Mum not putting seatbelts on children when leaving.

[ceegee]

I have a parent who I have witnessed 3 times now just putting her x2 children in their car seats and driving off without doing their seatbelts up.
I've mentioned it twice and on one occasion gone out there and strapped x1 child in myself.

They have correct car seats for their age (14 months and 3 years) but she just plonks them in drives off. Last night I saw 3 year old standing up as she drove off.
Now, when they come out with me they wear their seatbelts with no issues so its not like there's a problem there?
Like I say I've told her a couple of times that she's forgotten belts and done them up myself, but still she persists without seeming to care. She seems a very good and caring mother otherwise.

Suggestions?

[hectors house]

Can't believe that in children this young she isn't strapping them in - I make such a big thing of seatbelts with all my mindees that I think if their parents forgot or didn't bother to strap them in, they would tell the parents that they had forgotten to strap them in. I would come straight out and tell the parent that it is a criminal offence to not use appropriate restraints - they are probably in more danger sitting up higher in the seats without the straps done up than they would be in a car with no seats or seatbelts at all.

[mama2three]

I had a 4 yr old mindee whose dad was the same. I wasnt put in your position as mum collected , walking , but after school I would often see C in the car not belted up.
Im not good at confrontation , and it wasnt directly involving me - so I did a big drive on 'safety' with the kids , really went overboard about how we have to keep ourselves safe , always always wear seatbelts in the car etc.
She was great , made dad strap her in so she was safe , very proud of herself too!!

Would this work with the 3 year old?
If not then Im afraid direct confrontation may be the only option
( or an anonymous call to the police - i keep seeing this car reg at this time with children standing up in it....)

[ceegee]

It has been worrying me quite alot - I only have these 2 children twice a week and my mind is always thinking about them and if she's strapped them up.
When I've mentioned it ive said something like whoops think you've forgotten harness/seatbelt and the one time I did it myself last week the baby harness was so tight I had to loosen it go get over her arms thus making me think she never uses it as it didn't fit without me adjusting it.
Think I might call non emergency police line and ask advice ?

[ceegee]

Other problem is 3 year old doesn't speak English - mum has good English but speaks her language with children.
I use picture signs with the 3 year old - but he's as good as gold getting in my car seat and letting me buckle him up.

Maybe I'll make a visual story about what we need to do in car before driving off

[hectors house]

How about doing a mini topic with kids on road safety and travelling safely in the car - send off for some booklets from Brake and other road safety sites and send booklets home with children.

[nipper]

I have a parent who I have witnessed 3 times now just putting her x2 children in their car seats and driving off without doing their seatbelts up.
I've mentioned it twice and on one occasion gone out there and strapped x1 child in myself.

They have correct car seats for their age (14 months and 3 years) but she just plonks them in drives off. Last night I saw 3 year old standing up as she drove off.
Now, when they come out with me they wear their seatbelts with no issues so its not like there's a problem there?
Like I say I've told her a couple of times that she's forgotten belts and done them up myself, but still she persists without seeming to care. She seems a very good and caring mother otherwise.

Suggestions?

I wouldn't be saying "you've forgotten," I would be saying "You need to put them" on as it's the law. Tell her you could never live with yourself if something happened. If necessary write it in a letter.

Does she wear a seat belt have you noticed?

[Becci26]

Maybe u need to find some examples of of bad accidents to shock her into thinking about the consequences, not only is it illegal it is very dangerous!

One my mil lived in France a family were holidaying over there, after a meal out they were driving back to the place they were staying, none other than the driver had their belt on (mother, baby and a toddler). They felt as it was only 2 mins down the road it would be fine - a car crashed into them and both children died (I can't remember about the mother but think she died too)
It can happen so quickly unfortunately :-(

I never understand why people do it even as adults! An old friend of mine never wore a seatbelt and she got thrown through the car windscreen a few years ago (it was an old car so no safety glass) and has had to have major reconstructive surgery to her face and has caused all sorts of psychological issues for her!

[bunyip]

I would have to speak with the parent and tell them that i was obliged to record it as a safeguarding concern.

Trouble is, people get very defensive about anything they perceive to challenge their driving skills and/or care of their child. So it's tricky not to leave them feeling personally 'attacked'. You sort of need to get the parent on board before you can get through. Even though it's her being irresponsible, you might need to suggest that she needs to worry about what happens if someone else's bad driving gets her into an accident.

You can order free road safety resources from the Dept of Transport's "Think!" campaign website. These include some effective posters and parents'/practitioners' guide books. These might help you work together with the parent.

[Ripeberry]

I would give her some leaflets on the seatbelt LAW of the UK. If they are from abroad they don't think it's important to belt their kids up in some countries. If they still don't listen then report. Maybe if the police had a word it would sink in?

[moggy]

I would give her some leaflets on the seatbelt LAW of the UK. If they are from abroad they don't think it's important to belt their kids up in some countries. If they still don't listen then report. Maybe if the police had a word it would sink in?

I agree- could well be a cultural difference and the UK law needs to be pointed out. If the family were brought up without needing seatbelts abroad it must be so ingrained that they don't bother here, I would speak more firmly.

[zippy]

I have a parent who I have witnessed 3 times now just putting her x2 children in their car seats and driving off without doing their seatbelts up.
I've mentioned it twice and on one occasion gone out there and strapped x1 child in myself.

They have correct car seats for their age (14 months and 3 years) but she just plonks them in drives off. Last night I saw 3 year old standing up as she drove off.
Now, when they come out with me they wear their seatbelts with no issues so its not like there's a problem there?
Like I say I've told her a couple of times that she's forgotten belts and done them up myself, but still she persists without seeming to care. She seems a very good and caring mother otherwise.

Suggestions?

Phone call to local police that will hopefully wait at end of street and pull her, and give her a massive telling off.

[blue bear]

I had a dad who let lo walk around. The car, I told him she needed a seat or I'd report as its a safeguarding issue, he bought the seat and I put it in the car.
Two days later he had a crash, if lo had been walking around she would have been through the window screen but as she was in the seat she was safe. He thanked me for making him buy a seat.