I think the hardest part of it all is knowing easily preventable it was. That’s the dagger that twists in my heart. Had I just known about the dangers of booster seats for toddlers, had somebody warned me, I would have put him in a 5-point harness car seat…and that simple difference would have changed everything.
It would have saved his life. It was have saved me from going through hell. I would have had the past 12 years of memories with my beautiful boy, instead of 12 years of grief and pain. I wouldn’t have to imagine what my son would be like now, I would be able to hug him and tell him I love him and watch him grow into a man. But I lost all of that because of ONE mistake. So that is why it is my life’s mission to prevent this tragedy from happening to anyone else.
Car accidents are the #1 killer of children, and statistics show that 80-90% of car seats are installed or used incorrectly! Read that again and let it sink in. We are not protecting our children from the single greatest threat to their lives! It’s madness. Think of all the awareness campaigns you see on a daily basis…none of those diseases pose as a great of a risk of death as car accidents. And deaths by car accidents can, in many cases, be prevented by proper car seat usage! Why are we not talking about this?! Why are there no awareness campaigns? We try to protect our kids from everything from pesticides, GMOs, sharp furniture corners and cancer, but then buckle them into unsafe car seats. This needs to change.
Please, if you have young children or know someone with young children, research proper car seat usage and talk about it with everyone you know. I’ve lost friends and family members because they were offended that I pointed out their incorrect car seat usage. But to say nothing and have another child’s death on my conscience is not something I’m willing to risk. So please, speak up if you see a child in a dangerous situation. You could save a life.
Children’s lives are more important than parents egos. If someone would have done so for me, Kyle would still be here. We have a lot of work to do but I know we can save lives if we work together to share Kyle’s story and message. Car seat safety is not a “parenting choice”, it’s a matter of physics and facts.
You can learn more about Kyle’s legacy in the video below:
Honestly, moms and dads, when Miller talks about “if only someone had warned me,” it gives me new determination to spread stories like these far and wide. Not only does sweet Kyle need to be remembered because his life was precious, his story needs to be told so that other lives will be saved. 3-year-olds should still be in a 5-point-harness, and Christine is doing all parents a service by bravely sharing her story. Please click through to Car Seat Consultants for more information about what kind of car seat your child needs and how to install them safely. And next time you buckle that kiddo in, think of Kyle, and take one more moment to connect with your sweet child.
