Car seat culture

The parents would be thrown in jail today!! (A good book I've just re-read, by the way. Not only were they parents of 12 children, but he was also was a true Renaissance man, film-maker, inventor, and most importantly, the man who championed the methods of motion study. His wife was one of the first working female engineers holding a PhD. She is arguably the first true industrial/organizational psychologist. She served as an advisor to Presidents Hoover, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson on matters of civil defense, war production and rehabilitation of the physically handicapped. Together she and her husband were partners in the management consulting firm of Gilbreth, Inc. which performed time and motion studies. Their children had a large part in the experiments, and the family would work as an enormous team.)

A discussion of the "carseat culture"-how it epitomizes the American way, it encourages safety paranoia, encourages government intervention in our business, and that Americans may want to be told how to parent.
For the record, I think car seats are great, they have saved so many young lives and prevented many serious injuries. I don't think anyone is saying they want to do away with car seats. But it does get difficult to fit all the seats in your car, if we have another child we'll have to get a different car. That was the first thing I said to Tom when he brought the family van home-where will Maree' sit? It's kinda painful for her to squeeze in there in between Justin and Leanna. (Even with Leanna in a booster seat instead of a full carseat, because the base is the same size, regardless). And they truly are a pain in the butt!
In the comments someone says it's no big deal her friend manages with twelve kids, but we can't all afford a 15 passenger van (let alone the gas!).
I knew that you don't use a second-hand carseat, but I wasn't aware that the plastic in all carseats degrade in 5-12 year's time.
I never thought about it with regards to having a nanny state. They do have a point there. Another point is the idea that it encourages the spread of safety paranoia. Just things to think about.