January 18, 2008
I was at work on Wednesday (an extra shift=time and a half=why am I not working extra more often??) and I wheeled someone downstairs in a wheelchair to go home. While outside the lobby, this car drove up and was honking at me. They wanted my wheelchair (and me to push it, I guess). So, I am helping out and all and I look into the car and there is a teeny tiny little girl (maybe 2, but small for 2) sitting in the middle seat with a seat belt on. With the shoulder strap around her. No car seat. I was mortified. The people didn’t speak English and I couldn’t communicate with them well enough to really discuss it with them, but it really really bothered me. I have thought about it several times since. Then, yesterday, I am driving and I see a lady sitting in the back seat of a car (while it is being driven) holding a tiny baby. There was a car seat in the car this time, but the baby wasn’t in it. Maybe it was crying or needed to eat, but what are these people thinking. Again, I was very disturbed. It isn’t like I could have said anything in that situation, but the first one, looking back, I feel like I should have tried. I just pray that those babies are safe and that people get a clue. It’s so scary…can you imagine if something happened?? Awful.
Comments
Tisra:
It makes me wonder if there is a charity out there that provides car seats to low income families- why else wouldn’t you be using one?! And if there isn’t, what a good idea, huh?
January 18, 2008 11:19 AM
erika:
Totally a good idea. I also wonder…do they just not know? I mean, for the older kids, although 2 is not that old at all. It greatly disturbs me.
January 18, 2008 11:23 AM
Georgia:
Wow. It’s funny you are telling this story because I have seen small children straped in with just the shoulder strap and no car seat in sight a handful of times over the last couple weeks when I work the drivethru at the *bucks. And I’m thinking ‘what are you thinking???’ Maybe some people just don’t know, but I think a lot of people are just careless bad parents. I truly do. Sounds harsh to call any parent a ‘bad’ parent, but when you are not being responsible regarding the safety of your children and are not following safety laws then you are bad parents to me. All it takes is one accident and you and your child’s life could be changed forever. I hope a bilingual cop sees them.
January 18, 2008 1:11 PM
Anonymous:
Ugh…that is the worse and I hate it also. I often worry about the person who accidently caused the crash also….how could they live with themselves and more often than not the kids would have been fine but instead they are thrown from the car and well you know the rest. When people are so irresponsible it not only puts their own children on the line but everyone else around them. So frustrating. If you decide to start an organization I would love to be a part of it.
January 20, 2008 8:35 PM