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Seatbelt Importance
I will admit, I had been pretty casual when it came to wearing a seatbelt. I made a practice to wear one myself each time I drove, but wasn't as careful as a passenger and didn't make a big deal when my passengers neglected to. But one cold night in Idaho changed my mindset.
My husband and I were visiting his family.
We were on our way back from Pocatello, Idaho when suddenly the scream of a police siren shattered the night, lights flashing at a terrific speed down the highway.
My brother-in-law is a police officer and reconstructs accidents. He was driving in a mini-van with his family ahead of us and called my father-in-law on his cell phone. They were needed on the scene. My father-in-law is a police chaplain; his job to notify the families of the tragedies.
My brother-in-law relayed the heart breaking news. One fatality, the father, smeared along the highway, an eight year old little boy pinned beneath the overturned vehicle.
We took an alternate route to the accident scene, traffic on the highway completely stopped for miles.
As we neared, flashing lights were everywhere. A Life Flight helicopter waited to take the little boy to the hospital. The young boy was alert and talking, but they feared the unknown and rushed him away.
We learned later that neither the boy nor the young man, who the boy called "Daddy”, had been wearing seat belts. My brother-in-law gravely told us, had they been wearing seat belts, it was very likely the "Dad" would have been walking around, scratching his head, wondering what on earth had happened. As it was, the man lost nearly all of his head on the highway, endangered his innocent passenger and ultimately lost his life.
It is a miracle, but the little boy is alive and well and was released from the hospital the following day, with not a broken bone.
God was truly looking out for him that night.
So my plea is to you, the parents. Please ensure that you and your children wear your seat belts at all times. I never used to be so emphatic about it. But knowing what could have been, had the man and boy worn their seatbelts, it really shook me up and caused me to rethink my choices. I hope this story will cause you to make the right choice as well.
Article by- Jorene Haight
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