Baby sitting on Mother's lap in Front Passenger Seat

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highly

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Last night, driving home from work, I saw something which really really angered me. There are very few things in life which make my blood boil - but this really did.

I saw a car doing an illegal right turn - but as the car turned out in front of us, I saw that the female adult passenger had a 4/5 month baby in her arms in the front passenger seat. She was playing with the child who had her arms in the air. She clearly was not strapped in to any safety device. The child was sitting on her lap facing out towards the windscreen.

We happened to be going in the same direction for about 5 minutes and at one stage the mother (or whoever she was) put her hair up in a bobbin - leaving the child completely "free".

To compound the fact, my fiancé, (who is a bit of a car expert) knows that this particular brand / model of car has a a passenger airbag and if anyone had even clipped the back of the car, the airbag would have gone up and the child would have been killed instantly.

I saw the child very clearly 3 times. (in my heart of hearts, I was hoping it was a doll - but trust me, it most definitely was a live child)

I took the reg, make and model of the car - is there anything I can do?

In the same week that a 3 month old child was killed with her mother in Donegal, I truly cannot fathom the stupidity of some people.

Any advise?
 
is there anything I can do?
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Of course, tell the gardai what you say you witnessed and ask them to follow up with the driver of the car.
 
This is something I have noticed a LOT since I moved to Ireland. Children on laps (back and front seats), unrestrained childrens dancing around in the back. Driver ofcourse is ALWAYS strapped in, most probably to avoid a fine. With the standard of driving in Ireland and the high number of fatalities I really don't understand why people risk their most treasured children by allowing them to be exposed to such danger.

"We're only popping down the road, they'll be grand" and "S/he hates being strapped in, it's not worth the tantrum" are the two excuses I've heard over and over. There was a very poinant advert on tv recently asking parents to think about what they're doing letting children sit loose in a car. End shot showed two loving (but irresponsible) parents standing at their childs grave.

Sorry, I hijacked your question with a rant of my own. I am trained to assist in such situations and the stories I've heard, but thankfully never witnessed, have caused me many sleepless nights. My friends know this is one thing I feel very strongly about and won't ever consider asking me to carry a child unrestrained (and yes, one or two have driven past me very sheepish looking with a child on a lap as you described because they know the next coffee date will involve a lecture).

As to what you can do, it might be worth a call to the guards but it might not achieve much. That said though, you might just help save that childs life and save a paramedic the trauma of the aftermath.
 
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Sorry - My wording wasn't great....;)

Will the garda listen to something like that or am I just wasting my time?

Thanks
 
Sorry - My wording wasn't great....;)

Will the garda listen to something like that or am I just wasting my time?
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I am sure they take these matters very seriously, insist on it being followed up, I see in my local paper a woman was fined 600 euro in court for carrying a child unrestrianed.
 
It is something I have witnessed too. Also children and dogs bouncing around in the back seats of cars.

Would it be worth calling that traffic watch thing. Is that still in place, or has anybody used it?
 
on the issues of dogs unrestrained ,a lady crashed into the back of me two years ago, i was parked and she was driving along and her dog jumped on top if her and she swerved into the back of me , my two kids were in the back , luckily strapped in.

report it , then its in the hands of the guards and you will have done your bit
 
Would it be worth calling that traffic watch thing. Is that still in place, or has anybody used it?
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Yes apparently it is - Traffic Watch: Lo-Call 1890 205 805
 
The irony is its always the worst drivers who have their kids unrestrained in the car, you know when you are keeping a wary eye on a car near you on the road as they have already done some strange manouvers and its then that you notice the kids bopping about, but in regard to your question its an issue that most Gardai take very seriously as they would see the aftermath of accidents so if you report it will be taken as a serious complaint, you may have to appear in court if it goes that far though?
 
I approached a woman before for driving around in front of me with a child dancing around inside the car, I pulled up alongside her and she put down her window, I attempted to tell her what she was doing was illegal and highly dangerous and before I could finish she put the electric window up and gave me the finger !!! I do hope she thought about it later and felt guilty, by me bringing it to her attention, maybe, just maybe, she sat back and thought about it, but sure some people and all that...never learn:mad:

OP - i for one would be very interested to hear the reaction of the gardai if you call them, just to see if it is actually dealt with seriously or not.
 
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I'm taking a late lunch today - but I will call them on my lunch and let you know how you get on.

I wouldn't have a problem going to court at all - this is something I feel very strongly about.

Thanks for making me not feel like an irrational busybody!
 
i have a seat belt for my dog. i know i know sounds very strange but shes a german shepherd big dog weighing 4 and 1/2 stone. people laugh when i tell them she has a seatbelt but i couldnt care less. safer for me and my dog :)
 
CrazyGirl said:
i have a seat belt for my dog. i know i know sounds very strange but shes a german shepherd big dog weighing 4 and 1/2 stone. people laugh when i tell them she has a seatbelt but i couldnt care less. safer for me and my dog :)
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Great idea - you dont want 4 and a half stone of unrestrained animal bouncing round the inside of a vehicle in the event of an accident!
 
CrazyGirl said:
i have a seat belt for my dog. i know i know sounds very strange but shes a german shepherd big dog weighing 4 and 1/2 stone. people laugh when i tell them she has a seatbelt but i couldnt care less. safer for me and my dog :)
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We have them for our dogs, our collie was always in one, the newly adopted boxer I'm not sure about but he settled well with it. We get some strange looks but like you, I don't want over 20 kilo of dog hitting me in the back of the neck. Keeps them in the one place too, although my two just cuddle up for a snooze in the car.
 
highly said:
....To compound the fact, my fiancé, (who is a bit of a car expert) knows that this particular brand / model of car has a a passenger airbag and if anyone had even clipped the back of the car, the airbag would have gone up and the child would have been killed instantly....
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I would seriously doubt that clipping a bumper would set it off. Also maybe its been disconnected as some cars can do that. I doubt that someone with no sense would do that though. Let us know what the Guards say.
 
Highly, i hope you did contact the Gardai. Even if they do nothing more than contact these moronic parents and tell them they've been spotted with a child in the front you could save that childs life.
Unfortunately these people are not alone in their absolutely mornic behaviour. I only hope the Gardai throw the book at anyone they catch doing this
 
Sorry - I had to work through lunch - isn't life great :(

I'll give you an update tomorrow.
 
Ah poor highly !!!:(

Please do, be part of the solution and not the problem ! You have my backing !:)
 
I rang the guardi ages ago about the woman in front of me ( about 100 years old) driving wtih the white line right under the middleof her car and kangaroo jumping evertime she stopped.It freaked me out so I tookmher number plate and rang them.

They said they can find out who owns it and usually call to the house to give a verbal warning kinda thing.. He seemed very genuine when he told me so no reason to think he wouldnt have.

I suppose that If she had caused an accident later after me ringing and they dont do anything then there could be trouble for them??!!
 
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