• Oct. 28, 2007
Getting on my soapbox
I'm getting on my soapbox to give you a psa about wearing your seat belt. I am all about the seatbelt, people! Seatbelt usage has always been something I've been adamant about in general, but especially with my children. I don't care how long or short a trip it was, if the car was in motion, they were strapped in. (I cannot believe how many people I notice driving around with loose kids in the car-it makes me crazy)
So, this seatbelt dedication came in handy on this date (Oct 28) in 2005. The three boys and I were coming home late one afternoon after an art lesson. We were on a country road, going about 55 mph, when a woman blew through her stop sign and crashed right into us. The impact made my minivan swing around the opposite direction and then topple into the ditch, then the van tipped over onto its side and the windows on that side were smashed. The doors wouldn't work and we had to crawl out my window. I had picked up a couple gallons of honey from a beekeeper friend and it went everywhere, along with library books and art supplies. We could smell gas trickling out. Stuff from the glove compartment ended up in the back of the van. My shoes even came off - that's how hard she hit us. BUT - we had our seatbelts on. And everyone was FINE. We were pretty freaked out and my youngest had a scratch on his forehead, but other than that we were just fine. (The people in the vehicle that hit us were fine too.)
It was pretty dramatic - the police came, ambulances , even a fire truck- I think they must have expected a fire or explosion because of the gas. A nice policeman found my shoes so I didn't have to go home in stocking feet. Sure, the next day I felt like I'd been beaten with a bat or played tackle football, but muscle aches are no biggie. (My mom brought me chicken soup and a bottle of wine) The boys didn't even have even have any aches . With the force of impact there was, I have no doubt we'd have had much more serious injuries without our seatbelts. The van was of course, totalled. Want to see my poor van ? This is the next day at the salvage yard:
Yikes! Here's another view:
Scary! That's right where my youngest was sitting. Freaks me out, still. But look at the inside- you'd never know how bad she hit us:
He was sitting in the back there - and he was just fine!! You can imagine how thankful I was that we were all ok. And have you ever tried climbing out the window of a minivan while it's lying on its side? Tricky. My nearest neighbor happened to be going down the road ahead of me, and when he heard the crash he came back, so he helped fish us out the window. Here's the corner where the lady hit us - you can see where my van plowed into the ditch.
So that's my scare tactic to get you to wear those seatbelts, if it's not a habit for you. Do it people! I'll tell you another little story- farmer husband was driving down a country road one winter morning and saw a minivan skid on some ice and crash - these people were not wearing seatbelts and one of the kids flew out the window!! Scary! The mom was hysterical. Amazingly, the child was fine. Sadly, the mom ws not - she ended up being partially paralyzed. OK, climbing down off the soapbox now...........but don't forget to buckle up!
ps. Later that night, after realizing we'd need a new vehicle, farmer husband suggested we get something smaller and more economical. I said, "are you INSANE- you are buying me a freakin HUMMER to drive down the road in. I want the closest thing I can get to a TANK!"
(no, I'm not driving around in a Hummer right now)
Comments
• Oct. 29, 2007
DITTO!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Anonymous
I spent 5 years recovering (and still have problems) from an accident Dec.21,1986. I went face first into the dashboard...the seat belt didn't hold. The make them better now. You ain't kiddin about the belt, it's on before I start the car.
Everyone needs a reminder now and then.
KnittySue
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by woolwinder
We always wear our seat belts and require our passengers to do the same. It's not worth taking the chance.
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Wow! That is amazing. Thankfully you were all ok! Seat belts do save lives. Great post!
janice
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Wow, that was a scary accident! I am always nagging my mother about wearing her seatbelt. The scary thing is her boyfriend doesn't wear one because his best friend died in a car accident when they were young because the seatbelt was broken and he couldn't get out of the car. I always worry knowing he drives her around.
www.oiyi.blogspot.com
• Oct. 29, 2007
yikes
Posted by Anonymous
i'm the same way. the seatbelt is such a habit that if i don't feel it all of a sudden when i'm driving i tend to freak out patting my chest feeling for it there. And zander laughs cause he's four and gets into his own seat now and put his own seatbelt on, but i won't move the car until i get the OK! that he's clicked in and sometimes i get out and take a tug on th belt.
This stems from my dad being hit in 1989 head on by a drunk driver. On a city street in a 30 mph zone. The drunk guy was going over 75mph. My dad was in "old blue" which he drove tot he mill. It was a BEAST of an old oldsmobile. SOme like 1979 model or something. It was literally a tank. And the police officers told my momt he seatbelt and car are what saved my dad. Funny thing was since old blue was totalled, my dad bought THE SAME car used to drive til 1993 when he bought a big suv. but i hear you. i always see the chicago cops giving out tickets to people at the seat belt checks and can't udnerstand how you don't wear the darn thing.
xoxoxox
jen
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
I am with you on the seatbelt thing! My kids and I are always buckled up when we are in the car. You just never know when something is going to happen.
A friend of mine told me this weekend that she never buckles her kids up when she is driving around town. I was shocked! She considers it a "freedom" issue--no one is going to force her to do it. I only hope that she and her kids are never in an accident!
Randi
• Oct. 29, 2007
from Fringey
Posted by Anonymous
So Glad you are all alright! I am with you- get a Hummer!...Great van though- We keep waiting for our youngest to get out of a booster seat, but at 8yo and only weighing in at 43 lbs we doubt she will ever be out of one, especially if they raise the weight limit! I did the tag by the by...:)
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by psalm127
Oh wow! I am a big advicate of seat belts too. Dad would always sing "Buckle up for saftey..Buckle up"
I sing that to my kids who think I am crazy, but if they remember to buckle up then I don't care if they think mom is crazy...they are safe and that is what matters.
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Thimbleanna
Wow -- what a great PSA! And in addition to being a PSA, it could be an add for the kind of mini-van that you had -- the inside view of where your son was sitting was amazing compared to the outside view!
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Danielle
Thanks for the post, I think it's great to remind us all to be safer drivers! Plus if people don't wear there seatbelts then they can get a clue as to why they should--DOH!! BTW, we always do too. I've been in an accident without my seatbelt, and with! You should always always always wear it!! You guys could've been hurt so badly if you would not have been wearing yours that day you were hit, you would've been tossed around and maybe even out! The consequenses could've been fatal even, but you know that. That's why you wrote this post. I for one agree whole heartedly with you on this issue!
• Oct. 29, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by Emily
Wow. Those pictures are worth a thousand words. I was tearing up just reading about it all. What an ordeal! I'm glad you were all ok. (I'm totally the same when it comes to the seatbelt wearing. I feel naked without it.)
• Oct. 31, 2007
Oh my goodness!
Posted by mauser98
It is a huge blessing you weren't hurt in that accident, seat belt or not! Wow! Did your van have side curtain airbags? Our van doesn't, and that's one of my major concerns for our children. We occupy all three rows in our van, lol! Anyway, I am glad you all are safe. By the way, I am of the same opinion as you about seat belts!
• Oct. 31, 2007
Untitled Comment
Posted by lisa
I am so glad you were all alright. I am very strict about seatbelts-even with my 17 year old's friends! I get sick when I see children not strapped in. Nice yarn by the way!
Lisa
• Nov. 1, 2007
seatbelts
Posted by Anonymous
What a scary event! I'm so sorry you all had to go through that, but relieved that you're all fine.
I always use a seatbelt and insist that everyone else in our vehicle does too. My mom is always trying to get away with not buckling up and it drives me nuts.
• Nov. 2, 2007
accident, seat belt
Posted by Anonymous
I'm with you a million % on seat belt use. So glad all of you are OK!
--Stephanie (Whoduknit?)
