When it comes to car travel, many parents are meticulous about safety—checking mirrors, keeping to speed limits, and driving cautiously. Yet one of the most overlooked risks is how children are seated in the vehicle. Allowing a child to sit on a lap, in the front seat too early, or without the proper car seat or booster may seem harmless for a short trip, but it can have devastating consequences. Road crashes are unpredictable, and even at low speeds, the forces involved can be fatal for a child who isn’t properly restrained.
Why Sitting on a Lap Is Never Safe
It’s easy to understand why some parents let their children sit on their laps—perhaps the child is fussy, or it’s just “around the corner.” But in the event of an accident, an adult simply cannot hold onto a child, no matter how strong they are.
In a collision at 50 km/h, the weight of a child multiplies dramatically due to the force of impact. That means a 10 kg toddler suddenly weighs hundreds of kilograms in those split seconds. No arms are strong enough to stop that. Worse still, if the adult is wearing a seatbelt, the child can be crushed between the adult’s body and the belt. It’s a heartbreaking scenario, yet it’s one that can be prevented by never allowing a child to ride on a lap.
The Dangers of the Front Seat
Children love the front seat—it feels grown-up and gives them a better view. Parents sometimes give in, thinking it’s fine if the child wears a seatbelt. Unfortunately, sitting up front is far more dangerous than many realise.
The main threat is airbags. These devices are designed to protect adults, deploying with incredible force. For a child, especially one under 12, that force can cause severe injuries to the neck, chest, or head. In fact, research has shown that children are twice as likely to be injured in the front seat compared to the back. The safest place for children is always the back seat, ideally in the middle where they are furthest from side impacts.
Why Boosters Are Non-Negotiable
Many parents think their child can “graduate” from a booster seat once they look big enough. But size, not age, should determine when a child moves to a regular seatbelt. Adult seatbelts are designed for people at least 145 cm tall. For smaller children, the lap belt rides up over the stomach instead of the hips, and the shoulder strap can cut across the neck or face.
In a crash, this poor positioning can lead to life-threatening injuries such as abdominal trauma, spinal damage, or even internal bleeding. A booster ensures the belt sits correctly on the strongest parts of the child’s body—the hips and shoulder—giving them the best possible protection.
The Myth of “Short Trips”
One of the most common excuses parents give for skipping proper restraints is that they’re only going a short distance. The reality is that most accidents happen close to home, often within five kilometres. These are the roads we drive daily, where familiarity can lead to complacency. It takes just one distracted driver or one unexpected stop to turn a “quick trip” into a disaster. Whether it’s a kilometre to school or a long family drive, the same safety rules apply.
Making Car Safety a Non-Negotiable Habit
The truth is, accidents don’t discriminate between careful drivers and reckless ones. You may be the safest driver on the road, but you can’t control the actions of others. What you can control is how your child is seated and restrained.
Always use the right car seat or booster for their height and weight, keep them in the back seat for as long as possible, and never give in to pressure to let them sit on your lap or buckle up without the proper restraint. It may take a little extra time, and it may spark arguments with an impatient child, but those small battles pale in comparison to the risk of serious injury.
Protecting children in the car isn’t about overreacting—it’s about recognising the very real dangers and making safety non-negotiable every single time.
