Life in the Ketchup Bottle: Perez Hilton asks, "Is this Safe... Or Legal?"

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Perez Hilton asks, "Is this Safe... Or Legal?"

The answer: No and no.

Normally I would not link to (or read) Perez Hilton. But this one's right up my alley. Anthony Kiedis, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, went riding in his Gem car with his infant strapped to his chest in a front carrier.

Boo! Hiss!

The Gem car is a smart car from GM; it has seatbelts and is a street-legal vehicle. As such, it falls under the California law that says that all children must be in a properly used carseat or booster in the back seat (unless the vehicle does not have a back seat or does not have belts in the back seat or the seat otherwise cannot be properly installed in the back seat, in which case they may be in front) until they are 6 years of age or 60 lbs. It is neither a bus nor a motorcycle, which are the only exceptions other than standard medical, etc. exceptions; it is a citable offense. Also, he needs to be wearing that seatbelt himself, it's also the law.

Other than being illegal, it's unsafe. If in a crash, if they were both not ejected from the vehicle (which is likely to cause death or serious injury), he would probably be thrown forward into the steering column, and the baby would be crushed against it. The baby would be likely to die, and he would probably suffer severe internal injuries himself.

Get a clue, Anthony! Get safe for yourself and your son, that's way uncool!

And where's the CHP when you need them? Or the LAPD? Someone write the man a ticket and make him learn how to be safe in the car!

1 comment:

Jennifer Swanepoel said...: I am truly, utterly, astounded at the ridiculousness of people in general.; 1:29 PM

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More Ketchupy advice on how to keep your child safe in the car

Make sure the seat you are using is the safest possible for your child's weight, height, and age, and used in the safest configuration possible.
Make sure the seat you are using is not expired. (Yes, they expire! They can weaken over time. Don't use an expired seat-- or for that matter, an outdated one, such as a car seat with an overhead shield, which are not generally considered safe.)
Never use a seat that has been in a crash (don't use it if you're not sure if it has been in a crash, either.)
ALWAYS read your car seat manual AND your car's manual to find out the best way to properly install your child's car seat!
Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. One year and 22 lbs. is the MINIMUM, not the actual limit, or even the current recommendation. I am proud to say that all 3 of my girls are currently rear-facing, the oldest 2 in higher-weight rear-facing seats! Having bent legs or legs hitting the back of the seat does NOT mean that the child is too big to rear-face, and is not dangerous. There are now seats that rear-face to 40 lbs. and beyond.
Once your child turns forward-facing, keep her in a harnessed seat as long as possible, including buying a higher weight limit seat if you need to (and if possible.) 4 years and 40 lbs. is the MINIMUM, there are seats that go up to 65 and even 80 lbs. as a harnessed seat.
Make sure your seat fits your child and that you're buckling him in correctly. Check weight limits carefully. When rear-facing, straps should be just at or below your child's shoulders, and there should be no less than 1 inch between her head and the top of the seat. When forward facing, straps should be at or above the shoulders, and the top of the ears should not be above the top of the car seat. In a harnessed seat, the chest buckle should be over the nipples, with the top approximately at the level of the armpits. The harness should always be tight enough that you can not pinch any slack in it if you try. In a high-back booster, the belt should be correctly positioned across the child's chest and shoulder, and the tips of the child's ears should not be above the top of the booster.
Don't put your child in the car in a heavy winter coat or snow suit, especially in a harnessed seat! Remove thick coats before getting in the car; use blankets and/or thin fleece coats that you don't have to re-adjust the harness for, or buckle your child in and then put the coat back on backwards, or use it for a blanket, so it doesn't interfere with correct tightening of the straps.
Always make sure your child's seat is securely installed before buckling him in. Use whatever devices are necessary to get a tight fit, including LATCH according to guidelines up to 40 lbs., and locking clips for older seatbelts. Always make sure seatbelts used to install a seat are locked, whether by a locking clip or device or by pulling the belt all the way out before letting it retract (in newer vehicles.)
Never use LATCH belts and a seatbelt at the same time to install a car seat. This can put too much strain on the seat. Use one or the other. This doesn't apply to the top tether-- you may use the top tether after you have switched to seatbelt installation (see above links.)
When you must move your child to a booster, choose a high-back booster for as long as possible. Most experts agree that 6 years old is the youngest most childrens' hips are developed enough to distribute a seatbelt correctly, even with a booster, and a high-back booster provides more protection for your child's head and neck as long as s/he fits in it.
Never use a booster seat with a lap belt only. If there is a lap belt only seat in your car, the ONLY child who should be seated there is one in a five-point harness car seat installed with the lap belt (or LATCH if your car is equipped with it.)
ALWAYS read your car seat manual AND your car's manual to find out the best way to properly install your child's car seat!
Make sure the seat you are using is not expired. (Yes, they expire! They can weaken over time. Don't use an expired seat-- or for that matter, an outdated one, such as a car seat with an overhead shield, which are not generally considered safe.)
Never use a seat that has been in a crash (don't use it if you're not sure if it has been in a crash, either.)