7-month-old girl killed in accident

[Melizerd]

http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2007/04/23/top_stories/02acc.txt

:(

[jen_nah]

How sad

[southpawboston]

very tragic. i can't fathom that happening to a loved one.

i'm curious how the toddler got the car out of park? there's supposed to be a lock that prevents you from switching out of park unless your foot is on the brake! i wonder if it was malfunctioning.

[broken4u05]

very sad. I do not let kids play in the car at all. Sit in your seat when in the car. Or if we are just waiting somewhere the car would not be on at all. I would have the keys and again the child can not play with things in the car

[southpawboston]

just yesterday i let my DD1 play around in the driver's seat of my car. i'm not worried that there's anything dangerous that she could do. we were parked in a parking lot, and DW was BFing DD2 in the front passenger's seat. car was off, key was in my pocket, e-brake was firmly on and no way DD1 could release it. i'm sure others here would find fault with that, but that's something neither DW nor i have an issue with, provided we're there supervising.

[skaterbabscpst]

very tragic. i can't fathom that happening to a loved one.

i'm curious how the toddler got the car out of park? there's supposed to be a lock that prevents you from switching out of park unless your foot is on the brake! i wonder if it was malfunctioning.

Depending on the age and model of car it may predate the tranny lock. (Note: I didn't read the article.)

[southpawboston]

Depending on the age and model of car it may predate the tranny lock. (Note: I didn't read the article.)

this is true, but i thought they've been required for at least 15-20 years?

[southpawboston]

Depending on the age and model of car it may predate the tranny lock. (Note: I didn't read the article.)

this is true, but i thought they've been required for at least 15-20 years? since soon after the whole 60-minutes expose on the audi 5000 "sudden acceleration" phenomenon way back in the 80s...

[Melizerd]

sadly my 98 doesn't have that. I had to have it taken it to have them fix it. I got a post card in the mail. I'm betting a lot of people didn't ever bother.

[skaterbabscpst]

I know dh's early 90's XJ6 doesn't have it. Which is why said XJ now needs a new driver's side door. :whistle: Dh got out of the car, taking the keys with him, without putting the car in park and setting the emergency brake and it rolled partway down the driveway. he caught it by the door, which luckily kept it from rolling into a tree - or worse, the neighbor's driveway. :rolleyes:

[Judi]

About 13 years ago, my neice (3 years old at the time) was playing in my half-sisters car(everyone else was in the apartment, don't get me started). She got the car out of park and it started rolling backwards. She jumped out, went to the back of the car, to try to push it, so it wouldn't roll. She got drug under the car.

[emandbri]

How very sad! My oldest was able to take a car out of park when he was little. I think it was my dad's 96 bonniville. I traded cars with my dad because I was babysitting and needed to fit 3 which was hard to do in my altima. Jacob was usually in a harness but I had him in a booster since I had switched cars and I went to the apartment to run up and check the mail and he got out of the booster and put the car in drive and the car was on the lawn in front of the apartment! :eek:

[lodonal65]

just yesterday i let my DD1 play around in the driver's seat of my car. i'm not worried that there's anything dangerous that she could do. we were parked in a parking lot, and DW was BFing DD2 in the front passenger's seat. car was off, key was in my pocket, e-brake was firmly on and no way DD1 could release it. i'm sure others here would find fault with that, but that's something neither DW nor i have an issue with, provided we're there supervising.

Call me paranoid but whenever I needed to BF in the car, I always sat in the back seat. I was afraid someone may hit the front of my car while parked and the airbags would go off. :D

[southpawboston]

Call me paranoid but whenever I needed to BF in the car, I always sat in the back seat. I was afraid someone may hit the front of my car while parked and the airbags would go off. :D

that's not an option for us. we have carseats back there. plus the airbag system does not deploy with the key off. ;)

[1girltwinboyz]

:thumbsdown: Ditto my kids NEVER play in my minivan PERIOD. My boys are so rough and tough that they could break something very easily. And that would be MY fault for letting them do it not their fault as they are children and need us to teach them right and wrong.

So sad for that baby.

[An Aurora]

just yesterday i let my DD1 play around in the driver's seat of my car. i'm not worried that there's anything dangerous that she could do. we were parked in a parking lot, and DW was BFing DD2 in the front passenger's seat. car was off, key was in my pocket, e-brake was firmly on and no way DD1 could release it. i'm sure others here would find fault with that, but that's something neither DW nor i have an issue with, provided we're there supervising.

We do this too. I BF in the passenger seat frequently, as we have both carseats outboard in the back seat and there's no place to go. DD1 also loves to "drive". If I'm someplace alone with the kids and the baby needs to eat, I let DD1 "drive" while I feed the baby in the passenger seat. Never with the keys in of course. I am absolutely paranoid about accidentally locking the kids in the car so if the keys are not in the ignition, they are in my pocket.

[beebear23]

Well, I have to say that generally having a 2 yr. old playing INSIDE the car is probably more safe than having a 2 year old running around outside the car while you buckle in the other kids.. Am I right? It's not like this kid was left unattended for any amount of time. So, would all prefer this lady had the kid running around outside the car? Just curious from the responses...

It is very tragic... It's a shame things happen...

[Connor's Mom]

I am wondering why the 2 year old was already in the car but not restrained and in the front seat. I also want to know, because I think that I would notice, how the 2 year old got over and placed the car in gear without Granny noticing? How did the carseat end up hanging halfway out of the car?
This story, though very tragic, sounds fishy to me.

[daizy]

My two year old always climbs into the car while I am buckling my infant in...I HAVE to buckle my infant in first, and the two year old is safer IN the car than running around outside. Tragic accident.

[beebear23]

My two year old always climbs into the car while I am buckling my infant in...I HAVE to buckle my infant in first, and the two year old is safer IN the car than running around outside. Tragic accident.

Yeah. I may only have 1 kid(which to many people means "i know nothing about anything"), but even I know that it's hard to buckle in a 2 year old while holding a baby.. I've buckled in 2 2-year olds before and know that one has to be either outside the car unattended, or inside the car while another is being buckled in. YOu can't do both seats at the exact same time..


But I also wonder why the car seat was hanging half way out the door.. Was it not installed very well and when grandma fell she took the seat w/her? :shrug-shoulders:

[Connor's Mom]

My two year old always climbs into the car while I am buckling my infant in...I HAVE to buckle my infant in first, and the two year old is safer IN the car than running around outside. Tragic accident.

That makes since. But, I still want to know how the 2 year old got over and placed the car in gear without Granny noticing?

[beebear23]

Well, for one, 2 year olds are SUPER fast. and grandmas tend to be well, kind of slow.. I'm sure my MIL wouldn't have noticed until it was too late. And even if she had, she wouldn't have been able to do anything b/c she isn't strong enough to stop the car when it's moving(i've had to stop my car when it was rolling backwards out of my driveway.. it's not easy).

My sister had the same thing happen.. Her DS was about 2-3, maybe 4 at the time and he was climbing out of the car when they got home and he knocked it into gear. The car rolled and nearly ran over my sister. The door hit her and caused some nasty bruises.. Things happen..

[1girltwinboyz]

I dont understand why you need to buckle a NON mobile kid in BEFORE a mobile kid? Am I missing someting? THe infant cannot go anywhere but the toddler can definitely get into trouble. I usually leave the stroller by the van door and put one kid in and then drive the stroller to the other side of van and put the other kiddo in. No one ever plays in my van. EVER.

[beebear23]

Not everyone uses strollers.

[Patriot201]

About 13 years ago, my neice (3 years old at the time) was playing in my half-sisters car(everyone else was in the apartment, don't get me started). She got the car out of park and it started rolling backwards. She jumped out, went to the back of the car, to try to push it, so it wouldn't roll. She got drug under the car.

OMG! :eek:

[EzzieMom]

I dont understand why you need to buckle a NON mobile kid in BEFORE a mobile kid? Am I missing someting? THe infant cannot go anywhere but the toddler can definitely get into trouble. I usually leave the stroller by the van door and put one kid in and then drive the stroller to the other side of van and put the other kiddo in. No one ever plays in my van. EVER.


She could have been at home...actually I think she was...so she probably wasn't using a stroller in her own driveway. It's hard, bc where do you put the baby while you buckle in the 2 year old? I guess she could have put the baby in a baby swing or high chair really fast while she buckled in the toddler and then came back for the baby. But then some would probably say that's unsafe too....your never supposed to be more then arms length away from the baby when their in things like bouncy seats, high chairs, baby swings etc.

I remember when DD#2 was still a baby, when we would leave WalMart or where ever, I would do exactly what you just mentioned. I would have DD#2 in a stroller, put DD#1 in car seat and then put DD#2 in her car seat.

This is a very sad story. Poor poor baby:( The g-ma probably feels horriable about this.

[Heather and Alex]

that is really sad i can see how it could happen tho... when i have more then one child with me i usually put them all in the car and buckle them in starting with the youngest..i figure thats safer then them running around outside where i cant see them

[Kashi]

I dont understand why you need to buckle a NON mobile kid in BEFORE a mobile kid? Am I missing someting? THe infant cannot go anywhere but the toddler can definitely get into trouble. I usually leave the stroller by the van door and put one kid in and then drive the stroller to the other side of van and put the other kiddo in. No one ever plays in my van. EVER.

Not everyone uses strollers.

7-months old is hardly "non mobile" - unbuckled, my 7-month old would pull himself up and likely flip himself out of his seat.


What I do when I'm alone with the kids :
- open driver's side door, Bug and Boo get in.
- they both sit and start doing up their chest clips.
- close door (child lock enabled)
- go to passenger side, put Bear in his seat, close door.
- back to driver's side, do up the big kids "bottom buckles" and tighten
- close door and get in myself.

Perfect ? No. But what other way can I do it ?

[1girltwinboyz]

Maybe that is the answers for those with a baby and toddler - get a cheap umbrella stroller! Problem solved:thumbsup:

[Morganthe]

Maybe that is the answers for those with a baby and toddler - get a cheap umbrella stroller! Problem solved:thumbsup:

Actually, no, not really.

I won't mention how many times I've seen strollers almost hit by cars pulling in next to the parked vehicle because they didn't see them before the turn. Mom's in the vehicle with one kid and the other's just sitting there below the sight line in a little stroller. IMO, the best thing for all children is to be IN the vehicle, not around the edges of the parked car.

Parking lots are some of the most dangerous areas for pedestrians, especially children.

Then there's the little girl I almost hit today while I was slowly driving through the McD's parking area. There was a line for the drive through and she came running out of the building along the crosswalk just in front a large waiting minivan. I had no warning and she never even looked to see if any cars were coming. One second, nothing, next she was at the center of my vehicle!
I think I missed hitting her by only 2 feet. :(

She was about 7-9 years old and running to her mother's parked car where everyone was waiting inside of it.
Even after I tooted my horn, she didn't even budge from racing to the car. I was so scared after that. I think it added more silver to my hair. :eek:

[arly1983]

Actually, no, not really.

I won't mention how many times I've seen strollers almost hit by cars pulling in next to the parked vehicle because they didn't see them before the turn. Mom's in the vehicle with one kid and the other's just sitting there below the sight line in a little stroller. IMO, the best thing for all children is to be IN the vehicle, not around the edges of the parked car.

This happened to me in the Walmart parking lot. I am paranoid now. I wear Camille on my back in ergo and carry Jackson on my hip.

Jackson goes in the van before anything and then Camille and then groceries or whatever. Thats IF I can't avoid taking them at all. I am just extremely PARANOID especially since Jackson has started running away from us....

[1girltwinboyz]

Wow i guess having twins is a totally diff perspective. I have never had a problem with leaving the double stroller on one side of my honda van (or by the hatch when I am unloading small items that fit in the stroller basket). I unclip one kiddo from stroller, buckle in seat, then repeat. Then fold up stroller and put in back.

I guess this is typical VT - life in the SLOW LANE. People are VERY accomodating (sometimes over the top) when they see me with twins plus one;))