Hypothetical Question

Going with the scenario as it is presented I would say 'a'. There is no way I would leave children in a car whether it be in a 'safe' place or not mainly because they are not my children and I am responsible for them. If the situation looked bad I would ring emergency services.

I would take the children home and phone friend later. Knowing my Dgs's they would be out of the car in a flash, having Aspergers the younger one would be all over the fire engine like a rash. Better have the children safe!!!

When looking after the GKs they are the priority. This was not a life of death situation so she should have driven on. I agree with the DiL

The DiL is only putting the needs of her children first .I would not call that self-centred.

Quite so. Given that in the OP it stated very clearly: 'Bearing in mind the accident is on a busy roundabout in town.' - that ups the anti in the risk stakes, not like it was a quiet road or country lane!

Because they would have known from my tone of voice that it mattered, not because they were little goody goodies.

Having them in sight is not leaving them but greenfinch's point about their possible naughtiness in climbing out in spite of being told to stay put for a few minutes is indeed a good one.

I never did leave my kids (or anyone else's) in a car in this sort of situation but I might well have and they would have been obedient.

Depends on the age of the children. My 7 year old twin grandchildren can easily unstrap themselves and even though they have child locks on the back doors they could get out through the front. They would most likely stay put if I told them to but you never quite know if they are not your children.It is very dangerous to leave children in a locked car .The DiL is only putting the needs of her children first .I would not call that self-centred.

I'm still agreeing with bags

Hello jings - have you been away?

Beginning to wonder how mine survived

Children, even young ones, do not need all one's attention all the time.

Are the children not safe in their seats (strapped in) and the car locked?

I mentioned well aired earlier.

A "safe place" is not a crash site.

Leaving children within sight is not leaving them unattended.

Agree with jing

The dil is being completely unrealistic. And selfcentred.

Not sure what I'd have done under the circumstances. It would depend on so many factors such as how close I could safely park, the age of the children, the seriousness of the crash, how many other people were around.

Difficult.

I would never leave the children unattended.

Neither would I - 5 minutes can seem like an hour to young children and if they got out of the car to see what was taking you so long, well, who knows what could happen. There's a clip on the internet showing rubberneckers crashing into the police car that had stopped to issue a ticket to a driver because they were more interested in what was going on than watching where they were going. I certainly wouldn't have taken the children to the accident site.

Your friend should have driven to a place she can pull over and dial 999 then call her friend later to make sure she is okay. The safety of the children would have to come first.

I would probably do a .

I would have to put the children first and if it was on a busy roundabout, there will be plenty of other folk to help. I would probably stop in a quiet place and phone DH or someone in her family. I would never leave the children unattended. I'm with her DiL.

I like your take on it GrannyTwice

Also demonstrates a good life lesson to children - caring for others

Since the kids are fine the DiL needs to calm down. Life is not risk free. The 'risk' in this instance was very small.

yep B

Righty Ho,seen it now !

Nonu see my 10.02 post