Having a child, one quickly learns about child car seats (we were not allowed to leave the hospital without a car seat approved by the hospital) and safe travel with your child..."rear-facing", "forward-facing", "ball-in-the-green-zone", etc. At a certain age and weight, our son will graduate to some sort of "booster seat". And until he is 12, he's not even allowed to ride in the front seat (I don't think).

What was legal 25 years ago (and not considered scary or unsafe) would probably send one to jail today, however. One of my fondest memories of family travel when I was growing up was riding down the highway with my two younger brothers in the back of my dad's pick-up truck sitting on a metal bench seat pushed against the back. The seat was as high as the sides of the truck and there was nothing restraining us to the seat or the seat to the truck, either. Thank goodness my dad was a good driver.

I sure had fun riding that way, and am glad that I have memories of it, but there is no way I would ever do that again! The thought of my son riding that way sends a shiver down my spine.