This is why we care so much about carseats

[skitle1802]

I'm so glad you are all able to walk away. And God Bless those Army Rangers!

And I'm totally buying 3 seatbelt cutters today! (top tethers in a truck are impossible to undo in a hurry!)

 

[Polola0628]

Thank you for sharing, I'm so glad you all are (for the most part) in one piece! Hugs!

 

[smileybrea]

Wow..just no words...crash at that speed and everyone walked away...wow. Glad everyone is ok..give them extra snuggles!

I'm sure in this situation, it would be a hard battle between parent wanting/needing to be with the kids vs technician knowing they needed to stay in the car or at least seats. Gas is very scary..

 

[all together ooky]

So glad to hear you all are relatively okay! Very scary.

 

[miraclebabies]

Oh my gosh... How scary!! I couldn't imagine, I've never been in a accident. Seen a few but never my own and especially since I've had my kids. I'm glad everyone is ok, I'm at a loss for words.... I just can't believe you all got out relatively un hurt.

 

[littleangelfire]

I'm so glad you guys are OK!

 

[BrendansMommy]

Thanks again, all. I did get the kids out as soon as possible. The boys were screaming, and B was shouting about smoke, so I wanted them out of there asap. I didn't see the smoke, but I wasn't going to chance it. Looking back now, with a clear head, I think he was seeing the smoke from the airbag deploying. If anything had actually been on fire, the gasoline would have blown. It was EVERYWHERE.

I didn't even realize about the gasoline until the Ranger pointed it out. Even with a belt cutter, though, I doubt I'd have used it. I'd have to get B out, while in his Frontier, and then cut Paint's seat out. Had I been able to open his door, I'd have cut his seat out. The lack of that second door really cuts your options down, especially when concerned about fire. I doubt very seriously that they would have come out as quickly with the belt cutter because you have to lean the Frontier over on its side to even get it in the car.

I'm definitely going to be sending those Rangers a thank you card or something. They were amazing. I felt bad b/c after we were all away and safe, one of them told me that it was bad enough seeing the accident, but hearing the kids screaming really got to him. He said that he just doesn't expect to hear kids screaming in terror here in America--while on deployment he saw it plenty, but not here at home. I really home it didn't surface and PTSD issues for him.

Feel free to use this and the photo for teaching purposes. I'm 100% positive that those seats saved my boys' lives, especially P.

 

[BrendansMommy]

Since the other driver failed to stop at a stop sign they are at fault. Cross traffic always has to yield to traffic on the highway.

What a scary story. Thank goodness you and your babies were properly restrained and are okay. Did this happen on Hwy 6? I have had my fair shares of scares on it and I have never lived in CS.

This was at Wellborn Road and Cain. I was southbound on Wellborn and the truck just ran the stop sign on Cain. Why anyone runs stops signs is beyond me, but why you run one going from a 2 lane road across a 7 lane road is beyond me.

 

[ketchupqueen]

So glad you were all properly restrained, and your airbag did its job!

Even if you hadn't gotten the kids out, it's possible a bystander would have. I remember screaming as loud as I could "DON'T TAKE MY KIDS OUT OF THEIR CAR SEATS! LEAVE THE KIDS IN THEIR CAR SEATS! DON'T TAKE THEM OUT OF THEIR CAR SEATS!" But no one heard me, and bystanders had them out while my husband was still in too much shock to think clearly to direct them to cut the seats out instead of taking the kids from the seats. (I was stuck in the car because I knew I had an injured neck and refused to let them cut me out- my door was mangled and wouldn't open.)

 

[BrendansMommy]

You're right KQ. Even if I hadn't been able to get them out (that was a real worry--I thought I was trapped at first), I know those Rangers would have taken care of them. They were our guardian angels.

 

[murphydog77]

She was probably doing something with her phone and didn't see the stop sign. Glad you're mostly OK!

 

[monica-m]

This was at Wellborn Road and Cain. I was southbound on Wellborn and the truck just ran the stop sign on Cain. Why anyone runs stops signs is beyond me, but why you run one going from a 2 lane road across a 7 lane road is beyond me.

Wellborn was my route of choice in to CS so I am familiar with the area. If someone is going to be so careless that they're going to just run a stop sign crossing a highway like that maybe they shouldn't be driving.

 

[oxeye]

I'm so glad you guys are all okay. When I hear stories like this and see pictures I really don't understand why someone would take car and child passenger safety lightly.

 

[carseatmom]

WOW! That is so scary! Glad you are all relatively ok. What a good job the Uni-body in the Tribute/Escape does! We have an Escape too, and that is one of the reason's we bought it. Although I was very very early in my CPS days when we bought it, I knew enough to want that!

 

[abbi_n_nadia]

Wow so glad you are all ok! SO scary!

 

[acoro]

Wow scary. Glad to hear everyone is ok

 

[Jan06twinmom]

Glad you and your children are relatively okay. I can't imagine how scary that was. Get help if you need it. I know I would.

Melanie

 

[Brigala]

Reading this gives me goosebumps. Thank God you all only have minor injuries. I hope the other driver learns a lesson about paying attention to the road. She could have killed all of you. Not to mention herself.

You've just made up my mind on something. I was trying to decide whether to bother swapping around my Radian 80SL (when it arrives) and my XTSL so that the older child who can benefit from the head wings can use the XT (the baby's not tall enough to have any benefit from them at all yet). I'm definitely going to do it since the older one is the outboard kid.

I do have a seat belt cutter in the driver's side door compartment (also has a glass breaker on it). I understand why it wouldn't have been practical in your specific accident, but I'm more glad that I have it now. Maybe I should pick another one up for each of the other cars.

I agree that the gasoline spilling all over the place changes the equation. You needed to get out of the car quickly. Would have been nice to be able to pull the kids out in their car seats, but you do what you can do.

 

[Jeanum]

Scary! Gentle ((Hugs)) and healing vibes, and glad you're all relatively okay.

 

[bubbaray]

So glad you are all OK and that the Rangers were there to help you.

FWIW, I would have gotten the kids out of there by any means given the gasoline.