Are ‘Baby on Board’ stickers on cars any use for emergency services?
What are their purpose and when should they be removed?
Relatives gave me a diamond-shaped black and gold suction sign that reads “Cutie on Board” that we’ve put on the back window of our car.
The reason I use it is that it makes me feel like people are aware I have a little human inside my car but it is often there when he isn’t.
Some parents think the stickers help emergency services in the case of an accident but NSW police say that’s not the case.
“The sign is not for emergency services, but more of a notice to other drivers. Anyone using these signs must ensure they are not obstructing the driver’s view,” a NSW Police spokesperson told Mamamia.
It seems emergency services departments across the country use their own protocols and don’t officially use the stickers as a tool for first responders.
Julie-Anne Newman, Acting Sergeant from Victoria Police, says the stickers are not reliable for indicating injured small passengers in a car accident.
“If police were to sight a sticker such as ‘Baby on Board’ when attending a collision scene, they may keep this in mind however – in the first instance information would be gleaned from the scene, from victims, from witnesses and from police enquiries,” she told Mamamia.
Top Comments
I actually spend a lot of my time in a developing country (with poor emergency services) and my daughter comes with me. I use the sign there because people do actually drive recklessly without regard to anyone so I hope that if they see the sign they would try to be more careful and not tailgate me. However, I don't mind the sign in general. It's just a reminder. No different to a "Slow down" or "School zone" sign I guess. Also, I think the responses we are getting here would be different if showed to a demographic of 18 to 21 year olds who tend to engage in more risk taking behaviour when driving.
True, but the slow down signs at schools are put up by authorities. You also have to drive at 40 near schools during some hours as well as it being a reminder childten are around who may not be fully road safety aware. Therefore, it is justified having those signs up.
Baby on board signs are put up by parents, not authorities. If it really was a safety feature to have them it would be a legal requirement, just like seat belts etc.
As people have mentioned here, I find them a total w*** ("Look at me, I have a baby", but each to their own I guess.
All vehicles have someone's _baby_ on board, even if we are adults now. Totally stupid to have a baby-on- board sign. There should be nothing on the wind shield to distract the other drivers from concentrating on the surrounding traffic situation. When I see the signs on a vehicle I just mark them off as azzholes.