Small projectiles i.e. cell phone

kphil

Member
I'm working on reducing/eliminating projectile risks in my minivan, and I'm stumped about what to do with my cell phone. I usually have it in a cupholder in the center console, but now I'm very aware that my 6yo in the middle seat would be directly in the line of fire of that thing, and I really don't want a phone thrown at her head :(. Where does everyone else put their phone? I would like it to be somewhere that I could easily get it from the driver's seat, if I needed it.

Kirsten
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
kphil said:
I'm working on reducing/eliminating projectile risks in my minivan, and I'm stumped about what to do with my cell phone. I usually have it in a cupholder in the center console, but now I'm very aware that my 6yo in the middle seat would be directly in the line of fire of that thing, and I really don't want a phone thrown at her head :(. Where does everyone else put their phone? I would like it to be somewhere that I could easily get it from the driver's seat, if I needed it.

Kirsten

There's no guaranteed best spot. Your glove box would work if you could reach it safely, a center armrest console would work as well. Probably if you have a center console that would work best as a glove box can either be crushed closed or popped open after a collision. But if the center armrest console is crushed then you have bigger problems than where your cell phone is.

Otherwise I'd suggest in your back pocket and use an earpiece. Or get a very light cell phone.

I'm going to be interested to see what other people say about this.

Wendy
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Honestly, mine pretty much stays in the center console, but I've never been good about limiting projectiles. Then again, my phone is very small (a Nokia "Shorty"), so I doubt even at 70 mph it's heavy enough to cause any real damage (it only weighs 3 ounces lol). The phone would likely break first.
I do need to get the headset and belt clip for it....
 

Tara

New member
I was going to suggest a center console as well.
I can't keep on top of small projectiles in my vehicle..dh is the king of collecting little 'stuff' in the open console area. Argh!
 

ccjones

New member
I keep my cellphone (Motorola RAZR) in the pocket on the driver-side door. The end of the pocket closest to front of the car is molded in a circle shape because it can used as an extra cup holder, so I just put my phone there. If I need it, I just reach down into the pocket with my left hand and grab it. I do wear the bluetooth ear-piece anytime I'm going to be driving more than 10 minutes, though.

DH installed this gadget in his car for his RAZR. It's voice-activated, so you tell it what to do (answer incoming call, dial "home", etc). It's neat because when you put your phone in speaker-phone mode to talk, it plays over your vehicle's stereo system. http://www.motorola.com/automotive/solution_blnc.html
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
In NY cell phone use while driving is really limited -- since I don't feel like spending the $ for all the gadgets that would make it legal (& safe) for me to talk while driving I just leave it in my purse under the seat ... if it's important they'll leave a voicemail, if not then chances are I didn't want to answer anyway :rolleyes: :p :)
 

Simplysomething

New member
Yeah, mine is generally in my purse too. I don't like to use the thing while driving. Now, my purse is usually in the back, under the carseat (the rf'ing carseat, it's on the floor, I can't fit it under the seat. lol)
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I guess I'm more paranoid about the cell phone. Not about it hitting anyone (I have a slvr, so it weighs nothing) but being able to find it in case of a collision of some sort. I want it near me, not on the road next to me, not crushed in the door, not behind my seat which is now twisted this way and that. I'm scared that I may be pinned in the car, or too hurt to move, and need to call for help. And I've been to too many accident scenes where the contents of the car are either splayed out in the car, or stretched for several feet on the road, or in the ditch, blowing in the wind, etc.

Wendy
 

lovinwaves

New member
I have a van so of course there are a ton of cubbies. I usually keep mine in the cubby in the dash, in the door handle, or in my lap. Sometimes if I am charging it it just lays on the ground of the van plugged in. My phone also is very small. Or I guess I keep in my purse right next to me.
 

Lara

New member
My brick (uh phone) stays in my pocket while im driving, (seriously the thing is a brick, its really heavy). I always had Wendy's concern of not being able to get to it in an emergency, so I just keep it in my pocket.
I have a nokia 6800,
http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/6800

Lara
 

Tara

New member
Mine is actually usually in my bag, which is behind my seat, under or half under the 2nd row. Or in the open part of the console (ours has the 2 cupholders as well as an open area for ??? coin slots and just an open 'catch all' area).
But I think I'll see about putting it in my closed center console. Not much in there but the disc changer and it's still close at hand. The pocket in our door is too far down for me to reach easily/comfortably while driving. In the center console I could flip it up and reach in with both eyes still on the road.
Hmm I'll be looking now for ideas of what to do with the thing. I want it handy, not hiding. I don't like it in my bag behind me. But if I don't think to take it out as I start out, that's where it stays.
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
I keep mine in the cubby under the stereo. . .but. . .I have no delusions that the cubby wouldn't pop open and shoot things left/right/center.


I was thinking way back when I had the college beastie mobile (in the late 80's I drove a '76 4dr. lime green, white soft top Impala - never lost it in the parking lot, did at least 100 mph [more than once :eek: ], could hold my entire dorm's worth of stuff PLUS my friend's dorm fridge and other assorted valuables. . . .:cool: just remembering back. . .the thing was HUGE - my senior year, my dad and I loaded it up and went to park it in the garage for the night. We had to move stuff because it didn't fit in the space he parked his Chevy pickup;) ).

Anywho, it also was "blessed" with an AM radio only, so I took my portable stereo and buckled it into the passenger seat beside me. With all the little pouches for cell phones, I'd think there'd be one you could loop around YOUR seat belt stalk or the passenger seatbelt. Then, in a crash or emergency, it should be near by.
 

Yoshi

New member
Safety info related to this thread

I usually keep my cellphone ON my person at all times because I read a story about someone who was being abducted and luckily for some reason she had put her phone in her pocket that day, so she was able to call 911 from the trunk of the car! If she had left it in her purse, NO one would have saved her in time. Even when I'm at the mall, I'll carry my cell in my jacket pocket as well as my car keys- that way if my purse is ever snatched, at least I have a way home!

Aside from that, I might also mention that projectiles go toward the front of the car in a frontal impact- not backward into the backseat, so most likely if you did crash, the phone would fly into the footwell area, not towards your son in the backseat.
 

Morganthe

New member
My cell is usually kept in the personal 'area' of my diaper backpack with my wallet usually turned off. It sits in the footwell of the front passenger seat. I can reach it if my car is stopped. My daughter and my safety is more important to me than answering a stupid phone.

Sure there's always stories of how someone was saved for having access to their phones, but there are more incidents on record where the driver was distracted by it and couldn't avoid or caused an accident. I"m of the belief that we are trained from a very young age to focus soley on a phone conversation whether or not we're holding on to a handset. We zone out. I already have enough on my mind than worrying about if I'm out of touch for 10 or 20 minutes. The rest of the world can wait until I"m out of the car. It really isn't too much to ask from it :)
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
My phone is small too (Motorola Roker) and it fits in my ashtray in my cupholder area. My ashtray is a small cup looking style that has a lid on it. I also have bluetooth so if I have to use the phone while driving I can keep both hands on the wheel.
 

Kellyr2

New member
I figure there is only so much you can do. I drive a minivan and there are NO enclosed cubbies in it other than the glove compartment, which is too full to be putting stuff in there like my phone. Oh, and a drawer under the passenger seat, but we keep things stored in there, too. So ANYTHING else in my van is just sitting out, and I have no choice about that. I'm working on getting stuff out and keeping it out, but its hard.
I had to laugh though - here people are worried about their cell phones flying while I"m still trying to convince dh that keeping our camp chairs that we use twice a week for soccer practice and games IN the van all week long is just not safe. I keep telling him that if we had a rollover, those chairs would go flying and would crush a skull and he just rolls his eyes. He's on board with me with the carseats, but he just doesn't get the projectile risk thing at all.

Anyway, my phone is always either in my pocket or in the diaper bag.
 

Tara

New member
Kelly...we have the chairs in the back too!! Argh! Same thing with my hubby...he tolerates the car seat talk (actually, very supportive, just not as 'crazy' as me so tires of the talk quickly, but will get me whatever seat I say I want for the kids..*if* we indeed need a new one, the only stipulation..anywho..) but the projectiles..yeah, still working on that.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
roflol
I consider it a huge victory that dh doesn't leave his tools in the car after he's finisghed using them any more. lol I gues he got the message when I started leaving them in the driveway. :rolleyes:
 

lovinwaves

New member
roflol
I consider it a huge victory that dh doesn't leave his tools in the car after he's finisghed using them any more. lol I gues he got the message when I started leaving them in the driveway. :rolleyes:

I guess I am pretty lucky..my DH can't stand to leave ANYTHING in the vehicle when we get home. He is almost obsessed with "gathering" everything up. It cracks me up. He even turns the radio off, and the ventiliation off. He is pretty car obsessed (well, I guess so am I :D )

Yeah, my DH can only handle "so much" CPS talk. Bless his heart though he knows how passionate I am about it!
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
LOL

Despite all the crashes we've had - including rolling my Astro a few years ago, we're bad about projectiles. But after the work bench I bought dh for Christmas was completely ruined in the roll over, dh has paid a little more attention. Especially since I nearly had my shoulder taken out by an unsecured custom center console with a TV in it. :eek:
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top