Mary, your comments are well taken.  I have a daughter that was in a terrible accident last July 22nd and she was wearing her seat belt.  No doubt the outcome could have been alot different, but fortunately she is still with us. She is very strict about anyone riding in her car without putting on their seat belt.  If fact, she won't move the car until they fasten up!  I hope your son can find a positive to focus on in this tragedy.  My prayers are with you!

What a sad way to be reminded.  When my kids were very young, I had them convinced that the seat belts MUST be fastened or the car wouldn't start.  They believed me for YEARS!  Then, when they didn't believe me anymore - they TRUSTED me so it was all good!

Mary,

This is an easy problem to fix. http://www.bestbits.co.uk/cart.php?target=product&product_id=746 this is just an example of a seat belt extender. There are many more out there just like this one and will make you more comfortable.

On a personal note: My oldest daughter is named after my older sister who died in 1969, when my parents car went off a cliff, when my dad fell asleep at the wheel. At the time there was no seat-belt law as we know it now. She was in what was a belted in playpen. When the car rolled she came out of the car and died. I never got to meet her, she died before I was born, so please everyone, also make your kids are also buckled up!

Todd

There are no excuses for not wearing seat belts. What I am wondering is when we are going to begin to put seat belts on school buses and in cabs?

David...I am glad your daughter is doing better.  I don't understand the not wearing seat belt business.  I think if it person is NOT wearing a seat belt it should be grounds for a ticket....period, no if, ands or buts about it.  The more times caught the higher the ticket amount, eventually the license would go.

Sue...I too always made my kids act responsibily in a car...for a long time while they were young seat beats were not required, nor car seats for that matter.  I came home from the hospital carrying my babies.  We were rear-end in 1965 on a busy highway, I had my first born in my arms...he was asleep, hubby was driving.  The impact of the vehicle behind us totalled our vehicle.  The baby ended up in the back seat with the back of the front seats laying on top of him.  I can remember being hysterical wondering where my baby was.  Howard was trying to keep me calm and deal with the police.  Seat belts (unknown at that time) would of solved most our problems that night!

Todd...so sad about your older sister...so sad you never met her...but your daughter lives on in her. 

Bob & Carolin...so true about no excuse...I like todds idea of the 'extended seat belt' for heavier people, it makes sense.

Never hurts to remind people.  Many years ago I didn't wear a seatbelt until I was taking my friends children to school.  I told them to buckle up and their question to me was "well why don't you wear yours?"

I've not gone without it since. 

Hi Mary,

Thanks for sharing that experience, in the same note my father got into an accident in January, he was driving with the seat belt on an he had a passenger. They happen to roll in the side of the highway, my father suffer a couple of small cuts, now the passenger without the seatbelt was expulsed from the vehicle and died right there.

No very inspiring but true, we all must wear the seatbelt it saves lives and my father is living proof of that.

Have a great day,

Richard Alvez

Mary, My thoughts will be with this ladies family.