Children's safety in cars will forever be a hot-button topic among parents, as many of us never want to feel as if we're putting our children in harm's way. But with news that 43 percent of kids killed in car crashes are improperly restrained surfacing, we can no longer shut our ears to much-needed conversations that might save a child's life. A grieving mom is honoring the memory of her 3-year-old son who died in a car accident 12 years ago by warning parents about the dangers of putting toddlers in booster seats — and encouraging them to speak up if they see it happening.
As mom Christine Miller shares in a YouTube video dedicated to her son, 3-year-old Kyle David Miller died in a car accident after a vehicle ran a red light and hit her family van. Kyle, who was sitting in a booster seat and wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the van during the crash and was killed on impact.
More from CafeMom: 11 Worst Booster Seats for Kids According to Safety Group
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/embed/qbdvLvscEgQ
"At 40 lbs, we wrongly believed he had to move to a booster seat …" Miller shares in her video. "If Kyle would have been in a 5-point harness, or better yet, rear-facing in a 5-point harness he WOULD still be here today."
Taking to the Car Seat Consultant Facebook page on May 29, the anniversary of her son Kyle David Miller's death, Miller says she's hoping her heartbreaking story will make parents of toddlers rethink booster seats and save a life.
More from CafeMom: Putting Your Child in a Booster Seat Too Soon Could Have Tragic Consequences
"There is not a day that passes that my heart does not ache with missing him and wondering what he would be like now," Miller writes in her touching post. She continues:
"Losing Kyle was like being plunged straight into hell, a pain and agony beyond description. If the scars on my heart were visible, people would gasp every time they saw me …. It's a pain I will carry with me until the day I die and can finally be with my sweet son again.
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."
More from CafeMom: Why This Mom Flipped Her Son's Car Seat Upside Down
Miller's post is a haunting reminder of the importance of keeping our children in car seats until the recommended time, as rushing to jump to a booster seat could prove to be fatal.
"Car accidents are the #1 killer of children, and statistics show that 80-90% of car seats are installed or used incorrectly!" Miller notes in her Facbook post. "Read that again and let it sink in. We are not protecting our children from the single greatest threat to their lives!"
The mom also hopes her story will help to remove the shame of discussing car seat safety, as the topic often does not get the attention or awareness it deserves until it's too late.
"Why are we not talking about this?!" Miller asks in her Facebook post. "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."
More from CafeMom: Why Sharing a Photo of Your Toddler's Car Seat Could Save a Life
Since she shared her tragedy on Facebook, Christine's PSA has become a springboard for discussion, and many who read it are showering the mom with gratitude, love, and support.
More from CafeMom: Toddlers Survive Horrific Car Crash, Thanks to Car Seats (PHOTOS)
No matter how tough the topic of child safety in cars might feel, it's such a critical conversation to have that, hopefully, will inspire correction if and when necessary, because, as Miller says, "Car seat safety is not a 'parenting choice,' it's a matter of physics and facts."
"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," Miller urges in her post. "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."
