I've come across two situations this past couple of weeks that have blown my mind.
The first is two different sets of kids were found in a parking lot of a job fair in Indianapolis alone. Both cars had very young children in them (under age 4). I believe one car was locked, and the other was not. Both mothers were arrested, but the police have to decipher the law to decide if it was truly neglect. I'm assuming it depends on the length of time, weather, doors being locked, etc. Again, I'm assuming.
A friend posted on FB that she came across a RUNNING car in a shopping center with an infant in it. She called 911, stood at the car, and asked the mom when she returned if she realized she left her baby in the car, and told her she called 911. She said she did, was having a bad day, and then asked my friend (a total stranger) to watch her baby so she could go back into the store to get something. The police showed up just as she was leaving.
Another situation is letting kids ride in the back of an open pick-up truck. There is NO law against that either. We require seatbelts/carseats for kids IN cars, but riding in the back of an open pick-up truck is OK???
Do we not have laws against this sort of thing because it is supposed to be common sense not to do it??? Do you think there should be a clear-cut law against it?
I'm not looking for the argument of leaving your kid for 5 minutes or running in while you can still see your kid. I'm against that as well.
As far as the truck thing, I watched a parent put elementary school aged kids into the back of a truck to take them home. It was on city roads, not out on a farm going 3 miles per hour.
I do feel there needs to be laws because sometimes that is the ONLY way some people will not do something to harm their kid (even if it is not intended). They are afraid to get in trouble or caught and/or have to pay a fine. It makes them think twice before leaving their kid. "Oh, I better take her in with me. I don't want someone calling the police on me." Because, "Oh, I better take her in with me because I don't want anything to happen to her." doesn't occur to them.
Thanks Tracy, but they were not charged with a criminal offense. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/31168210/detail.html
Why does there have to be a law?
If I had a pick up truck I would not let anyone ride in the bed, because it is dangerous. I don't need a law to tell me it is dangerous, common sense tells me that.
It seems to me there is too much wanting of laws to enforce a specific opinion.
Someone lacking common sense is not going to obey the laws anyway because they won't know they exist.
I don't think we need a law to dictate every possible action.
I certainly don't want states to make it illegal to EVER leave a child in a car. There are already laws to deal with the most dangerous situations (leaving kids in hot cars). I would've been arrested many times over by now.
And, I grew up on a farm. I've ridden in the back of a pick-up truck many times.
Just because you make it a law it will not stop people from doing it. Stupid people will do stupid things.
How, oh, how, can we be saved from ourselves? I understand laws to protect children from harm.
But nothing will save us from our own stupidity.
Legal or not, safe or not, riding in the back of a pick-up was absolutely thrilling as a child.
I suggest legislation to make it illegal to go on a Halloween hayride unless everyone is securely belted in.
There are no laws for common sense. You can't fix stupid.
As to riding in the back of a truck? When I was a kid - that was fun! Especially when we were in the Black Hills back country...never riding down an interstate...
Oh well... you can't fix stupid. You really can't. it will be these same people crying on TV begging for their baby back and expect thousands to help them retrieve a child they couldn't be bothered with while running errands.
I'm an insurance agent in AZ so these topics are sore subjects with me, along with a few others. I believe there should be a blanket law that says kids of a *certain* age can be left alone to run in to pay for gas, but who would ever agree what age is appropriate? Personally, I just recently started doing that and my kids are 12 and 9. In AZ, it is NOT illegal for people to ride in the back of an open truck bed. INSANE!!! This should also be a blanket law. We also don't have the helmet law here either. Even things that are "common sense" still put people at risk because for whatever reason, they don't do it. It agrivates me to no end to see little kids climbing over the seats and jumping up and down in a MOVING vehicle, makes my blood boil and if I have the chance, I do yell over at the driver to put their seatbelts on them. =/
I agree this is a hot topic. I makes me so mad that parents disreguard the safety of their children.
Contact your State Representitive and ask him/her to draft a law preventing this.
I know in California a law was passed preventing anyone from riding in the back of a pick-up -- with or without a shell. The CHP stated that they were simply tired of scraping small children off the pavement. This was in the early '90's.
Oh my gosh this is such a sore point with me!!! My mother-in-law left my son (age 5) in her car not once, but TWICE when she was out running errands - needless to say, I was livid!!!! I NEVER let her take my son out again - she had done stupid things before but this was the worst!! I DID let her babysit but only if she was staying home!!
I also had a similar circumstance as you at the post office a few years ago - a van had several tiny children it it, engine running, kids playing around in the front near the steering wheel - parked on a hill and if the kids had hit the gear shift, oh my gosh - I called the police and sure enough, he said it was not against the law but VERY stupid on the mother's part! He DID reprimand her but couldn't give her a ticket!!
People just don't realize it only takes a split second for a professional to hot wire a car and/or break into it when the engine is running and be gone in a heartbeat!
Yes, I agree there needs to be clear-cut laws because people are just too stupid! It seems people have absolutely NO common sense anymore!!!
As for riding in the back of the truck - I see it all the time. I thot there was a law against it here in Ohio but I've never looked into it. It gets me just as angry when I see dogs in the back of trucks!
I would NEVER leave my children in a car under ANY circumstance!!
we've been trying to legislate common sense for many years now.
it doesn't work.
i'd like to see fewer laws, and better enforcement of the ones we've got.
khairete
S.
Welcome to IN, IQ limit strictly enforced. There are alot of laws here that don't make sense. I am pretty sure that it is illegal to let someone ride in the back of a pickup truck down the road. I have seen people get pulled over for that. I swore that it was illegal to leave your kid in the car, but am not sure. I tell my three year old it is. Everytime we go to the store he says he he wants to stay in the car, and I always tell him, "No its against the law to leave your babies in the car." And honestly I can't believe it isn't. Especially since its getting hot, and kids can die in a hot car very quickly.
So, in your opinion what IS the correct age a child may be left alone in a car?
That right there is why we don't need any more of these types laws on the books....there is NO 1 correct answer and I do not feel it is any one else' place to dictate to me, the parent, when I am allowed to do anything with MY child.
You can't come up with a law, any law that will fix stupid!
But that's just my opinion!
I LOVED riding in the back of my Father's truck when I was little...it was SO cool! The wind in your hair felt so awesome on a hot summer day...or spitting cherry or watermelon seeds out the side of the truck!! Ahhh, memories!
~I do understand your concern though, I really do....but FWIW bad things happen, accidents happen...and they will continue to happen and no matter how many laws we make nothing is going to stop accidents from happening! But you know what could happen? Good, decent, loving parents could be severely punished for doing what they think and probably KNOW is perfectly safe for THEIR kids just b/c someone walking by assumed those parents MUST be bad people b/c they left their kids in a car and they did what they felt was 'right' and called the police on them!
As someone noted: You can't fix stupid.
THAT is why things like this often (sadly) need to be legislated.
"Excessive" laws/rules like this example: There needs to be food for your kids in the house or it could be considered neglect.
Seems like it should be generally common sense, right? But thousands of kids are taken from homes because of no food every month.
Too many people think THEY are the "exception" to the rule.
Every rule.
And they're not.
Yep--can't fix stupid.
not illegal to leave in a car - false. it is illegal or they wouldn't have been arrested.
"The law doesn't specify a time. The law said you have to take care of your dependents. Their life and their health" ISP Sgt. Rich Myers said.
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/31161087/detail.html
ok to ride in back of truck - true
http://www.iihs.org/laws/mapcargoareas.aspx
it should be common sense, but apparently, we can't leave safety issues up to common sense.......as this lady proved so well!!!
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/colo...
Years ago kids/adults rode in the back of trucks all the times. We did it all the time in the 70s. But laws don't get changed until someone gets hurt or enough people get hurt. If it hasn't been a "problem" in the past no one would think to change the law unless a lawmaker comes along to change it and then they have to get the rest of the lawmakers to go along with it. So alhtough common sense moves along and progresses, the laws don't always follow as quickly. You wouldn't believe the laws that ARE on the books for a hundred years ago that should be taken off. No one has thought about removing them until a case comes up that says, "Uh oh, this one has to go!" Lawmakers just don't have time to go through every law, review them and then put them out there to discuss and work to remove them. They have today's problems to work on before removing old laws that don't affect us anymore.
I know I used to leave my son in my car as a little one to go in and pay for gas. I never enjoyed doing it but it was right next to the window where I payed and watched the entire time. That happens more in smaller towns too across the country. I think it depends on the situation. Thank goodness they have pay at the pump now! If I had to grab something (shop) as well then I would take my one child in with me or just go without.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
When I saw this on the news I was surprised they weren't arrested. There have been cases where the parents were arrested or fined. As far as pickups are concerned I never understood how it is ok for kids to ride in them either. They are fun but very unsafe. I have seen kids riding in the back of pickups on the high way and busy streets. It's scary to see.
My friend teaches special ed, she says many of the parents leave their kids in the car so often, they have their car horns disconnected so they dont have to worry about the kids honking the horn to be let out of the car. No Im not kidding. Sadly there are just not enough foster homes, so only the most extreme cases have the kids removed. There was one boy, every Friday they would mark his diaper with permanent marker, he would come back to school Monday morning in the same diaper. CPS finally took him away after a year + of this.
Its good we have laws, sadly we clearly need them. No amount of laws will ever stop people from neglecting and endangering their children.
You can't make laws against stupidity... that is the real problem. There should not have to be laws against leaving your child in the car for an extended period of time or letting them ride in the back of your pick-up. And even if there were laws on the books against it - people that stupid to do these things would not care and still do it.
J., I totally agree with you. Work on organizing a group of concerned citizens from your state.. Heck start a facebook page devoted to it..
Contact your Representatives, the Governors. office.. Heck, it is an election year for most of them.. get them on board and have this addressed now.
Moveon.org has a way to start a petition..
You can change this.
I agree with you, it's absolutely insane that there are parents doing this and having nothing happen. It's just wrong. There are stories all the time, especially in summer months where children get left in their cars and then die. Its horrible. I also just read two more where a father forgot to drop off his infant and went to work in 89 degree weather and the baby died. It's heartbreaking.
And it's sad that people are too distracted, too busy, or whatever else to put the needs of their children in front of all else. Yes, it can be "difficult" to bring in your child to whatever store your going into but you do it because it's best for your child and it's what you do. There shouldn't be a "Oh I was coming riiiiggghhht back" NO. A 5 minute trip inside can turn into 20 before you know it. It just shouldn't happen.
And YES there SHOULD be a law against it, because at least if there's a law then there can be consequences for leaving your kids in the car, and for letting them ride in the back of a truck. Even if it doesn't stop people from doing it, at least there is something that can be done about it.
Just because it's "fun" to ride in a truck bed doesn't mean you SHOULD, and just because it's "easier" to leave your young kids in the car for "just a minute" doesnt mean you SHOULD either.
It's not illegal in Missouri either, though some cities do have their own statutes.
I don't think that little ones should be left in the car without supervision. But I also don't think a 3 year old in a car seat for two minutes, in a locked car, while mom runs in to pay for gas is a big deal.
I leave my boys, ages 9 and 11 in the car quite often. If it's hot or cold, I'll leave the engine running. If it's not, I'll put the windows down.
My kids aren't morons who are going to mess with the car, because I've taught them better, and I'm not afraid of kidnappers. They have a better chance of being struck by lightning and winning the lottery in the same day than they have of being kidnapped.
Sometimes I wonder what us as parents now would think if we raised children in the 60's, 70's early 80's. Yes leaving a child who is not responsible enough to take care of themselves in the case of something going wrong should not left in a car alone. To do grocery shopping I would NEVER leave my 10 year old in the car alone. Have I to run into a convenience store to grab something quickly or to run into the post office yes and yes I will sometimes leave his 5 year old sister with him as well. I can see the car at all times. Doors are locked I have keys in hand. Someone please arrest me now I am sure. Now my 7 year old nephew I would not leave for a second in the car because he does not listen and will get into trouble. This all depends on how responsible the child is. I mean come on, look up your states laws at ages children can stay at home. Some are as low as 10. I was 13 watching a 7 and 5 year old til 1 am and that was back in 93.
As for riding in the back of a truck. My brother and I did it all the time. We survived with no incidents but again we were responsible and taught the rules as how to ride safely. There were even times we went to camp while in the back of the truck, with the cap on sometimes and sometimes off. We were not on a interstate doing 70+ mph but we did it. Here is another though that I am sure I might even get "your a horrible mother" for. My 10 year old rides on the back of my husbands motorcycle and my 5 year old cannot wait till she can ride too.
Yes people need enough common sense to do things safely but making it a law is not going to do anything. Many of us survived the 60's, 70's and 80's with far less restraints and laws. If most would let kids be kids and not shelter them like its the end of the world im sure it would all be different....
It's a shame that laws have to be put in place, so parents (hopefully) won't be stupid. Stupid parents, are going to do stupid things. Selfish parents, are going to do selfish things. Kids will always be left in cars, kids will always die in cars, and parents will always have excuses. There is no law to prevent that, unfortunately.
