snopes.com/horrors/parental/babysign.htm
says:
[quote]In
the early 1980s, the highways and byways of North America became the showcase for America’s latest pet rock, the “Baby on Board” sign…
Unlike what is implied in the gruesome folklore that has come to be associated with these advisories, their purpose was not to alert rescue workers to the presence of babies at accident scenes; they were instead supplications to other drivers to exercise additional care, reminders that they shared the road with vehicles carrying children.
Though the backstory about an infant who died in a car crash because he wasn’t found in time is one that would chill any parent’s blood, how these signs came to be is far removed from the lore. There were no dead babies, no horrific crashes.
In 1984, Michael Lerner founded Safety 1st for the purpose of manufacturing “Baby on Board” signs. The inspiration for the signs came not from a deadly accident that took the life of a youngster but from a friend who saw similar stickers in Europe. …
In 1986 a study conducted by a Bronx assemblyman’s office found humorous plays on the “Baby on Board” sign outnumbered the real thing by five to one. [/quote]
In doing this research I went to babyonboard.com. Big mistake. Don’t go there.
