Why Do People Have Those 'Child On Board' Signs In The Back Of Their Cars?

Question

How should that affect the person driving behind them, why are they there?

Answer 1

So stupid people dont ram into them or try to tailgate them! I mean come on! there's alot of stupid people out there that thinnk they MUST GO 80 in a 45 to get to the stupid stop light I mean come on people, we all get there at the same time anyway well thats one resons too! SO SLOW DOWN

Answer 2

It's so they remember to get them out of the boot when they stop.

Answer 3

This is an odd one.  My children are grown up so we have no such notices in our rear windows.  So does that mean that whoever is driving behind us has to drive less carefully?  When I am driving and I see those notices I don't think 'Uh-oh, better slow down, better drive more carefully, there's a kid in front', I drive carefully anyhow because there are PEOPLE in the car in front.  Can anyone explain why these notices were started, and what they were meant to make us do differently?

Answer 4

The quality of some of the answers on here displays the general ignorance of the reason.  As some have correctly said, the intention is to indicate to emergency personnel that there is a child in the vehicle (which may not be immediately apparent) in the event of an accident.  

Unfortunately the ignoranti display these signs as some sort of badge of pride even when there ISN'T a child on board - which defeats the object as the emergency services waste time looking for it!

I, too, wonder at the "Caution - show dogs in transit" type sign, what am I supposed to do about it?  Think I'll have a sign made up saying "Caution -spare wheel in boot" . . .

Answer 5

The "Baby On Board" sign started before carparks introduced "Parent and Child" spaces as a way of letting the people parked next to you know they would need room to put the child in the car.

They are pretty much defunct nowadays.

Answer 6

The purpose of them was to let emergency services know that a child was being carried in the event of an accident. Children have been flung out of a vehicle in accidents and a child could also be missed in a vehicle. For the most part they are now used to display to the world that the vehicle owner is capable of producing children. I wonder if anyone has actually broken into an unattended vehicle displaying this sign, in order to rescue the child. I don't see how they could be prosecuted in such circumstances.

Answer 7

Maybe they are actually assasins or robbers driving those cars and no one would ever suspect or shoot a vehicle with a sticker that says that. That'd be pretty sweet.

Answer 8

This idea has evolved over time to become a notice for EMS, fire & law enforcement officers to look for a child in the vehicle in the event of an accident & the person driving is unable to advise them that there is a small child in the car.

This idea came from the old "Tot Finder" (1970's & 80's) decals local Fire Departments gave parents to put on their children's bedroom windows. In the event of a fire, those decals would alert the firemen that the household does have small children & exactly where to go to search for them.

Answer 9

I always wondered about that, but a policeman once told me that if the car is involved in a crash, then the emergency services know to look for a child if its not immediately apparent that there is one, which makes more sense.

Answer 10

they think they are special

Answer 11

lol sometimes people like to just intentionally ram the car in front of them, and if they see that sign, they will ram them gently... i assume :S

Answer 12

There was a study that showed when drivers see that sign they are more concious of how there drving. So really its so try and keep the child safe.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/b...

Answer 13

People who display these signs are under the mis guided impression that the person behind might not crash into them if they know there is a child in the car.

Something tells me - thats not why people crash.

Ooooh that car isn't displaying a "child on board" sign so i can hit that one, however this car is so i better not hit this one!

Answer 14

Good question. Ranks alongside "Caution! Show Dogs in Transit"

Answer 15

Maybe to make drivers behind them more cautious drivers, to drive responibly, which every driver should do anyway.

Answer 16

so nobody rams the back of the car and the are exempt from street racing;-) and they are exempt from car chases as well

Answer 17

Maybe to make others more cautious.

Answer 18

I've wondered this as well some times i think it's the child on board that's driving

Answer 19

because they have a child on board.

DUH!!!

Answer 20

People behind them slow down! And are aware that theres children on board!

Answer 21

Because when there is an accident, a paramedic can determine whether a child is at risk by spotting these signs in the back of crashed cars so they can be rescued/treated first.

I have a child on board sign to let people know that I am not going to speed with my kids in the car so if they want to over take go ahead. I mean how bad a mum would I be if I killed my kids because I was speeding?

Answer 22

Because they are the ones who think that no-one else has ever had any kids!

It does nothing to affect the following cars.

Answer 23

I think that this is a "Yuppie" identifier. They were originally to notify emergency personnel that there was a child on board, but the drivers leave them there all the time, which sorta defeats the purpose.

The sign does not have any effect on my driving, since I don't want to hit anyone, kid or not.

Regards,

Dan

Answer 24

They display them, in the hope that the car behind, realising that there is a child on board, will keep more than a safe distance from them, in case of having to stop in an emergency!