Moms who do not buckle

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 9, 2006

• #1

Myself and five other moms who live in my neighborhhod started a moms night out. We go somewhere every other Thursday. The first time we went out I drove everyone in my Volvo wagon. Two up front, 2 in the middle, and two in the rear. Before starting the car I asked everyont to bucke. The two mom's in the middle flat out refused to wear their lap and shoulder belts in the back seat.

Last night another woman drove all of us in her van. Again the two women, this time in the third row refused to buckle again. I asked them to even though it was not my car, because the are a danger to everyone else in the vehicle.

How can they have such litttle respect for themselves and others with them? How can they not try to set a good example for their kids? Should I continue to ride with them? Should I allow them in my car again? Interested in seeing what you think.

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• Jun 9, 2006

• #2

Sorry - in my car you buckle up or you ride with someone else. If you want to kill yourselves, fine, but you will not risk my life.

(Not *you* you, generic you. lol)

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Jun 9, 2006

• #3

I've run into this before with some family members and friends, and I simply won't put my car in gear unless every occupant is buckled into their respective seatbelt or car seat. If they won't use the seatbelt in my car, they can walk because I won't drive them, and I wouldn't ride with them in their car either if they don't buckle up. It's too risky as you said not only to themselves but to others in the vehicle. Nothing like being safely buckled up only to be hurt or worse by another unrestrained human projectile in a crash. The human projectile terminology has gotten some of my formerly reluctant to buckle up passengers to cooperate.

 

shellebelle

Senior Community Member

• Jun 9, 2006

• #4

While I rarely have a problem with getting people to buckle up in my car, the offenders usually comply when I tell them that I'll let them get a head start walking.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 9, 2006

• #5

I was amazed they both flat out refused. I asked them about the policy for passengers in their cars and they both said they make their kids wear seat belts but neither one of them do. They are both very nice, i just thought they were smarter than that.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Jun 9, 2006

• #6

I agree. In my car you buckle. I will, and have, sit there and wait for someone to buckle up.

I wouldn't ride with them again. Tell them that you're not interested in having adult projectiles in your car, they can buckle up or they can drive themselves.

Wendy

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jun 9, 2006

• #7

Tell them that in a 30 mph crash their 130 pound bodies (or whatever they really weigh) will become almost 4,000 pounds (TWO TONS) of force flying forward to hit anyone else in the vehicle. They are DEADLY PROJECTILES when unrestrained. Tell them it's just fine if they don't care about their own lives, but you will not let them jeopardize the lives of everyone else in the vehicle.

That's what I've told my Nana, my best friend and my brother-in-law. No one else has been so bold to try to get away without buckling up. They all know how I am about vehicle safety and won't cross me on it, in MY vehicle.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 10, 2006

• #8

What about the Law?

Where I live passengers are required by law to be buckled up. If they aren't and are caught the driver is considered responsible. (Gets the points and has to pay the fine.) So, since they won't listen to reason - why not see if the law is on your side and use that as the reason they must buckle up?

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 10, 2006

• #9

Good point about state laws, but some laws require seatbelts for front seat occupants only, while the laws of physics apply to every occupant. Some insurance companies offer a discount if you agree everyone in your car will always use a seatbelt. Presumably an unrestrained occupant would be in violation of an insurance policy with a seatbelt use clause, giving you extra leverage for everyone buckling up beyond the fundamental laws of physics and state laws.

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Jun 10, 2006

• #10

Not buckling up equals not riding in my vehicle. Period.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jun 10, 2006

• #11

In Oregon the driver only gets the ticket for an unrestrained passenger if that passenger is under 16 (or is it 18? Not sure now!). Anyone older than that is responsible for their own ticket, so convincing an adult to buckle up because of the ticket isn't always easy. Explaining the projectile dangers has always convinced my passengers to wear their seatbelt.

 

D

Dawn

New member

• Jun 11, 2006

• #12

I would be straight forward and tell them that it is for everyones safety that they buckle up. If they don't like it and it makes other moms uncomfortable I would let them drive on there own.
I also wanted to add that you need to check your Volvo manual about your third seat. Ours states "The Volvo Auxiliary Seat is fitted with three-point seat belts and is designed for children between 50-88 pounds and 59 inches tall". Mine is older so it may have changed.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 12, 2006

• #13

Thanks. I will check the manual. I wasn't aware of that.

 

C

childrestraintsafety

Guest

• Jun 12, 2006

• #14

Wow the mentality is unbelievable!

Why would people NOT want to use a seatbelt? It's second nature for me to buckle up, if I didn't I'd feel loose and it wouldn't feel 'natural' lol. Mind you, it's the law in my country to wear one, and if you're caught not wearing it, you get an instant $150 fine. I think ages 15 and upwards, they are responsible for themselves though and THEY get the fine if they're caught. But like I said, I just can't understand why someone wouldn't want to buckle up, not that hard really.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Jun 12, 2006

• #15

In my vehicle, I don't start the engine until everyone is buckled ... in other vehicles I refuse to join unless everyone buckles.

When they ask why I explain that in a 30 MPH crash a person weighing only 100 pounds impacts everyone else in the vehicle with 3,000 (three thousand) pounds of force & that's not a risk I'm willing to take -- I jokingly say something to the effect of "so it's not just your life at risk, but mine as well & I'm just plain selfish" ... although we all here know that's no joke!

 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member

• Jun 12, 2006

• #16

Well, I have to admit to not considering the projectile aspect of things. Just this past weekend, we visited my in-laws, and we had to take my vehicle (a suburban) for everyone to fit into one car when we went somewhere. Neither of my in-laws buckled up. BUT, I do know that my seat belts do not fit my mil, as she is a large woman. I do not have seat belt extensions.

And on another note, I have a dear friend who is like the women spoken about in the OP. She refuses to wear a seat belt. Her reasoning is this...she was in a serious accident when she was 20ish. She was told that had she had her seat belt on, she would of been dead. She hit a tree and was thrown clear of the car with minor injuries. So she's convinced that she's safer. Even her 15yr old son is not buckled in their vehicle most of the time.

I'll take my chances WITH a seat belt, thank you!

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jun 12, 2006

• #17

I'd strongly consider getting a seatbelt extender for MIL and insisting they wear their seatbelts with you. In my CPST class we were shown videos of unrestrained passengers (adults and kids), and it isn't pretty. The bodies fly all over the vehicle, slamming into everything. That's THOUSANDS of pounds of force slamming into any other passengers.

The vast majority of people who are thrown out of a vehicle during a crash die. Period. The fact that she survived is a fluke, a miracle. Not evidence that being unrestrained is safer.

 

C

cantech

New member

• Jun 14, 2006

• #18

Statistics show you are twice as likely to die if you are in a collision with an unrestrained occupant in the vehicle with you. There is a fabulous Irish PSA out there on the net that really gets the point accross! I'll try to locate it and post the link later. Personally no belt no travel! Period! And I would walk myself before I would allow someone to risk my life so needlessly!

 

C

cantech

New member

• Jun 14, 2006

• #19

As promised...If anyone can ride in a vehicle without a seatbelt after watching this don't ride with them.

http://www.mojoflix.com/Video/Wear-Your-Seat-Belt.html

 

H

Hannah

Guest

• Jun 14, 2006

• #20

cantech said:

As promised...If anyone can ride in a vehicle without a seatbelt after watching this don't ride with them.

http://www.mojoflix.com/Video/Wear-Your-Seat-Belt.html

Click to expand...

How scary! I should show that to DH who has gotten into the habit of not buckling (he'll even buckle the PASSENGER side seatbelt into the driver's side to stop the beeping...sheesh!).