WWSAIFD - 3 y/o Niece riding in front seat

kristinamh6 · June 2011

without a car seat or even a booster! I just found out my FIL is driving around with her seat belted only into the front seat of his Durango. I am horrified! DH said something to him & he said something about not even using seatbelts when he (DH) was little. DH responded with the fact that he's lucky to be alive, but FIL was unphased. Not surprising because FIL is very stubborn and does things his own way without regard for the law. I won't get into that but basically he believes he has the right to do whatever he wants & the gov't should have no say in his life. I don't know if my SIL (niece's mom & his daughter) knows about this, but I'm almost positive she does. She lives with him so she has to have seen this occur. Oh, and my niece will be 4 in Nov & she weighs less than 30 pounds. She is TINY! So what would you do? I want to do something that might actually get through to him. TIA! ETA: I might DD this later after I get some advice. I'm paranoid that people will find out if I post things about them.

dusk42 · June 2011

When you see them leave some day, I would call the cops and give the license plate number and car description and tell them he has a toddler in the front seat with no car seat. I have no patience with people who endanger children.

kristinamh6 · June 2011

MrsLee04:
If you're sure the SIL knows, and doesn't care, I'd wait until the next time he does it and call the cops on him. Maybe a ticket will scare him straight!

I'm not positive she knows, but I wouldn't surprised. So I think I will text her & ask. I think I will also tell my MIL. They are divorced but still friends so maybe she can talk some sense into FIL. I can't believe how ignorant he is being. He is a very smart guy but this is just ridiculous.

sommerrayne · June 2011

As much as I agree with calling the police, don't count on THAT getting thru to him especially if he has some sort of authority/gov't issue. that'll just be yet another thing he can b!tch about the govt impeding on his life. Anyway, I'd tell the mom for sure and then collect as many vids showing unfastened children crash tests, crash scenes, etc as I could and go about it compassionately, "listen FIL, You are a grown adult and.can do what you please with your life, but you have to make educated risks when it comes to the lives and safety of others....so we (mom of kid included ) are going to watch these vids and then you can collectively make your decisions about car riding and niece" and then you've done your due diligence and can take.whatever measures afterwards if the behaviors don't change...just my two cents.

Temp893722312503334 · June 2011

I agree with pp, call the cops when you know its happening and know where they are going. Let him get pulled over and ticketed.

You'll never be able to live with yourself if something happens and you didn't at least try.

ugh, thats a hard one, I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

charmcitygirl · June 2011

dusk42:

When you see them leave some day, I would call the cops and give the license plate number and car description and tell them he has a toddler in the front seat with no car seat. I have no patience with people who endanger children.

This.