Child Car Seats - Are they used in China?

[Comrade]

Ah, back in my country people are as laid back about car safety as in China. Even though in my city it is required to buckle up when you're in the front seat, once I was hitching a ride to the train station, and when I tried to buckle up the guy asked me "what'cha doing that for?!" So I told him "just in case", and he seemed really offended saying "There will be no case!" as if I criticized his driving ability, although what I really meant was "in case cops notice".

Usually where I'm from the mother sits in the back seat and just holds the baby in her arms, so that's what I would do, can't offer any advice on the specialized equipment.

[Neil_H]

A word of warning about shouting at the in-laws. I have got into terrible trouble before just for removing my toolkit from my father in law when I found him close to electrocuting himself by trying to wire his mobile phone charger straight into a UK plug. I had already asked him not to do this and to just use the China - UK converter we had but he failed to listen.

I had to apologise to him for saving him from harm!

They love playing the "Disrespect older generation card"

[Neil_H]

I have the same problem come September this year. My daughter will be 18 months old and we will be going back to China. Perhaps there is a simple strap system where she can be strapped into myself or my wife who in turn will be wearing a seat belt.

[Meng Lelan]

Usually where I'm from the mother sits in the back seat and just holds the baby in her arms, so that's what I would do, can't offer any advice on the specialized equipment.

I don't recommend that and I would think prephil is not going to like that at all.

I remember when I was the apartment manager of international grad student housing 15 years ago in Illinois, the apartment complex was 85% Chinese back then. And that's what some of the international grad students did, have grandma or the mom hold baby in her arms while sitting in the back seat - no car seat. Then one day a Chinese grad student crashed the car while granny was in the back seat holding baby in the arms, and the baby, well, the baby didn't live.

[Lu]

Usually where I'm from the mother sits in the back seat and just holds the baby in her arms, so that's what I would do, can't offer any advice on the specialized equipment.

The thing is, if the car suddenly crashes into another car, or if another car crashes into yours, the shock will cause grandma to let go of the baby, who will then fly through the front window and die. Seatbelts, on the other hand, never let go in such cases, which is why they are preferable to grandmas in case of an accident.

Seatbelts are not because you don't trust the driver of your car, they are because you don't trust all the other drivers. Or so I tell Chinese drivers, hoping it will restore some of the lost face.

[jbradfor]

the shock will cause grandma to let go of the baby

And if the shock doesn't, the G's will.

It's not atypical in a crash to have 10-20G of deceleration. At only 10G, a 35 lb baby will now effectively weigh 350 lbs. I don't know of a lot of grandmas that can bench press 350 lbs during a car crash.

That fact that "everyone does it" doesn't make it any safer. If you aren't convinced, look at the driving death rates in China.

Use a car seat.

Seatbelts are not because you don't trust the driver of your car, they are because you don't trust all the other drivers.

YES YES YES. A very good line to use.