Think Baby on Board signs are necessary? Think again

Look, as a mum of two, I get it – when you’re driving, it’s often also with the most precious cargo: your baby and/or kids.

As a parent, of course, you want to do everything in your power to ensure their safety, which for many of us means sticking up that bright yellow sign with bold letters announcing: ‘Baby on Board.’

So, if you are a fan of what my tween would call “the aesthetic” of the sign, then go ahead and stick it up, however, if you’re doing it for any other reason – like alerting emergency workers to the fact that you have children in your car if you were to get into an accident – well, you might need to rethink your decision because according to some experts, it’s completely unnecessary.

In fact, according to former paramedic Nikki Jurcutz who specialises in child safety, the need for a baby on board sign is a myth and one she’s debunked online.

"You might have heard that you NEED a 'Baby on Board' sign on your car in case of an accident so that paramedics know to look for your child. This is a myth!" explained Ms Jurcutz to her audience.

“During my time as a paramedic, I was trained to assess the whole situation. Paramedics aren’t just relying on a baby on board sign, they are looking for clues that a child may have been in the vehicle, like car seats, and baby bags."

“The paramedics on the scene will be there assessing the full picture with or without the baby on board sign on the car,” she wrote.

Not only are they not needed, but in some situations, the signs are said to have created more harm than good.

According to a poll conducted by Confused.com that quizzed 2,000 drivers, 1 in 20 motorists said stickers and children’s car toys are to blame for a collision.

Meanwhile, ‘Baby on board’ stickers reportedly led to nearly two million drivers having an accident, the survey has claimed.

The stickers are being criticised as a distraction, and for obscuring a driver’s vision through the car’s rear window, which in all states and territories across Australia can be considered a violation of traffic laws which can lead to penalties.

Not to mention putting your precious cargo at risk.

They are also unreliable, with a high percentage of drivers displaying the sign regardless of whether there is a baby or child on board, or not.

Julie-Anne Newman from Victoria Police, agreed that the stickers are unreliable for indicating injured small passengers in a car accident.

“If the 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.

Another main reason for displaying the signs is to positively influence the driving behaviour of others, hoping that extra care will be taken because their vehicle contains children.

Unfortunately, there is probably no point, with no definitive research to prove that a baby on board sign makes other drivers more cautious and safer around you.

While the signs were originally created with safety in mind, with US man, Michael Lerner acting upon a tailgating experience as he drove his 18-month-old nephew home in 1984, ultimately, now, in Australia at least, they are nothing more than a decoration, serving no official safety purpose.

So, with that in mind, unless the signs work with your car style, it’s probably much more worth your time and energy to ensure you’re using the correct car seat, that your kids have buckled up, and save your money for something else.

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