Anybody here this morning remember what it used to be like to drive a car . . . before power steering? before automatic transmission? before air conditioning? before seat belts?

Let's stop there for a moment. Before seat belts, parents could pack eight kids into a family car, ages one week to 18 years, with no restraining thoughts or devices.

Automobile safety is much more regulated than it used to be. Today we have laws requiring children under four years and forty pounds to be buckled into some sort of child car seat. You can't even bring your newborn home from the hospital until they make sure a child car seat is in your car. For slightly older kids there are booster seats. With the mandatory installation of airbags, no kids under the age of 12 are supposed to be allowed in the front …