should ALL have boosters legally). I talked to the co-directer that was there at pick up and told him nobody got DS2's booster and that not a single kid in the van had boosters even though that's illegal. He told me that DS2 wasn't in his van and that he always uses the boosters if the kids bring them. I told him that all children under 8 need to have a booster or they can't go on the field trip, end of story as that's the law. He told me that I needed to talk to the head director, but that he agreed with me.
This morning I talked to the head director and told him that DS2's booster wan't used and that it's illegal to drive kids under 8 without a booster. He tells me that he's pretty sure that "highback commercial vehicles are exempt from having to use boosters!" WHAT! Never heard of that, and how is a van that transports kids all day a commercial vehicle? He talked about how they can't use boosters in their buses they use for the Friday big trips. I told him I understand why buses can't use boosters, but that a van is different. He said they were in the same category! He said he'd double check with his insurance and get back to me and took down DS2's name to make sure that he used his booster today. I went and got DS2's booster out of the room where they stored it and there was only ONE other booster in there! There's at least 20+ 5-7 year olds at the camp!
So what do I need to do? He's completely wrong isn't he? A van driving kids around is not a commercial vehicle is it? Daycares use these types of vans all the time and have to use carseats. And I don't want just DS2 in a booster, I want all those 5-7 year old kids to have a booster and just like we're told at school when there's a field trip, if you're kid doesn't have a booster then they don't get to go on the field trip. The kids have the choice to either stay back at camp or go on the field trips, so staying back is not a problem. All these kids are using boosters in their cars at home so it's not a problem to have them bring their booster with them to camp. Last year when I dropped DS2 off with his booster, another mom saw me and said "oh, I didn't know we could bring boosters." And the next day she left boosters for her 5 and 6 year old sons!
This is the van they use.
So now 6 year old DS2 is going to the same camp for the whole summer (he went last year but for just 2 weeks). CA law since 2012 is now that you must have a booster under the age of 8. Again, I've given him a booster to use daily and the counselors assured me that they kept all the boosters together in one room and pulled them out when it was time for the field trips. I told DS2 he wasn't allowed in any van without a booster and to tell a couselor to get his booster if he doesn't see them with it. Day two I pick him up and he tells me he had gone on TWO separate field trips with NO booster! He didn't speak up and not a single kid in the van had a booster (he's in a group with just K and 1st graders so they should ALL have boosters legally). I talked to the co-directer that was there at pick up and told him nobody got DS2's booster and that not a single kid in the van had boosters even though that's illegal. He told me that DS2 wasn't in his van and that he always uses the boosters if the kids bring them. I told him that all children under 8 need to have a booster or they can't go on the field trip, end of story as that's the law. He told me that I needed to talk to the head director, but that he agreed with me.
This morning I talked to the head director and told him that DS2's booster wan't used and that it's illegal to drive kids under 8 without a booster. He tells me that he's pretty sure that "highback commercial vehicles are exempt from having to use boosters!" WHAT! Never heard of that, and how is a van that transports kids all day a commercial vehicle? He talked about how they can't use boosters in their buses they use for the Friday big trips. I told him I understand why buses can't use boosters, but that a van is different. He said they were in the same category! He said he'd double check with his insurance and get back to me and took down DS2's name to make sure that he used his booster today. I went and got DS2's booster out of the room where they stored it and there was only ONE other booster in there! There's at least 20+ 5-7 year olds at the camp!
So what do I need to do? He's completely wrong isn't he? A van driving kids around is not a commercial vehicle is it? Daycares use these types of vans all the time and have to use carseats. And I don't want just DS2 in a booster, I want all those 5-7 year old kids to have a booster and just like we're told at school when there's a field trip, if you're kid doesn't have a booster then they don't get to go on the field trip. The kids have the choice to either stay back at camp or go on the field trips, so staying back is not a problem. All these kids are using boosters in their cars at home so it's not a problem to have them bring their booster with them to camp. Last year when I dropped DS2 off with his booster, another mom saw me and said "oh, I didn't know we could bring boosters." And the next day she left boosters for her 5 and 6 year old sons!
This is the van they use.