[lelanthran]

> We used to go on long trips with a family of 5 in normal sized cars regularly. Of course I would never do that today.

Of course you won't - the baby seats that are safe enough to pass regulations are too large to fit 2 of them into the back seat of that old normal sized car.

Long family trips in smaller cars were done without baby seats or booster seats.

[CalRobert]

What??? You're saying you can't fit two car seats in the back of a "normal" car? I have two of them in a Honda Jazz (aka Fit) at this very moment. A car classed as a "subcompact". Until recently, one of them was a bulky Axkid (though it has since been outgrown).