Driving with Kid's...Options???

[hojhauler]

I am looking to this group of mobile travelers to see what seems to be the safest and most effective way to solve a problem since I know I am not the first one to have this situation. I have a 2001 F-250, crew cab, 4x4, shortbed w/powerstroke that I use for a daily commuter, weekend hauler and family trips. The truck has 145K miles on it but I have spent plenty of money on it to get it to where it is now (new tranny, tires, unit bearings, alternator, etc...)and since today's market is sooo soft for used vehicles trading or selling and buying something else is not an option.

So.....Is there a good option for a ambulance type box, hard shell, utility box or something other than fiberglass topper that I could look at to help the family (3 younger girls) move around a little bit while on long trips pulling the travel trailer?? I am mostly thinking just when it is sleeping time to have somewhere to stretch out and get all three out of the rear seat. Of course the NUMBER ONE priority has to be safety for the kids so that is why they just can't crawl back in to a truck bed with a fiberglass shell and no seatbelts. I have looked in to all sorts of things like converted boxes, slide-in's, sleepers....etc, basically looking for something that someone else has done or seen that seems to work effectively and is safe like a small class C or B rv....thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[mountainpete]

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think you will find much. There are lots of options to make use of your bed and turn it into a sleeping area, but none are considered safe for people to be in while the vehicle is moving. As you said, safety is the priority with young ones.

You would really have to move to a class C or convert your existing truck to a motorhome to achieve what you are looking for. Unfortunately that would cost much more then the market loss to trade your existing truck for something more fitting (possibly something like a full size SUV with a third row seat).

Pete

 

[Zaphod]

Of course the NUMBER ONE priority has to be safety for the kids so that is why they just can't crawl back in to a truck bed with a fiberglass shell and no seatbelts.

My sister and I were driven from one end of this country to the other doing almost precisely that, only we were in a big station wagon. The only reason it's considered "unsafe" now is because a bunch of safety-seat manufacturers persuaded a bunch of do-gooder politicians to once again create a means of generating public funds in the form of fines, all in the name of "safety". The fact that the lobbying safety-seat manufacturers struck it rich in the process is a detail that's often overlooked in the "corporations SUCK!" hysteria.

The result? Kids strapped into cars tighter than some test pilots I've seen. Unable to move, sleep, or even get comfortable. Yeah, hell of a way to make travel more enjoyable!

That said (and probably because of the fear of being sued into the Twilight Zone) you will probably find NOTHING that meets your needs, so your best bet will be to find a way to fabricate what you need yourself or with the help of a friend. I recommend that you put one-way windows in the enclosure so that no one can look in and see your little ones sleeping, be that a nosey cop who doesn't want to be bothered with actually catching bad guys, or a real bad guy trolling for targets. The other option, as already stated, is to ditch the pickup for an SUV-type vehicle. I would follow the latter option, personally. It yields protection, eas of back-and-forth, and better climate control than anything reasonable you could add onto a pickup.

It's a wonder anyone from my generation (I'm in my 40's) managed to live past the age of six given what you hear from the "safety first!" idiots these days.

Build what you need then go enjoy life with your kids. I wish I had more chances to do that with mine.

 

[jeffryscott]

My sister and I were driven from one end of this country to the other doing almost precisely that, only we were in a big station wagon. The only reason it's considered "unsafe" now is because a bunch of safety-seat manufacturers persuaded a bunch of do-gooder politicians to once again create a means of generating public funds in the form of fines, all in the name of "safety". The fact that the lobbying safety-seat manufacturers struck it rich in the process is a detail that's often overlooked in the "corporations SUCK!" hysteria.

The result? Kids strapped into cars tighter than some test pilots I've seen. Unable to move, sleep, or even get comfortable. Yeah, hell of a way to make travel more enjoyable! (

Wow, glad you are not my father. I'm in my 40s too, have two girls (6 and 4) and wouldn't dream of letting them crawl around like we did as youngsters. Have you ever been to accidents where people are ejected? Not pretty. I've seen many an infant saved by being strapped in tighter than a test pilot - and many other folks (amazing how many people still don't use safety belts) dead.

Since safety is the original posters priority, I too doubt you will find anything that meets your needs. Just get them as comfortable in the seats as you can, take frequent breaks ... video player, games, etc ... Good luck.

 

[IH8RDS]

I too was raised with no seatbelts. Amazingly we were never in a crash. I remember lying down in the back of the station wagon or on the floor boards of the car.

I couldn’t imagine my kids without seatbelts now. We have a 05 Suburban for travel. Having six kids and needing to tow 7000lbs limits vehicle choice. The Suburban is decked out with entertainment for the kids. DVD/Xbox etc. Make plenty of stops stretch there legs. On rare occasions they switch seats while driving, but only if it is a necessity. "he's touching/looking/pinching me" type of situations. lol

 

[Harald Hansen]

Close to half of all fatalities in car accidents would have been prevented if everybody was strapped in properly, at least in my area. Over 43.000 people died on US highways in 2005. Nothing is as safe as sitting strapped in.

Now that I've got that off my chest:

What we do is pace ourselves. We have frequent stops, and make sure that kid #1 (#2 is still a toddler) runs around a bit when we're stationary. It's good for the driver too, as long hauls tend to take a toll on concentration - at least mine.

Keep the kids as comfortable as possible, with their stuff within reach and in a comfortable seat.

Don't give them sweets while driving - most kids become restless from the sugar "high".

 

[hojhauler]

DVD/Xbox etc. Make plenty of stops stretch there legs. On rare occasions they switch seats while driving, but only if it is a necessity. "he's touching/looking/pinching me" type of situations.

been there and have and done that! I appreciate everyone's response and I too remember making a cross country trip with my parents, grandparents and my brother and I laying mostly on the luggage in the back of the station wagon while we traveled to Grand Canyon and Disneyland....and we made it!

That being said my profession as a firefighter has put me on many a scene where safetly belts saved lives and a few where they would have been better being ejected but you can't play those bad odds....especially not with my children so safety belts of some kind are a must.

I don't have a problem with a large suv or van (actually would love a sportsmobile) but can't afford one. But I have actually looked at some smaller Class C Rv's and they are nothing more than a van front with tin and fiberglass shell on the back...I have to believe that a fully welded aluminum shell or metal utility shell would be safer in a rollover or side collision than some of the tin and stick rv's on the market. I know that in the courts they may not believe it but I would think that if overly built it could/ would be safer in the bed of a truck covered and belted properly than moving/ belted around in a class C RV.

Enough with the rant, just wondering if I am off the mark and have always enjoyed this groups creativity and vision to be able to see and work outside the box....so keep the comments/ suggestions/ real world applications coming.

 

[boblynch]

This may sound crazy, but why not look for a used Excursion and a dealer willing to swap you even. Big SUVs aren't selling and plenty of contractors are looking for the 7.3L. A low mileage Excursion with the quad captains chairs would give the kids room to recline and still have seat belts and room for gear.

 

[Zaphod]

I don't have a problem with a large suv or van (actually would love a sportsmobile) but can't afford one.

I don't want to question your finances, but are you sure? A very decent SUV can be had for less than $10K these days, depending on what you're looking at. If you are able to trade in your pickup in the process...

The recent gas price rollercoaster put the kibosh on the second-hand SUV market. At one point folks couldn't give them away. If you haven't looked recently, you may want to.

And for the record, yes, I've seen the results of people not wearing seatbelts. No, they're not pretty. It still doesn't convince me that government needs to FORCE us to wear them. Besides, people die when wearing seatbelts, too. Maybe we should just ban all recreational vehicle use. Safety, the environment, and all that jazz.

I'm just glad that my little ones are just about to get out of needing booster seats. The only benefit I see for them (the seats that is) is that the kids can see out the windows better...

 

[hojhauler]

Actually I have looked at trading or selling outright, it is just that I have spent soooooo much money on it lately to get it right where I want it to only find out it does a few things great and a really important thing not so well.

It is all trade-off's with vehicle modification and I am sure that many on this site can relate to getting that vehicle set-up perfectly how you wanted it only to realize it is not what you really want/ need???....that is where I am at and I just wanted to see if there was one last ditch effort to keep what I have.

I agree there are some incredible deals in the used suv market (I was saying I could not afford a sportsmobile) and I do have a 'wanted' vehicle with the 7.3 it is just a matter or finding the right buyer...which I might just have to go ahead and list it.

 

[Zaphod]

Sorry, man. I should have read your OP a bit more closely.

The only thing I've seen that could meet your needs was a unit that they build onto the back of a truck (I wish I could remember the manufacturer), and IIRC they can use F-250's or 350's as a starting point. You wouldn't need a trailer anymore, either. The bad side is the cost (it was a ton of bucks), as well as that it would cease to be a DD vehicle. Probably wouldn't work for you.

Hell of a nice conversion, though. :drool:

I'm afraid you'll be limited to following the advice above and simply taking more breaks along the trip, or else building something custom. With three girls in the back, it'll be cramped no matter what you do.... :Wow1:

 

[Superu]

I'm just glad that my little ones are just about to get out of needing booster seats. The only benefit I see for them (the seats that is) is that the kids can see out the windows better...

While seeing out the window better is an added bonus, the purpose of child booster seat is to allow for better alignment of the seat belt so it will properly restrain them when needed and not cause injury rather than prevent it.

Here are the three main criteria widely accepted for moving to a standard seated position from a booster seat.

• The child can sit all the way back against the vehicle seat, with knees bent comfortably over the edge.
• The lap belt remains snugly across the bony areas of the lower hips/upper thighs (not the soft abdomen).
• The shoulder belt remains snugly positioned across the chest and collarbone.

 

[kjp1969]

My sister and I were driven from one end of this country to the other doing almost precisely that, only we were in a big station wagon. The only reason it's considered "unsafe" now is because a bunch of safety-seat manufacturers persuaded a bunch of do-gooder politicians to once again create a means of generating public funds in the form of fines, all in the name of "safety". The fact that the lobbying safety-seat manufacturers struck it rich in the process is a detail that's often overlooked in the "corporations SUCK!" hysteria.

The result? Kids strapped into cars tighter than some test pilots I've seen. Unable to move, sleep, or even get comfortable. Yeah, hell of a way to make travel more enjoyable!

All it takes is one crash and the "safety first idiots" will start to look like geniuses next to the above line of thinking. I was unfortunate enough to have a serious accident with my 2 and 4 year olds strapped into the back of our explorer- the crash totaled the explorer and our travel trailer. Although we didn't roll over, we probably should have. Anyway, everyone walked away without a scratch. A friend of mine had a similar accident and his unbelted son seriously broke his arm- they weren't sure for while whether they would have to amputate it.

Safety is silly? Well, maybe, but only until you need it. Then it becomes pretty important. Kids get buckled in tight, just like test pilots. If they're uncomfortable, then tough. That's what rest stops and DVD's are for.

 

[Zaphod]

Safety is silly?

No. Just regulations masquerading as "safety" when they're really about MONEY..

As for the "All it takes is one crash..." mentality, I can use that to ban private ownership of vehicles. Use mass transit, instead. It has a better safety record AND it's better for the environment. Better yet, stay home.

See the problem? Where do we stop?

 

[kjp1969]

No. Just regulations masquerading as "safety" when they're really about MONEY..

As for the "All it takes is one crash..." mentality, I can use that to ban private ownership of vehicles. Use mass transit, instead. It has a better safety record AND it's better for the environment. Better yet, stay home.

See the problem? Where do we stop?

Sometimes the people who make a lot of money are also promoting the right thing. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Statistically, we will all have a serious crash. You've either had one, or you will. You can play the odds, and bet that I'm going to have two and you won't have any, but that's a risky game to play with your own safety, much less your kids. You can also bet that you won't have a fire (so you don't need a fire extinguisher), that you won't get lost (so you don't need a map), or that you won't break down (so you don't need tools or a phone).

My 4, 7 and 9 year olds don't always do what's best for them. That's why I make them buckle their seatbelts even if they don't want to. I'm the grown up, and I make and enforce the rules. I'm not going to let them wander all over the car just because they want to. Letting them dictate how safe to be makes as much sense and letting them choose whether or not to eat their veggies, or take a bath, or do their homework or tell the truth. Letting them choose comfort over safety would be an abdication of my responsibility as their father. Some people do this, I know, but its an unacceptable choice for me. I'd like to think that this makes me a better father- time will tell.

I don't really know what you're talking about, what with banning cars and such. We're talking about seatbelts. Just because you don't agree with the law that says they have to buckle up, doesn't mean you don't have a responsibility to make good choices for your kids, and not let them act any which way they want to.