Least dangerous way to carry baby in emergency

[Somewhatfoolish]

If you find yourself in an emergency where you need to carry a baby in a car but don't have access to a child seat, what is the least dangerous way to do it? Should you try and put them inside the seatbelt with you or outside it?

[Jimjimhim]

What sort of emergency?

[Mandat]

Somewhatfoolish said:

If you find yourself in an emergency where you need to carry a baby in a car but don't have access to a child seat, what is the least dangerous way to do it? Should you try and put them inside the seatbelt with you or outside it?

Inside the seatbelt and you risk squashing the baby with your bodyweight in the event of a sudden stop.

Outside the seatbelt and you risk losing grip of the baby making it an unrestrained projectile.

An alternative (and arguably better option) is to place the baby in the boot, resting against the rear of the seat back, to restrain forward motion in the event of a sudden stop.

HTH

[Radec]

Depends how old the baby is, can they hold their head up? Or get someone off the street to hold them in the passenger seat after explaining the emergency.

Failing that, you can always try the glovebox.

[Pica-Pica]

The law says you can’t carry a child under three without suitable restraint. The only exceptions is in a licensed taxi or minibus, and then the child must be on the back seat.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-...

I imagine the law does not allow for an ‘emergency’ as people will classify minor inconveniences as an emergency.

As for least dangerous. Certainly not inside a seat belt with an adult.

[minky monkey]

Bungee cord to the roof rack, or cable tied to the front grill like the dustcart drivers do.

[Somewhatfoolish]

Pica-Pica said:

The law says you can’t carry a child under three without suitable restraint. The only exceptions is in a licensed taxi or minibus, and then the child must be on the back seat.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-...

I imagine the law does not allow for an ‘emergency’ as people will classify minor inconveniences as an emergency.

As for least dangerous. Certainly not inside a seat belt with an adult.

Other countries than the UK are available - am not interested in the legal position tbh but what to do if I ever found myself in this scenario. An obvious one would be having to escape a terrorist attack, where I'm pretty sure doctrine of necessity would apply. Another obvious one would be where you are around a strange baby in a car without a seat and need to get it to hospital ASAP.

The boot sounds like least worst option so far.

Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Tuesday 4th June 01:29

[daqinggregg]

Recently, I was watching a TV program (Motorway something) car broke down on the motorway, a highways patrol stopped to assist.

Mother, daughter and 3 grand children, two of them, in car seats. (no prizes for guessing the brand of car) Recovery service contacted.

Recovery truck arrives, no isofix, two children can’t be taken, mother advised to wait behind the barrier, until a friend can collect them.

Not blaming anyone, but is it the really the best solution, for the mother to remain on the motorway waiting.

A bit of leeway, could be a sensible option.

[mikey_b]

Pica-Pica said:

The law says you can’t carry a child under three without suitable restraint. The only exceptions is in a licensed taxi or minibus, and then the child must be on the back seat.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-...

I imagine the law does not allow for an ‘emergency’ as people will classify minor inconveniences as an emergency.

As for least dangerous. Certainly not inside a seat belt with an adult.

You’ve given a web link but obviously not read it. Literally the first subheading is multiple exceptions to the law, including:
the child is on an unexpected journey, for example an emergency

[wolfracesonic]

mikey_b said:

You’ve given a web link but obviously not read it. Literally the first subheading is multiple exceptions to the law, including:
the child is on an unexpected journey, for example an emergency

Flash sale at Primark.

[MrTrilby]

Somewhatfoolish said:

If you find yourself in an emergency where you need to carry a baby in a car but don't have access to a child seat, what is the least dangerous way to do it? Should you try and put them inside the seatbelt with you or outside it?

Call an ambulance instead. If you don’t need one, it wasn’t an emergency.

[irc]

Somewhatfoolish said:

Other countries than the UK are available - am not interested in the legal position tbh but what to do if I ever found myself in this scenario. An obvious one would be having to escape a terrorist attack, where I'm pretty sure doctrine of necessity would apply. Another obvious one would be where you are around a strange baby in a car without a seat and need to get it to hospital ASAP.

The boot sounds like least worst option so far.

Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Tuesday 4th June 01:29

The boot? No!!! Ever seen what happens to bags of shopping in the boot. The obvious answer is in the lap of a passenger. In 1969 we managed a driving holiday to Europe with 6 people in a 5 seater car without seatbelts and nobody died.

I wouldn't hesitate to let a passenger hold a baby for an emergency journey

Driver only? It would need to be some emergency. I would go with wedged in footwell behind front passenger seat with enough cushions and pillows it wouldn't move. Unlike the boot a visual check could be made.

[JAMSXR]

MrTrilby said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

If you find yourself in an emergency where you need to carry a baby in a car but don't have access to a child seat, what is the least dangerous way to do it? Should you try and put them inside the seatbelt with you or outside it?

Call an ambulance instead. If you don’t need one, it wasn’t an emergency.

Quite.

[Mouse Rat]

Somewhatfoolish said:

If you find yourself in an emergency where you need to carry a baby in a car but don't have access to a child seat, what is the least dangerous way to do it? Should you try and put them inside the seatbelt with you or outside it?

Hang it from the curry holders in the boot

[Wills2]

Somewhatfoolish said:

Other countries than the UK are available - am not interested in the legal position tbh but what to do if I ever found myself in this scenario. An obvious one would be having to escape a terrorist attack, where I'm pretty sure doctrine of necessity would apply. Another obvious one would be where you are around a strange baby in a car without a seat and need to get it to hospital ASAP.

The boot sounds like least worst option so far.

I really do wonder about people when I read this kind of weirdness.

[DaveCWK]

Get some big cushions and wedge them in the passenger footwell against the bulkhead as far forward as possible? Then just drive smoothly and avoid being rear-ended.

[LennyM1984]

irc said:

I wouldn't hesitate to let a passenger hold a baby for an emergency journey

My mother used to work in this area (car/road safety) and holding a baby is pointless in an accident. The force causes you to let go almost immediately and the child then just becomes a projectile.

In practice, holding a baby will keep them restrained during normal driving and so probably the best advice would be, "just don't crash"

[Pica-Pica]

mikey_b said:

Pica-Pica said:

The law says you can’t carry a child under three without suitable restraint. The only exceptions is in a licensed taxi or minibus, and then the child must be on the back seat.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-...

I imagine the law does not allow for an ‘emergency’ as people will classify minor inconveniences as an emergency.

As for least dangerous. Certainly not inside a seat belt with an adult.

You’ve given a web link but obviously not read it. Literally the first subheading is multiple exceptions to the law, including:
the child is on an unexpected journey, for example an emergency

You haven’t read it. Please read what it says about children under three, which is what I referred to.

“ Unexpected journeys
If the correct child car seat isn’t available, a child aged 3 or older can use an adult seat belt if the journey is all of the following:

unexpected
necessary
over a short distance
You can’t take children under 3 on an unexpected journey in a vehicle without the correct child car seat, unless both of the following apply:

it’s a licensed taxi or minicab
the child travels on a rear seat without a seat belt

Edited by Pica-Pica on Tuesday 4th June 07:55

[sam.rog]

Roofbox with loads of cushions.

[POIDH]

If it's a genuine emergency, you're either calling an ambulance or you are at most driving half a mile out of danger and stopping. And you really really don't have time to fit a roof box, find cushions or argue about the best seatbelt.

What an odd topic and thing to worry about.