Why do people use the "baby on board" sign on their car?

Question

Someone's avatar got me thinking about this. A couple weeks ago I was driving down the road and this lady behind me was riding my butt ( I was going 5 miles over the speed limit) and as soon as she got the chance, she passed me in a NO passing zone and as she got in front of me I noticed she had a "baby on board" sign in the back window. I was thinking, what is the point of that sign when you yourself drive like a maniac, is that to let everyone know what an idiot parent you are? LOL

I mea seriously thoug why do people use those signs? Do they think people will be more careful around them if they know they have a child on board? Like they are more important then any other driver on the road so you should really be careful around them? Isn't that like a call out to predators who might be looking for a child to kidnap..."hey look here! look at us, we have a child right here for you!" LOL

What do you think? Are these signs really necessesary and do they really make any difference?

It's kind of like the bumper stickers that say "back off I don't like tailgaters" yet you have to be right up on their rear to even be able to read the thing LOL

Answer 1

"Baby On Board" signs were originally meant to alert rescue personnel that there is a baby in the car.

MINISTER

S.F.C.U.

Answer 2

I think people think it's cute or something?!?!?!?!  

Answer 3

I think it would be more helpful to put a "Lawyer on Board" sign in the car if they wanted to avoid accidents, but I think people put that sign up in the hopes that it will keep crazy drivers from being quite so crazy. I don't think it works.  

Answer 4

It doesn't hurt to have the sign, I do it for the people with half a brain that will see the sign and maybe back off of my a55!

Answer 5

I have wondered this question myself. I agree with you I think they are completely ridiculous. You make a good point on the predators I never thought about it from that perspective. I just thought they were funny.

Answer 6

Wow, I didn't know so many people were anti Baby on Board signs. I never had a problem with them, in fact I kinda like them.

Edit: I think the first girl was trying to say that if someone is riding your butt, flash your tail lights by tapping on your brakes a few times. I dont think she meant to flash your headlights if you are the one tailing the other person.

Answer 7

Why not?  I think they are pretty cute and I get a chuckle out them thinking to myself "they must be a first time mom".

As for the tail gaters, they didn't hit you or anything so I'd let that go.  Yes they were irresponsible, but unfortuately some people are just bad drivers.  I don't think that "back off I don't like tailgaters" would help you out any either.  That would just invite them.

Answer 8

Lol I was wondering the same thing. As for people riding your butt, my mom taught me a trick, flip your lights on and the person will back off.

EDIT: Wow Bradlys mom you are ovbiously seriously mistaken. You turn your lights on so that the person behind you thinks that you applied your breaks so they will back off. I've NEVER been a rude driver to people and I would NEVER flash my lights at someone to move over. People on here are so quick to judge, and they ovbiously can't comprehend anything.

Answer 9

I have one, I've never really thought about why its there. Even with my sign up people are still jerks and tailgate us. So I guess its pointless.

Answer 10

I have one, and yes I DO use it for the safety of my children. It's not cute, it's not for "funnies". It makes me HOPE that people won't act stupid while drving around me and I am not a maniac driver. It doesn't always make a difference, some people are just jerks. But, I guess everyone has one for different reasons.

Answer 11

I often wonder the same thing. Perhaps they think someone will think twice about running into them because they have kids? I wish I had the answer lol. They probably just think it's "cute"... weirdos ;)

Answer 12

The window shades I purchased for my child unfortunately have those signs imprinted in the middle of them.  I do not particularly care for them myself and had I known that prior to buying the window shades I would not have bought them.  Having said that, I would think that people would be more cautious if they knew a child was in the car but from experience it doesn't matter.  People still drive like maniacs, don't care and try to kill me and my child on the road for their own convenience.

EDIT:  as for the first poster, any person who thinks that flipping their lights to tell me to get out of their way will work is sadly mistaken.  That is extremely rude, "who do you think you are?"

Answer 13

I am going to get one. In simple hopes that people wont be AS stupid. I mean, it might have absolutely no effect, but at least I am trying. I one time had some guy drive right up to me when I was in the lane to turn left, and got mad because he wanted to go straight, and bumped me with his car. WTF!? I was just sitting there waiting, and this guy was a total moron. Hopefully with the sign I will avoid people like that... but probably not (crosses fingers).

People with the sign that drives like a maniac - shame on them. They really shouldn't be. If they have a child in their vehicle, they should be more careful. But some people simply don't care much unfortunally. I have a co worker that has a sign similar... it looks exactly the same except it says "Drunk on Board".... maybe her sign said that??? Lol....

But thanks for posting this!! It shows me some people really do look at those signs. So maybe some people really do listen to them???? I hope so... Houston has crazy traffic + people and I swear if anyone wrecks into me with my baby in my car I will turn into a maniac....

Answer 14

I actually have one on my back windshield sun blocker thing (so the sun doesn't blind my kid in his rear-facing carseat) because I couldn't find one without it!!  Sometimes the sun-blockers have stuff on them without telling you clearly on the package...it's pretty annoying.    

Answer 15

Oh gee I don't know, maybe they think it's cute??  Chill out.  Yeah they shouldn't have tailgated, but they didn't hit you and they didn't run you over.  

Answer 16

lol..I am only 15 but I think that it could be for funnys.

I had a coach that got pregnant and we wrote on her sweat shirt baby on board just for funnys...so maybe it is like the same type of thing..

Answer 17

Like Minister said - if there's an accident, rescue workers know to look for a child etc, and lol, I don't have the baby on board thing (used to though) lol, but today I saw these tiny lil shirts on suction cups for cars and they are just so adorable, I grabbed a pink one (we have all girls lol) and it has "Little Cutie on Board" lol, and I just got it cause it's so cute, nothing else. Getting anything like that is pointless if you think people are going to be more careful around you, If they are stupid enough to drive like an idiot in the first place why would they even bother to look for a small lil sign in other car windows???

Answer 18

I always believed they were for if your car was involved in an accident, the SES are aware to look for a baby/ young child who may otherwise go un-noticed.

Answer 19

I was around when those things first came out in the 70's.  Back then, they were intended as safety features for your car & to let people know why you might be driving a bit more slowly or carefully.

Now, though, I think they're just standard baby accessories - just a cute thing to get when you have a baby.