Wearing a seatbelt is crucial for safety, a fact reiterated time and time again.
Thankfully, many of us understand and abide by this without a second thought. However, my recollection from childhood paints a different picture. I recall feeling uncomfortable with the seatbelt, often sliding it under my arm unnoticed by my parents. Little did I know the grave danger I was courting.
Many children and parents remain unaware of the perils associated with improperly fastened seat belts. Some parents may even transition their small children to using seat belts before they are tall enough, unknowingly putting them at risk.
“Samantha Swartwout spent three weeks in the hospital following a car accident where she sustained serious injuries to…
Posted by Larry H. Miller Collision Centers on Thursday, November 3, 2016
On their way home from a trade fair, 6-year-old Samantha Swartwout and her father faced a horrific accident as their car collided with a tree.
Samantha endured severe injuries and was rushed unconscious to the hospital, where she was nearly torn in two, requiring extensive surgery to repair her heavily damaged abdomen.
Utilizing advanced medical techniques, doctors worked diligently to secure all of Samantha’s internal organs, as reported by British Daily Mail.
While Samantha’s father sustained fewer injuries, Samantha’s fate could have been vastly different if she had been correctly restrained in her seat with a properly fastened seat belt.
Following the traumatic incident, Samantha battled post-traumatic stress disorder and recurring nightmares.
Samantha’s mother, Shelly Martin, now seeks to alert other parents to the potential consequences of premature transition from a car seat.
“Ensuring your child is in the correct safety restraint takes mere seconds,” Shelly emphasized to Daily Mail. “The recovery process will occupy most of a year for her. ‘Mantha will face further surgical procedures in the months ahead…”
“She’s also fearful of being alone,” Shelly added. “There are myriad repercussions post-accident that often go unconsidered.”
Had Samantha been appropriately secured, her injuries could have been entirely averted.
Share this story with your Facebook circle to emphasize the critical role of seat belts and boosters while driving. It can truly be a matter of life or death.
