Car seat safety is important to parents. We spend a lot of time choosing the best car seats for our children, worry about when to turn them around, if the seat could survive an accident, etc.
In an effort to give parents more peace of mind, car seat accessories like mirrors and cameras have become more popular, giving parents the ability to keep an eye on their kids as they drive. But one mom discovered that the mirror she used to keep an eye on her son almost put him in danger.
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The incident was totally random
She's lucky that she was thinking on her feet
While still holding Luca, Perna took the mirror out of the car. She told Today that thankfully there "was never a flame," but if it had been a different day, the incident could have played out differently. That day, she happened to be with her mother, who was getting her daughter out of the car at the same time.
"Normally I’d be getting the two kids out of the car alone and it would have taken much longer to get to Luca," she shared. Further reflecting on the moment, she admitted, "I really think he would have been burned" if she hadn't moved faster.
You don't need a mirror next to your child's car seat
"I think this is an extremely rare situation," child safety expert Jen Saxton told Today. She told the outlet that it was the first time she had heard of such a thing happening in her career.
Saxton shared that she understands the appeal of mirrors and even appreciates the convenience of them. But she did share a reminder, saying, "They are for convenience only. Many people don't have them."