One mom is raising awareness after a shocking incident where the sun reflecting off a mirror in her car scorched a hole in her baby son’s car seat. Emily Perna experienced this terrifying moment firsthand and is now sharing her story to warn other parents about the potential dangers of car seat mirrors.
Emily Perna had just arrived at Bible study when she did what countless moms do every day: she got out of the car and went to the back seat to retrieve her 21-month-old son, Luca, who was strapped into his rear-facing car seat.
“I grabbed the diaper bag and put it on my shoulder. Then I saw the craziest thing,” Perna told TODAY.com.
At first, she noticed what looked like dust particles floating in the air. “It was like when light comes through a window in your house and you can see dust in the air,” she explained. “I actually can’t believe I noticed it, that’s how faint it was at the start.”
A Close Call
Upon closer inspection, Perna realized she wasn’t looking at dust. “Then it looked like steam,” she said. “Very quickly it was getting thicker.” Acting quickly, she removed Luca from the car.
Perna soon understood that the light reflecting off the car seat mirror was causing the seat to burn. What she initially thought was dust was actually smoke. With one hand holding her son, she used her other hand to remove the mirror from the car.
Expert Insights
Child safety expert Jen Saxton, Founder & CEO of Tot Squad, mentioned that this was the first time in her 15 years as a Child Passenger Safety Technician that she had heard of a car seat mirror causing a fire. “I think this is an extremely rare situation,” she told TODAY. While she acknowledges the convenience of car seat mirrors, she emphasizes that they are for convenience only and many people do not use them.
For newborns, Saxton suggests having someone ride in the back seat with the baby. She also advises against giving food or any choking hazard-sized toys to children while they are in car seats. Most families can manage without a mirror if they are concerned about this potential hazard.
