Worst Car Seat Misuse Ever?

Mugsmom

New member
I took my kiddos out for a walk yesterday and happened to look up as a car was passing, going about 35 mph on a major street. It was a guy driving a convertible Mustang with the top down, and in the backseat was a girl about the size of a 7 yr. old, and she was FF in a convertible carseat. The top of her head was well above the back of it (and above the back of the car's seat), and she was leaning forward by about 6 inches. There was NO HARNESS or seatbelt on her shoulders. :eek: They went by pretty quickly, but I'm assuming he either didn't harness her in at all, or just put it around her legs. It's one of those situations when you wonder why they even bothered to use a carseat.
 
ADS

Cath3114

New member
My friend sent me a picture of one of her friend's kids yesterday (off FB). Expired booster, kid was leaned over asleep, shoulder belt behind her. The kicker? She had a pool floatie ring around her waist. I guess that's the new shield booster?
 

VoodooChile

New member
I think the weirdest one I've ever seen was an elementary -age kid, sitting in an unbuckled, ff infant carrier. I had no words.
 

luckyclov

New member
The worst misuse I've ever seen was probably more a NONuse. I was at a stoplight and saw a kid, maybe 5 or 6, hanging from the top bar thingie of an open top Jeep. Made me sick to my stomach.
 

Dorothy

New member
I saw an 8-10 yo boy leaning over the back of the tailgate of a pickup waving at the cars behind him on a 45 mph, 4-lane stretch of highway through town. The pickup hit a bump, and the kid kind of slipped. My stomach dropped at what could have happened! Then, they passed a police vehicle who apparently saw nothing wrong with the situation.

Sent from my phone using the app :)
 

Lenae

Active member
There is an older SUV on the island and they have a ton of kids. I constantly see a kid laying in the dash. DH is a firefighter and works in the same building as the police here. He was told to let it go, they won't do anything.
 

lourdes

Well-known member
One day when I was picking up DD from preschool I saw a 2 y/o from the preschool leaving in the front seat, standing with her hands on the dash, of course she was not even buckle.
 

krystin_21a

New member
My mother had a Boppy shoved under an Evenflo basic infant seat because that was the only way she felt she could get a good recline for my premature nephew. She was also using the LATCH connectors and the seat belt for the install. Her and my brother also tried installing a Scenera center with LATCH in her Prius. Thankfully the connectors were not long enough and they used a seatbelt.

And then finally, and even though this is not as bad as pp, a one year old in a no back booster compounded with the fact that her mother left her in the car alone so that she could bring the older ones to school and it was aBout 15 degrees and snowing outside, just made me sick. What made it worse was that I stayed parked next t o the car to keep an eye on her and when her mother and her mothers friend came out they waved to her like it was no big deal. I believe someone did turn her in though because we received a school wide email with the law attached and how it was illegal and that they would turn in offenders.
 

lovemybabybug

New member
That seems to be the norm here in Brazil. Car seats just placed in the car, not installed or anything, and the child placed in the car seat and not being buckled. Double projectile to say the least. It makes me sick to my stomach when I am going all car seat nutty and installing our MA rear facing for a 10 block ride, and my 2 year old cousins are on someone else's laps, or sitting unbuckled in their uninstalled car seats. Also a cousin of mine has a booster that she uses for all or her nephews and nieces and kids she babysits. Mind you they are all under 3. And last year when I came they were 19 months and already riding in boosters. Which doesn't even matter anyway, because again, half of the time they are just sitting in it, not buckled at all. Infant babies ride in infant seats unbuckled also. The parents will layer the car seat with blankets to keep baby cozy and comfy :eek:
 

NatesMamma

New member
I see A LOT of nonuse here. We have a very big Hispanic/Mexican population, and from what I understand, carseats haven't quite caught on in much of Mexico yet. :shrug-shoulders: I just try not to look too much. :(

Although the worst I have ever seen was a mom driving through the parking lot of an upscale shopping center on her way out while breastfeeding her infant. :mad: That one pissed me off to no end.
 

ntrenary

Active member
My mother had a Boppy shoved under an Evenflo basic infant seat because that was the only way she felt she could get a good recline for my premature nephew. She was also using the LATCH connectors and the seat belt for the install. Her and my brother also tried installing a Scenera center with LATCH in her Prius. Thankfully the connectors were not long enough and they used

I think this is similar to what my sister did with her twins infant buckets. She buckled the base in with the seat belt, then instead of clicking the bucket in she reclined it to where she thought it should be, and used the latch straps to hold the bucket on the base and held the latch straps together with those cheap rock climbing clips you find in the Walmart checkout isle.

Once the twins were old enough for convertibles, she only buckled the harness around their legs. Now that they're in boosters, 1/2 the time they're not buckled in and when they are the backrest is way too low for them.
 

Mugsmom

New member
That's all so weird, and sad. I guess a lot of people think carseats are more for comfort than safety.

Last week our niece told me that she got tired on the way to visit us and had to lie across the backseat. She's 7, and not boostered. They were driving an hour on a major freeway. :(
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
see I get non use by people who don't know better... it's this lack of common sense (I mean, to some extent misuse is always based on not knowing better, but to buy a seat obviously wrong, not remotely use it the way the manual says... I just don't get this)
that makes me bonkers.

especially boosters... they're just so... typically... EASY to figure out. Like today, when I had to use dh's car for the first time since we decided Ruthie needed more time before using the harmony nbb there all the time... I look in my rearview mirror... her shoulder is super close to the bottom of the guide, peaking over when she shrugs... when I get to a red light, I turn around and look... the belt is definitely no longer starting above her shoulder and looks like it might be coming from below...

SO... when we get to where we need to be, I (before we even get out of the car) push the passenger seat forward so she can stand up in front of it, I turn it, adjust it up a notch, put it back, and have her sit down to check that I didn't make an oops and raise it to the next (and last) notch)... all was good... so we went in... when we came out, I still double checked that she hadn't been sitting with her shoulders extra high like she sometimes tries to do when I tell her to sit up straight... nope, fit was good, we were good to go... but seriously... it's just common sense with boosters... the belt should fit them... if it doesn't, something's wrong and needs adjusted.
 

jasminegrl

New member
I sold my old travel system earlier in the week and I was super glad instead of trashing it when she got here. Her 2 mo old was riding around in the arms of another person. There was no seat in the car period.
 

abreuer88

New member
My cousin in the states had a 4 month old baby in an expired graco bucket with like 4 layers of clothes on, and a bundle me thing. It was a rear adjust harness and it was so loose, like I could fit a fist under each strap for sure. Made me so sad..
 

TarynB

New member
My ex husband had my 9 month old in a RF Evenflo not even buckled in because he couldn't get the straps on him. I admit that seat was a PITA and the harness stuck but still. They had been over 3 hours away driving at highway speeds. I'm assuming Bobby rode that way both ways.

Worst part? He couldn't figure out why I was so pissed over it.

He also won't use a booster for Bobby now but at least he can pass the 5 step in maybe 50% of vehicles(he's 9 and knows how to sit) so maybe he fits. He rides in a booster in my car, my parents' cars and my MIL's car. He passes the 5 step in my boyfriend's car so no booster there.
 
the worse I've seen while actually my mom saw and told me was newborn 4 pound twins sharing a Infant bucket their mom said they had to share because the seat had a 5 pound minimum weight
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
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